The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-01-10
A Fathers Long Search Rewarded.

One of the strangest circumstances of
came to our notice this morning, says q
recent issue of an Ottumwa Qnd) ex-
change. 1t seems that several years
ago family of German people, consist
ing of father, mother, and two children,
lived in New York where the wife and
mother sickened and died, leaving the
man with but little money and the two
children to care for. The father had
two sisters in that city, who, like him
self, were strangers in strange land,
and to each he gave child. The
children separated from their father and
mother and from each other, fretted
themselves sick, and it was thought best
to place them in one of the various or.
phan asylums of that great city, where
they could be together. Here they
seemed to thrive, and the father by his
labor was able to support them in style
that guaranteed them home and COM
fort for the time being. This was nine or
ten years ago, and the children at this
time were about seven aud nine years of
age. The father wandered out West in
hopes of bettering his condition, and final
ly found himself in st. Louis, where,
soon after his arrival, he was prostrated
with the typhoid fever, from which he
only recovered to take the smallpox.
He was long time in recovering, and
found himself without money for his
own support, and in the long time in
tervening no money had been sent for
the support of the children, and the
managers sent them with hundreds of
others, to this State and elsewhere in
the West, finding homes for them,
wherever they could, in the best families.
After his recovery, and when money
matters were better with him, he wrote
in regard to his children, but could get
no word from them. AS soon as possible
he made his way back to New York, but
was refused information as to where his
children could be found.
After searching the city in vain he
started out West again, and finally
found himself in Louisiana, where he
undertook farming, but was drowned
out-his partner losing his life. He sold
his farm for $4,000 and, with the pro-
ceeds, returned to New York. This
time he tried the potency of gold, and by
the offer of $500 to the manager, he
learned that the children had been sent
out West, to Ottawa, Iowa, where they
had found homes with man by the
name of J. w. Carpenter. This place
he visited, but without avail, and des-
pairing of ever seeing his children again,
he went to St. Louis.
In that city he was relating his life
history to some of his German friends,
when some of them suggested the idea
that as the names were somewhat SINH
lar, Ottumwa, Ia, was meant. He i'm
mediately wrote to j. w. Carpenter,
Ottawa, H., and also to the same gen.
tleman, Ottumwa, Ia. In due time the
mail brought him the good news that
his children were here and in good
health. As may be expected he was not
long on the way, and day or two ago
arrived in this city, where he found his
children, nearly grown occupying good
home with Mr.. and Mrs. Carpenter, to
whom they have become greatly en-
deared. Such is the story he tells him
self. The children will remain with their
foster parents, while Mr.. Miller will
probably make his home in this part of
the country.