The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-10-21
-ARonANCE INREAL LIFE.
A Man claims 10 be the IIlegiiimate Son
OF Ms Reputed Aunt-A somewhat
Mixed Stoty.

Mixed btoTy.
Correspondence Of the 1ntellIsencoE.
Rather mixed up case Of paternity
comes to light in Portland, Maine, the par
ties 10 the case all residing here, however,
at the time Of the birth OF the child, now
man, who claims to be not the son Of his
reputed mother, but Of her sister. The
facts are as follows, as near as your
correspondent can get at them, and we
have spared no pains TO get all We could
bearing on the case: About the year 1881
there was in this city . woolen manulac-
turing firm under the style oil Arm
strong & Northrop, Northrop being mar.
ried man. A short time after the above
date sister OF Mrs. Northrop. Miss Eliza
McD Donald, came to reside here, and taught
school in several different places In the
CITY, one Of these places being the build
ing In which the Imperial Hotel is now
situated. 1t seems that few months AZ
Ter Miss Mods arrival son came into
the family OF the Northrops, whom they
named John. Miss McD. continued to
teach school for some time, but finally
married Capt. Rush and moved East.
AT this time Mr.. Northrop broke up and
moved TO Marietta, where he died. Mrs.
Northrop then moved back to this city
with her family OF five sons, for the sup.
port OF whom she had but little or no
means. In the meantime Mrs. Rush had
also become widow, and, having no
children, she removed TO this city,
and again taught school to help support
her sister and family, many OF her scholars
still residing in this city. Matters foated
along thus for some time, until finally Mrs.
Eliza Mel Donald Rush again married, this
time man named Robinson, and moved
with him to his home in Portland, Maine,
Mrs. Winthrop also again leaving the city,
and moving 10 Coyington, KY, where she
died. At the death Of their mother the
five boys started out for themselves, two
OF them to st. Louis, and one OF them to
Marquette, Michigan, the other three
separating aud going to different parts
of the country. At length the second
husband OF Mrs. Eliza Mcdonald, Mr..
Robinson, died, and being childless she
came in as his sole heir 10 an estate worth
about $4,000. "In the course OF human
events" Mrs. Eliza Mcdonald Rush Rob-
inson also died, and II is at this point that
the mix.up.edness comes in. AT the death
OF their aunt the SONS OF Mrs. Northrop
took steps to gain possession OF her for.
tune, they being her only heirs, but John,
one Of the five supposed sons of Mrs.
n. comes out with the astonishing
claim that he Is not the son Of Mrs. North.
rop, and not the brother OF the other four
young men, but the ilhgitimate son OF
Miss Eliza Mcdonald and her only direct
heir. Jerry, the oldest son, claims this to
be false, and says that he knows John to
be the son Uf Mrs. Nofthrop, as he was
quite chunk OF boy at the time OF his
birth, but John brings forward the testi.
mony Of Mrs. Amy Brown, OF this city,
who says that she saw him come into the
world, and that he is correct in his claim
that he Is the son OF Miss Eliza McD Donald +;
that he was born in the house
OF Mrs. Northrop, on South Filth
street, between Market and Adams, and
that no one was present but the mother,
old DR.. Brown, (now dead and herself.
Your correspondent called on Mrs. Brown
and had talk with her on the subject.
She says that Miss Eliza was very re.
spectacle young lady and was highly es.
teemed by all who knew her, aud that to
save her name the child was raised as q
son Of Mrs. Northrop, her sister. hehad no
idea who the father was, and says the
child was born about four months after
she first came to this city. The above is
the way the matter rests at present, and
nothing further can be learned, except
that those living here now who knew
Miss Mcdonald refuse to believe in the
truth OF the claims OF John, claiming that
he is without doubt the son of Mrs.
Northrop. ALwYN.