Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-07-19
Pennington Chronicle.
JIMMY WILBUR.

JIMMY WILBUR.
The story of David Robbins we pub
lished two weeks since, appears to be
somewhat legendary in character. though
in the main i: is probably correct. As
far as it relates to the capture of Jimmy
Wilbur and his discovery among the In
dians many years after, it is very likely
true, except in few minor details. The
disappearance of this child fifty years or
more since from his home in the upper
part Of our county is we'll remembered by
quite number of the older residents of
this locality. 1t was of course an affair
that created great excitement, and was
fruitful topic of conversation for many
years. Mr.. Daniel Beedy of this place,
who lived at that time but few miles
from the Wilbur family, and who took
part in the long and yigilant search for
the missing child, says the case and its
attendant circumstances are among the
most vivid of his early reccollections.
The day the child was lost, the father
had gone to Phillips mill and one of the
daughters, young girl, was at work a
part of the time in the potato field her
little brother was with her, amusing HIM
self in childish fashion. According as
she made the statement at the time, she
saw no one take him away but. missing
him, supposed that he might have wand
cred off into the woods which surrounded
the clearing where the Wilburs made
their home The alarm at first slight,
increased with every hour and soon spread
far and wide, till scores were engaged IN
the search which was continued till the
snow fell. A little red drees he had
worn that day, was all that was found
of Jimmy Wilbur. Various conjectures
arose among neighbors and friends in the
weeks and months that followed, but 1t
was not, as Mr.. Beedy remembers, till
some time after the affair, that the rumor
of the child's having been carried off by
a hunter for bait. was circulated. The
confession made by Robbins when he
came to die, gives reason to think he did
take the child for that or some other pur-
pose. The place where the Wilburs lived
at the time this strange affair happened
was not Madrid or Avon. but a planta
ton known as Letter +. Neither did
they live in Avon at the time of the dis.
covery of their son among the Indians,
and it was not there he paid his annual
q visits to his parents.
1t was our own fortune to witness the
meeting of that father and mother with
their long lost son. The family were
living at that time on the side Of high
hill or mountain in plantation near
Rumford, at the right of the road leading
from K. to Bryant's Pond. twas many
years ago but it was scene we have
never forgotten.
A company of Indians had camPed
near Saco, if memory serves us, and there
the long lost Jimmy was found and rec
ognized by an elder sister who was at
work in that city. How she made him
aware of his history and how willingly
he made the journey with his Indian wife
to the home of his long sorrowing father
and mother we do not know. A gentle
man of Portland who had become inter-
ested in the matter, we believe had con-
siderable to do in bringing The parents
and son together, and came with the son
and MS wife to the home of the parents
in the place we have mentioned. The
party consisting Of this gentleman, "white
Jimmy" his Indian squaw and one or
two others reached Pinhook, small vii
lage south of Rumford, about noon, and
there halted for rest and refreshment,
taking dinner at the house Of Mr.. Amasa
Merrill, where, being then resident Of
Oxford county, we CHANGED ourself to be
that day.
The father had been notified that the
son, or the one supposed to be, was on
the way and came down to this village,
a distance of two miles or so from his
home, to meet him. This meeting was
affecting indeed, but what shall we say
of that which took place a few hours
later when the company had made their
way up the hilly road where waited the
anxious mother,
No tongue or pen can ever describe it.,
but no one who witnessed it will ever
forget it. What sorrow! What joy !!
The first overwhelming grief, the long
agony of suspense, the hopes, the fears,
all came up afresh. Varied indeed
must have been the emotions conflicting
in the hearts of this father and mother.
Among the spectators who had gathered,
not one eye was dry. Strong men wept
like children. The only person who was
not deeply moved was the young Indian
squaw who apparently viewed proceed
ings with more or less jealousy and fore
boding.
Some twenty years had passed since
the day when Jimmy went away, and