The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1869-08-05
MISCELLANY.
DEATH OF A HERMIT-A
ROMANTIC STORY.

1sO"hN LIZ O1 1Onl.
On Sunday evening last an old mai
named Daniel Bongardner, who fo
many years lived by himself in little
hut on the bank of the Sandusky river
above Ballville, departed this life. III
was well known by our citizens, and es
teemed as an honest and upright citi
sen yet, while all knew how he lived
few knew the reasons for his hermit life
l. was one ofthose singular cases, nov
AID then developed, which give zest t.
the deeiaS Sation ccftentilnes that Truth il
stranger than fiction" From one who
was a near neighbor I'VE gather the f0l
lowing particulars:
He was born on the 10th of April,
1882, near Frederick, Frederick coun
ty, Maryland and was consequently in
his eighty-uinth year at the time oil his
death. He was the youngest son, and
his father, who had been quite wealthy
having provided for the rest of the ia.
mily, reserved the home farm for the
youngest son. He married, and resi-
ding on the farm, had'gatbered six chill.
dren, when the father was induced to in
dorse for son in law who absconded leav-
ing him to pay the debt, in doing which
Daniel was left penniless. His wife,
whose parents were wealthy, occasionally
taunted Daniel with his poverty; yet he,
senitive and high spirited though he was
poor, bore it until one day, about fifty
years ago. He had taken his horses
and started to the field to plow, but,
brooding over the matter, tied them to
the fence in the field and determined
to quit the country. He turned his
back upon his house, wife and children
and friends, and never more was seon
in Frederick. His absence accustomed
alarm and Inquiry, but his wEerea-
bouts were not known. Wandering
about the country for some years, he
finally, forty-three years ago, took up
his residence in Ballville township
For nine years he lived in the family
of John G.. Rideout, of Ballville, and
then he built for himself the little hut
in which he resided atthe time of his
death For thirty. three years he lived
there alone, seeking no information of
his friends, nor extending to them any
knowledge of his whereabouts. Nine
or ten years ago, however, one of our
old citizens, who formerly had lived in
Maryland, was back there on visit,
and hearing some conversation one day
in relation to some one who had disap-
peared from the neighborhood SO many
years before, and who had never been
heard from, inquired his name, and on
being told it, recognized him as the her.
NIT Bomgardncr. Daniels Oldest daugh-
ter had married. well, and upon learning
that her father was still living, wrote to
him to return, and subsequently her
husband, about eight years ago, paid
the old man a visit, and endeavored to
get him to return with him, but all to
no purpose. Another effort was made
about FIVE years ago by grandson, who
visited him to get him to return, but he
was resolute and would not. And so the
years rolled on the old man grew old.
er, and the once herculean frame be-
came tremulous and fragile, yet still be
maintained his solitary and secluded
life. A few weeks ago he grew sick,
but he remained about his home until
about week before his death, when
he became 50 weak that he had to take
his bed. He was tnea removed to the
residence of Mr.. John Moore, where
kind hands ministered to his wants, and
when the death. damp gathered on his
brow and the feeble pulse ceased to beat,
strangers hands performed the sad
Office that loving hands fain would
have done. He was buried on Monday
!ast.-Fremont (Ohio) Journal