Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1874-04-07
Story of a Queer Family from Virginia,

[Cincinuatl Gazette, February IL
During the past winter our citizens have
been accustomed to see poverty in almost
every conceivable shape, but the appearance
upon our streets yesterday morning of an en-
igrant family from Virginia, in the most alb
ject and miserable condition, is beyond any
thing previously witnessed. The family, or
perhaps the two families, as will hereafter be
explained, consisted of nine persons-a moth
or and daughter, fifty five aud thirty years of
age respectively, four children, aud babe at
the breast, scarcely two months old.
The grown male members complete the
party, unless VIC should include dog, which
looked like he had been fed on charity soup
for the past six mouths at least The party
was provided with handcarts SO arranged With
shouldorbauds, etc that the men could pull
them while loaded with very little excrtion
10 one OF these carts small, sickly.lo looking
child was buried in heap Of filthy rags aud
other articles, and looked Is il it was almost
trrzem. We questioned the elder of the two
men to his name aud former home and as
to his Object in coming West.
ln reply to the first question he said his
name was John Curbin, aud that he was horn
and raised in Page county, Va. As to his
coming West, he hes!tated with an answer,
but finally he sobbed out long history of his
mistOrlunes. He said that he had a small
but comfortable home in Virginia, aud that
hc had always lived peaceably and happily
with his family until that scoundrel (referring
to his male companion, who was standing with
his back toward US but a short distance awsy,O
seduccd his daughter, aud who afterward
even gained the encouragement of his wife
in his conduct.
1T is bad enough" he continued. "to have
your own child injured and yourself brought
to shame, but this mau has nice wife aud
three pretty children in Winchester, Va in
destitute circumstances, whom he has aban>
doued." We asked him whether the man had
ever been married to his daughter, and he
said he had not. 81 did everything pos
sible, +" said he, Ito cause him to discontinue
his visits to my daughter, but failed, and
when he saw was making it uncomfortable
for him he gained the consent of my wife
and daughter to go West. and leave me and
their homo love my wife as only man can
love woman, and my only oject in living is
for her; so, when found she had left me,
knew that this scoundrol was at the bottom
of it all, and determined to 20 and find her,
If possible. l travelled many miles alone, in
quiring for the party. heard of them at
one place or another, and at last overlook
them, about three weeks since, at Anderson,
Iud. But my wife and daughter would not
consent to return to Virginia. finally in
duced them, however, to go and try and find
brother who is residing near Springfield,
Ohio
In reply to question Why he had not gone
directly from Anderson to S pringfeld, instead
of coming to Cincinnati, he said, THAT man
and my wife and daughter were in favor of
dressing ourselves and our children in the
most miserable clothes we could find, and beg
along the road to Cincinnati this plan was
carried out, but not with my consent, al
though l came along and pulled one of the
hand carts full of dirty bed clothes, and one
of the children all the way We stopped at
every farm house, and of every person we met
we requested something to either eat or wear,
but always took money when we could get it.
don't know how much We begged during
the trip, but it was great deal. That man
there (again referring to his companioD) has
got twenty or thirty dollars in money yet
We leave for Hamilton and Dayton this
morning"
By this time the crowd of children and
idle grown people who had collected around
the carts was SO great as to completely fill the
streets, and the police had to interfere.
1t appears from this simple mans story
that these travelling paupers are not wholly
uuversed In the weaknesses of human nature,
and are not altogeather unwilling to take ad-
vantage of their knowledge.
-"Rents ore enormous," as the loafer
said when he looked at his breeches,