Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-04-18
AmouMTAlN ROMANCE.
Strange Life Of Unhappy Women
A Singular Family HIstorv-The fe.
male Huntress Of Long Eddy-The
Strange love:of Two Women.
Correspondence OF the New \ ork Vlmcs.J


Correspondence Of the New York Timcs.l
DELHI, N. Y..saturlay, April !. 1877.
The discovery of two former in
mates Of the Delaware County Poor
House living together in the woods
of Wayne county, Penn, has recalled
one of the most singular family histo-
ries ever recorded. In 1854 Lucy Ann
Lobdell, daughter of an old lumber
man living on the Delaware in the
vicinity of Long Eddy, was married
to raftsman named Henry Slater.
Mrs. Slater was seventeen years old,
and was known far and wide for her
wonderful skill in shooting the rifle,
not only at the target, but at deer and
other game, for which the Delaware
Valley was then famous. After one
year of married life Slater deserted
his wife and a babe a few weeks old,
and has never been heard of since.
Mrs. Slater's parents were very poor,
and objected to her making her home
with them. She occasionally placed
her child in their charge, and laying
aside the habiliments Of her sex, dom
ned male apparel and adopted the
life of hunter. The mountains of
Delaware, Sullivan and Ulster coun-
ties of this state, and the Delaware
river counties of Pennsylvania, were
at that time almost unbroken wilder
nesses. For eight years Mrs. Slater
made her home in their midst, roam
ing alone over the vast territory, and
finding shelter only in rude cabins,
which she erected here and there.
She made her appearance at the set
Elements only when in need of anu
milton or supplies, exchanging skins
and game for what she required. Her
wild life was one of thrilling adyen-
tnre and privation, and it was not
until she was broken down in body
and mind by its hardships that she
returned to the haunts Of civilization.
Her narrow escapes from death by
wounded bear, panther and deer, and
her sutlorings from cold, hunger and
sickness, during her eight years' life
in the woods, she recorded in book
entitled, "The Life and Adventures
of Lucy Ann Lobdell, the Female
Hunter of Long Eddy" She also
records in this book that she "killed
l6S deer, 73 bears, one panther, and
numberlcss quantities of small game
Of the glade" in the time noted.
When she returned to Long Eddy
she put on wom4n's clothing. She
had grown prcmaturely old, and was
but wreck of the young backwoods
fayorite of but a few years before,
Her child had been placed in the
workhouse at this place, and after
wandering about the valley for some
months she became an inmate of that
institution also. Not long afterward
the child was adopted into the family
of a Wayne county (Pa.) farmer. The
mother remained in the poor house.
and became yearly moro miserable
and wrctched.
In the winter of 1863 Marie Louise
Perry, daughter of well-to-do and
respectable family living near Boston
cloped with young man named
James Wilson. The young lady had
but recently graduated from one OF
the Boston schools, and was about Is
years old. Wilson was railroad
employee. The couple went to Jersey
City and were married. In the spring
of the same year Wilson deserted his
wife, and went to parts unknown in
company with Miss Hall, the daugh'
ter of his landlady. His wife learned
that they had taken the Erie Railway
west, and she resolved to follow them
hoping to discover their whereabouts
She stopped at towns along the road
and when she reached Lordvillc il
this county, her money was exhaust
cd, and she was taken sick with fever
and was removed to tho poor house
at this place at her own request. Tht
above is substantially her story.
Having recovered her health at THU
place, it was supposed that Mrs. Viii.
son would at once communicate with
her relatives and return to her home
in Massachusetts; but she had mads
the acquaintance of Lucy Ann Slater
and, inexplicable as it may seem, The
two formed a mutual affection &c
strong that they refused to DO separ
ated, Notwithstanding the great diff
ference in their characters, habits and
anteccdcnts. In the spring of 1856!
botn Lucy Ann and Mrs. Wilson dis
appeared from the County House
and were not heard of in two years
During that year couple calling
themselves the Rev. Joseph Israe
Lobdell and wife, appeared in tn,
mountain villages of the western par
of Monroe county, Pa. For two year.
they roamed about in that region
living in caves in the woods, and sub
sisting on berries, roots and the char
ity of the people, until they becam,
SO great nuisance that they were ar
rested in Jackson township, and com
mitted to Stroudsburg Jail. While il
Jail, the discovery that the Rev. Mr.
Lobdell was woman was made, and
soon afterward a raftman from thi
section CHANGED to be in Stroudsburg
and informed the authorities tina
their prisoners were the missing pau
pers from Delhi. The Pennsylvani.
authorities returned them to thci
old quarters in this place forthwith
They remained here for some time
when they again ran away, and hav'
since been roaming about in Penn
sylvania, living In huts, caves, jail
and county houses. A gentleman from
this place being at Aldenville, Wayn,
/ SouHts, us, d lew udyS SlHCC, 1Ouuk
the pair domiciled in bark hut neal
that place, and were known as maj
and wife. When their identity be
came known, the strange fact wa
developed that lady who had beer
particularly charitable to the couple
was years ago engaged to be married
to Lucy Ann, the latter having spen
some months near Bethany dressed q
a man. Her sex was discovered &C
cidentally, and she had to fly tn
place in the night to escape beinl
tarred and feathcred. This was /
short time before she entered til,
4 poor house at Delhi. There is now OF
record in the courts Of Wayne county
a document that was drawn by Mrs
Wilson, the companion of Lucy Ann
IL being apetition for the release o
her Husband, Joseph l.. Lobdcll,
from Jail, on account of "his" failin,
health. The pen used was a sticl
Whitfield to point and split; tn
ink was pokcbcrry juice. The writ
ing is faultless, and the language uset
a model Of clear, correct and argu
mcntatiyc English--a really superio
piece of composition, showing tina
the writer, now voluntary outcas
and the associate of an insane, fOu
and unsexcd woman, is highly edu