The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-04-14
sast for a Lifetime.

Bidlack, of Pennsylvania, which pro-
vided that one square mile Of the
land then occupied by the Miami In
dams, embracing the house aud i'm
provements of Frances Slocum, should
be granted in fea to her and her heirs
forever. The bill became a law, and
she occupied this special reserve un.
iii her death 10 the spring of lS47.
The history of this woman was
remarkable. She was the daughter
of a Quaker who lived in the Wy
oming valley during the revolution.
Several months after the massacre of
lI77S she was caught up by a party
of marauding Delaware Indians, who
got off before any attempt could be
made TO rescue her. She was FIVE
wears old at the time. Alb ut a
month later her father was shot dead
by the Indians while at work in a
field near his house. Knowing that
be was gone to eternal rest the
widow became reeoneiled, but she
could never forget her child, the last
sight Of which was when she was in
the arms Of a brawny Indian, strug-
Cling and calling %piteously upon her
parent TO come TO her help.
The sons of Mrs. Slocum became
prosperous business men, and after
the close Of the Revolution they US
ed every effort to recover their lost
sister. In 1854 two Of them visited
Niagara, where a large number OF
Indians were gathered, made diligent
inquiries and offered liberal rewards
for any information of her. They
prosecuted the search for several
weeks and returned home With the
impression that she was dead.
The mother, however, could not
be persuaded that such was the case,
and four years later the Sloeums
spent several months in the west
among the indian agents and trad
ers, publicly Offering $500 to any n
who would give any authentic in
formation of the fate Of their sister,
but their success was no better than
before. 4 similar EXPEDITION was
taken in 1897 by. four Of the brothers,
with the same result. As in the
Ross case, the search brought num-
bers of stolen children TO light, but
none was the n particularly want
ed.
Mrs. Slocum never lost faith 10
her daughters existence. She be-
lieYed she YVES somewhere waiting
to be clasped 10 her arms, and she
continued the search without any IN
PERMISSION until 1901, when she died,
her children promising her to use
every effort to learn what had be-
come of the little one abducted near
" thirty years before. They faith
fully carried out this pledge, and in
1926 made a long and expensive
journey 10 Upper SAuduskey, to see
a woman who, there was no reason
to hope, was the one for whom they
were searching. Disappointed again,
they finally came t. the conclusion
that Frances was dead and the search
was ended.
In The month OF July, 1885, Col.
George W. Ewing, a gentleman con-
nceted with the public service among
the Indians, end able to speak several
Of their languages, was benighted
hear an Indian village known as
.the Deaf Mans Village" on a
branch Of the Wabash. He applied
for lodging and was Hospitality re-
at a respectable dwelling.
He was fatigued and unwell, and
after eating lay down upon some
skins in the corner. The household
consisted OF a venerable woman and
a number Of children, all of whom
treated her with the greatest defer
ence, aud who departed to their own
rooms.
As Col. Ewing lay upon bis pallet
be watched the old lady moving
about, and noticed particularly the
color of her skin and hair. The re-
suit Of the scrutiny convinced him
that she was a white woman, and he
opened a conversation with her.
She admitted that his suspicious
were correct. She said that she was
stolen by the Indians when a very
small child, and sho had carefully
concealed that fact from those OF Der
own race whom she had met for fear
that her relatives would come and
take her away. She was now so
that she thought she could not live
much longer, and ifany of her friends
were living she would be glad to
see them. In short, she was Frances
Slocum, and she remembered dis
tinctly the name Of her father, though
her own given name was forgotten.
Col. Ewing was so impressed with
her narrative that be addressed a
long letter, giving full particulars to
the postmaster at Lancaste:, Pa. He
bad never heard Of the Slocums, but
be Judged from certain answers made
by the old lady that her hume was
somewhere in that state.
The letter reached its destination,
but when the postmaster anne to
read it be concluded it g hoax and
flung it aside, among sona waste
papers, where it lay for two years.
At the end Of that time the post
master died, and his widow in over
hauling his effects came upon Col
Ewings letter. She had never heard
the name of SlOcum, but thinking
there was something in it, she sent
the missive to the Lancaster IateIii-
geneeF, e copy of which, containing
the letter, Ea.I into the hands of the
Rev. Samuel BOwpan, who was in
timateiy acquainted With tla SIocum
and be mailed q paper to her
brother, who lived at Wilkesbarre.
The reception Of the letter threw
the whole community into excite
ment, there being not a particle Of
doubt as to the identity of Frances.
As two years had passed since the
was written, and as it stated
the old lady at that time was
un!sr g %premonitiou of death, an iu-
was addressed to Col. Ewing,
by John SloeuR 3 nephew of Fran
ces. a prompt reply dated Rt Logans-
port, came to baud saving ,Lst lke
Did lady was still alive. and woaid f.,
be glad TO see them. The letter eJa.
-aipad ni,pta direction ia ,ha