Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-11-02
LOST AND FOUND.
Thirty Years Captivity Among
the Indians.

Thirty years ago, when Jackson was
little hamlet of 200 or 300 persons,
young woman might have been seen,
one sultry day in Angus, accompanied
by a little boy FIVE years old, vending
her way towards grove in the neighbor-
ing town of Blackman, for the purpose
of engaging in the then common pastime
of picking berries. The young woman,
after toiling away for ssme time, became
annoyed with the ceaseless importuni-
ties of the child, and sent him home. She
thought nothing more of the matter till,
upon her return in the evening, she was
surprised to find that the boy had not re-
turned. In reply to the queries Of the
anxious parents, the girl related the cir.
cumstances narrated above, and added
that she knew nothing ofthe whereabouts
of the child Day after day passed, and
still the missing member Of that dis
tracted family did not return, nor could
any tidings of him be heard by his agon.
lied parents. Finally after every search
ing party that had went out to find the
missing one had returned and reported
their mission fruitless, and after
all hope of ever. seeing their darling
boy again had vanished from the
minds of the afflicted parents, sus
picion began TO fasten upon the young
woman, who was servant in the family.
| She again asserted her innocence, and
stated that she knew nothing of the miss
ing boy from the time she had sent him
homeward. In spite of her protestations,
| however, she was arrested for the mur-
der of the boy and incarcerated in the
rude lookup which had been erected by
the early settlers. Here she was kept
for time, till il became apparent that
no evidence against her could be OBJ
tanned, still asserting her innocence to
the parents of the child, who longed for
some tidings thas would dispel the un-
certainty which hung over them like a
cloud. Their hopes were doomed to dis
appointment, however, as nothing could
be heard of the missing one, and he was
finally numbered with the dead, the pa
rents giving up all hopes of ever hearing
from their boy again.
Years passed, and the little hamlet be-
came large and hourishing city. The
solitude which formerly reigned on the
banks of the Grand river was broken by
the mechanic and the artiZan, and the
air resounded with the busy hum of in
dustry. Nearly all the old settlers had
passed away, and another generation sue
ceeded them. Among the many new
comers was a son-in-law Of the afflicted
family, Mr.. ]. T. Ballard, our fellow
townsman, who was greatly surprised a
few days since to learn that the boy who
had long been numbered with the dead
had arrived in the southern part OF this
State, and was making inquiries after his
family. The boy had grown TO be stall
wart man ofthirty-fve His countenance
| had become bronzed by continuous ex-
posure TO the elements, and his sinewy
! frame hardened by repeated adventures
in the Western wilds. He stated that he
had but a dim recollection Of has former
home. but yividly remembered the time
when two stalYart forms with red visages
crossed his path, snatched him up IN
their arms and carried him off amidst his
piteous cries for his loving mother. Since
that time he mas been constantly with the
Indians-ioined them in their bunting
expeditions, and followed their trail as
they journeyed toward the setting sun
He learned TO speak the language OF the
Pottawatomies- that was the name OF
the tribe with whom the greater part OF
his time had been spent-and in answer
to his repeated inquiries, his captors told
him that they had stolen him from Jack
son county, and that his name was Viii
lev The Indians confounded this name
with Filley, which is the real name OF
his father. Mr.. Ballard went in quest OF
the missing one, and upon arriving at
the place where he had been making in
ouiries. was told that he had gone away,
but would return in few days, when be
will proceed to the home of his aged
parents, to make glad the hearts Of an
afflicted father and mother.