Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-12-23
The RnMANeE OF REAL LEE.

! About twenty seven years ago, Captain
Brown, whose family resided in Mattapoisett
was an overseer Oh the estate of Mr.. Henry
E. Clifton, wealthy gentleman of Richmond
| Va. From some cause, which still remains q
secret, difficulty arose between Capt. Brown
! and Mr.. Clifton. wherein the former consider
ed himself tbe aggrieved party To revenge
himself for the supposed wrong, he stole Mr..
Citizens infant daughter (then but six weeks
o!d) on the DAY she was christened. The
child was brought to Mattapoisett and secret
ly adopted by Brown and his vile as their
own. She was named Julia, and grew 10 be
woman. When only sixteen years old she
married Mr.. Isaac o. Pierce, printer, who
learned his trade in Fall River. Several years
ago they moved to Taunton, living for awhile
at East Taunton, but more recently at the
Green Two children had been born to them,
enc of whom is row living. During this long
period Mrs. Pierce has lived in blissfuI igno-
rance OF her high parentage, and MIR. Pierce,
who took her iOr better or worse has never
| imagined himself the husband of SD beiress.
He abandoned the printers trade shortly after
be learned it, and for several years has earned
his daily bread by the sweat OF his brow at
MIR. Mason's works in This city Last sum-
mer, while The Rev. Mr.. Talbot, of this city,
was at Saratoga, he became acquainted with
Mr.. Clifton and wife, who it appears, at the
breaking out of the rebellion, converted their
Richmond property into cash, and moved to
Baltimore.
In The course Of conversation with them,
Mr.. 7. remarked upon the striking resem,
pf Afps In Tod, ~
his in Taunton. Nothing particular was
thought ef it at first; but on his repeating the
remark, MIR. c. inquired The age OF the. lady.
On being informed she was about twenty-seven
Mrs. q. Immediately said to her husband,
why, that would be just the age of our
daughter that was stolen" The matter then
received their serious attention. Mr.. Talbot
was taken into their confidence, and inquiry
instituted as TO the reputed parents of the
young lady. He returned to Taunton bad a
conversation with Mrs. Pierce in regard 10
her parentage; informed her of the Saratoga
conversation, which led Der 10 ask Mrs Brown,
who she had never doubted was her own moth
er, if she really was such, at the same time
telling her the reason Of the inquiry. Mrs. B.,
who had kept the secret Of the cbilds parent
age for twenty seven years, was so overcome
by the question and the development OF facts
that che Immediately became ill and died of
heart disease, Before her death, however, she
acknowledged that Mrs. Pierce was not her
own daughter. Capt Brown died number
of years ago. Within few weeks The affair
has developed itself rapidly. Mr.. and Mrs
Clifton and Mrs. Pierce have met each other;
and the old colored woman who nursed the ab-
Quoted infant, has recognized Mrs. P. as their
real child by mole on the shoulder" Tue
identity Of their loDg-lost daughter having
been fully established, Ms. Pierce and her
husband have been invited to live with the
Cliftons and share in the wealth; and this they
are preparing to do, having broken up house
keeping and disposed OF their furniture. The
cream Of the affair is that Mrs. Pierce is an
only child, and therefore sole heiress to an es-
tate said to be worth hundreds of thousands
if not millions of dollars, or as an old lady
friend OF Mrs. Pierce expressed it, "trife
less than wv" millions. - Taunton (AEass.) Re
publican.