The Shasta courier., 1865-01-28
NUMBER 4S.
An Heircss Discovered.

About twenty seven years ago, Captain
Brown, whose family resided in Mattapoisett,
was the overseer Of the estate. of Mr.. Henry
y. Clifton, wealthy gentleman of Richmond.
Va. From some cause, which still remains
secret. a difficulty arose between Captain
b. and MIR. c., wherein the former consider
ed himself the agrieved party. To revenge
himself for the supposed wrong, he stole Mr..
Clifton's infant daughter (then but six weeks
DID, on the day she was christened The
child was brought to Mattapoisett and secretly
adopted by Brown and his wife rs their own.
she was named Julia, and grew to be wom-
an. When only sixteen years old she mar.
ried Mr.. Isaac o. Pierce, printer, who learn
ed his trade in Fall River. Several years
ago they moved to Taunton, living for awhile
at East Taunton. but more recently at tho
Green. Two children have been born to
them, one of whom is now living. During
this long period Mrs Pierce has lived in bliss
inl Ignorance of her high parentage, and Mr..
Pierce who took her for better or for worse
has never imagined himself the husband of
an heiress. He abandoned the printers
trade shortly after he learned it, and for sew
eral years has earned his bread by the sweat
OF his brow at Mr.. Mason's works in this city.
Last summer, while 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, convert
cd their Richmond property into cash and
moved to Baltimore. In the course of con-
versation with them Mr. T. remarked upon
the striking resemblance of Mrs. Clifton to
lady parishoner of his in Taunton. Nothing
particular was thought of it at first; but on
his repeating the remark Mrs. c. inquired
the age of the lady. On being informed that
Icta ~
diately said to her husband, " Why, that
would be the age of our daughter that was
stolen" The matter then received their Sc
rious attention. Mr. Talbot was taken into
their confidence, and inquiry Instituted as to
the reputed parents Of the young lady. lie
returned to Taunton, had IL conversation with
Mrs. Pierce in regard 10 her parentage in
formed her of the Saratoga conversation,
which led her to ask Mrs Brown, who she
had never doubted was her own mother. 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 child's parentage
Tor twenty-seven years.. was so overcome by
the question and the development of facts
that she Immediately became i'll and died of
heart disease. Before her death, however.
she acknowledged that Mrs. p was not her
own daughter. Captain Brown died num-
Der of years ago. Within a few weeks this
affair has developed itself rapidly. Mr. and
Mrs. Clifton aud Mrs. Pierce have met each
other; and the old colored woman. who nurs-
ed the abducted infant, has recognized Mrs.
p. as their real child, by "a mole on her
shoulder The identity of their long lost
daughter having been fully established, Mrs.
Pierce and her husband have been invited to
live with the Clftons and share in their
wealth. and this thnv rronocinn fn do
having broken up housekeeping and dispos-
ed of their furniture The cream of the af-
fair is that Mrs. Pierce is an only child and
therefore sole heiress to an estate said to be
worth hundreds of thousands if not millions of
dollars or as an old lady friend of Mrs Pierce
expressed it, . a triqe less than two millions"
-Tdunton Mass PeD