Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-05-08
from the Patriot and Herald, Marion, Smytl
Co., Va.
An Interesting Story,

YOUNG LADY LOST TO HER KINDRED
FOR ABOUT TWENTY YEARS, AND
FOUND AT LAST BY HER BROTHER.
We frequently read In novels about
little children whe have been lost, and
after a number of years recovered bv
their relatives or friends, but it is not
often such things come within our know
ledge as real occurrences. 80 -.
| Quite sensation was produced in our
town last week, by the announcement
that young gentleman had arrived in
our midst, claiming as sister one. of the
young ladies of the place, who had lived
among US for number Of years as the
adopted daughter of citizen, but OF
whose parentage no one previously knew
anything, not even the young lady. her
Some years previous to the war q gen.
tleman by the name of Zimmerman died
in Greenbrier County, w. Va, leaving
wife and three small children, one OF
them mere infant. The grief of the
wife was so intense at the loss of her
husband that her reason became impair
ed, and laboring under q violent fit of
insanity, she left her home and friends
secretly, taking her infant daughter
WITH her, and leaving the other two
cnildren, daughter and son, behind
ner. Ihose who felt an interest in the
iate OF the unfortunate woman and child,
supposed that they had been drowned
as no trace of them could be discovered
And so the matter rested, until the
daughter and son left behind had grown
up, when, by some means, thew were
put upon the track of the missing ones.
they found out that the mother had
wandered with her child to Bedford
county, Va; that there the authorities
had taken charge of her, and that she
mad been sent to one of the Lunatic Asv.
lums OF the State, where she had died.
after remaining about two years. The
only thing then to be done was to find.
II possible. the lost sister. 1t was ascer.
tanned that the child had been left witha
Mr. Wade, Of Bedford Co., and an effort
was made to learn from him its where
abouts. Letters were written to him.
but he declined to give any resnonse.E-
Efforts were made through other parties
10 obtain information from him, but for
a long time he declined to give any. At
last. however. he was prevailed upon,
and told that by consent ofCourt he had
given the child to a gentleman and lady.
who promised to adopt her as their own
child, and never to let her know that
they were not her parents, he promising
to keep the secret also.
Armed with all the necessary informa-
ton and proofs of relationship, Mr.. M.
Nv, zimmerman came to our town last
week, and made known his relationship
to his sister, who had lived in our COM
munity for more than ten years as, the
daughter Of Capt. ]. V. Deaton. known
to the world as Miss Josie Deatop. The
young lady, about three years ago. had
found out that she was not the daughter
of Capt DeatOn, and of course it had
been to her great source of pain. We
can well imagine her delight at finding
out her parentage, and at being united
with those who are made dear by the
ties of blood.
The friends ofthe young lady are deep-'
" gratified at the unlock ed fOrioy which
has come so suddenly and unexpectedly
upon her. No more amiable or highly
esteemed young lady has ever lived in
our community. She j., a sister that her
brother and sister will DO proud to have
found, and we trust that much happi-
ness will result from, the reunion of
brother and sisters.
Mr.. Zimmerman is a printer by trade,
and is now engaged as foreman in the
Office of the Greenbrier Indcpendent,
published at Lewisburg, West Va. He
Is nice young man, anil no doubt will
prove good brother. Ef