Richard Realf was born at Framfield on the 14th June 1832 and in 1852 he published his first book of poems entitled "Guesses at the Beautiful" before emigrating to the United States where he became very involved in the anti-slavery movement in Kansas. He started a newspaper and so came into contact with John Brown who was subsequently hanged for treason for his attack on Federal forces at Harper's Ferry on 16th October 1859. Julia Ward Howe composed the famous song in Brown's memory - "John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, …" After Brown's execution, Realf was arrested but subsequently released and when the War of Secession broke out he joined the Federal army, served with the 88th Illinois Regiment and became commandant of a regiment of negroes. After the war he established a school for freed slaves and resumed his old life as journalist and lecturer. Domestic troubles drove him to suicide at Oakland California on 28th October 1878.