Prior to organizing his raid on the Federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, John Brown registered under the assumed name of "I. Smith" at the Washington House on June 30, 1859. With him were his sons Owen and Oliver, and Jeremiah G. Anderson, all of whom were principal leaders of the raid. Anderson and Oliver Brown died in the raid. The Washington House Hotel was a major stop on the National Pike, served as a hospital at times throughout the Civil War, and burned in 1879.