Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-03-10
A Somewhat Remarkable story.

AN extraordinary story comes from
Silver Station, this State, wherein young
man is reported to have married his step.
mother, under the belief that his father
was dead. Twelve years ago the wife of
James Swingle, wealthy farmer of the
locality named, died, and year and a
half aiterward the widowcr being sixty
years Of age, married young woman who
had lived in his family. She was twenty
two lie had six children by his first wife,
and three Of them married. Old Mr. Swim.
gle was one Of the most prominent men
in the township, devout member of the
church, and man generally respected.
In 1865 Mr.. Swingle disappeared, and was
supposed to have been robbed, murdered
and mysteriously buried. Eighteen months
atterward n skeleton was found in a deep
forest near his house, and believing them
to be his bones they were buried in the
churchyard by the side of his first wife.
a stone setting forth the circumstances
connected with Swingle's s death was placed
at the head of the grave. An administra-
tor Of the estate of the deceased was APP
pointed, and his estate equally divided
among the children. The homestead fell
to the lot of the old farmers widow, and
the youngest son, also named James, con.
tinued to live there and superintend opera
tions on the farm. In 1869 he married
the widow of his father, and the couple
were living in unrufiled ease with three
children that had been born to them,
when in the early part of last month the
young farmer was given letter at the
village postoffice, addressed "To any liv-
ing member of the Swingle family" The
letter was postmark ed at Cleveland, Ohio.
Opening the letter the farmer was as
founded to find that it purported to be
written by his father, long believed to be
dead. 1t was rs follows:
CLEVELAND, Dec 80.
l an very sick and ponniless among strangers.
was on my way home wheT taken sick Some
OF you come to me at once and will explain all.
am at sailors lodging house by the lake,
JAMES SwINGLE.
The letter was written in aCramped and
trembling hand, but it Tesembled sDeci.
mems of the old farmers writing of years
$50. Io was visited ~"d found iu CleVe-
land He was very i'll with fever, and be.
came delirious soon after the arrival OF
his son, and it was some days before he
could be removed to better quarters. Three
weeks passed before he was in condition
to be taken home, and during that time
he could be induced to say but little about
his STdHSe ulSdppcdIdHCc' IlC SdlNl thd
he left while under the influence of an
impulse which he could not control, and
after travelling about for few days nC
was ashamed to return, and resolved to &C
West with about SO, 900 he had with him
and invest it in some way, and after hC
had increased it sufficiently 10 return
home and surprise his family. He wen
to California and from there to Australia
,,,In ha oflo G1 = mn in iunx anf
came back to California, where he lost i
all. Thinking he was drawing near hi'
death he determined to return home, ant
was taken sick with the fever at Cleveland
He refused to enter into any details of hi
ten years absence till he recovered from
his illness. He was brought home, bu
he died few days after his arrival. The
son and step-mothel were remarked atteI
the funeral The skeleton was that of {
murdered drover. - Pittsburgh pa.
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