The daily gazette., 1882-10-30
rouNp Arrrn MANY Wears.


Romantic Story Of the Reunion of Father
and Daugther-The. Latter Lost in New
York Twenty Years Ago-Truth some
times Stranger Than Fiction.
[From the Cleveland Leader
AKRON, Quo, Oct. 2S.--An instance
wherein truth Is stranger than fiction" was
developed in this city yesterday In the find
ing, by Mr.. John Donovan, Of New York, OF
his daughter after a separation of twenty
years. About twenty years ago a number
of young children from the Children's
Home on Randall's Island, near New York
city, were brought West and homes found
for the homeless ones. Among that NUM-
Der was Mrs. Charles 5. Mcclure, who says she
was the youngest of the party, being be-
Tween five and six years of age. Some of
the children were provided with homes in
Akron, but II fell to the lot of Mrs Mcclure
to be taken TO Medina, where she was given
home with Mr.. and Mrs. g. X. Sillett,
with whom she lived until her marriage,
several years ago.
Mrs. Mcclure says she has but little re-
collection of her childhood life. She re-
members that In going TO school in New
| York city one day, about two weeks after
her father had entered the army, she made
u mistake and took the wrong street. After
wandering about IN her childish efforts to find
and taken to a grocery. She mas no recol-
lection of being taken to the Children's S
Home, and as her ios ter parents and friends
| In Medina seldom alluded TO her early
history, the incidents of her childhood have
faded from her memory. In regard to the
meeting with her supposed father, Mrs.
| Mcclure says that yester lay afternoon, soon
after dinner, gentleman came to her
house and raped ot the door. She opened
the door, hut the gentleman said not d
word, but appeared TO be intently studying
her features. After moments pause she
said, "Elow do you do r. He responded,
"Don't you Know me ~ She replied
she did not. Her father handed her
n daguerreotype, the picture of his daugh.
| ter, taken when she was between . and 3
years old, and asked If she knew who II was.
She said she did not. lie then said that 1t
was picture of her, and that he was her
father. Mrs. Mcclure was for a moment
dazed and then called to Mrs. Briggs, who
occupied portion of the house, exclaimng:
"Ths man says he is my father" The
newly found father was invited in, and he
further sought to establish his identity and
cain.
In an interview with Mr.. Donovan your
correspondent learned that he entered the
army In 1862, his daughter then Icing be-
| tween 4 and > years old He was % years
of age when he enlisted; lie served in the
army thrce years and ten months. During
his term of service his wife and child were
in New York city, as he supposed for he had
not heard Of them during that time. At the
close of the war he returned home and found
his wife. He then learned that his daughter
was lost ou her way to school some
two weeks after his enlistment. He
had always supposed, until recently, that
| Stnlpn Iar IlnnnVQ "a
has searched for his daughter, visiting Chi
cago, st. Paul, Mimi; Detroit and Milwau-
kee lie went to these places thinking that
his daughter might have been left at some
one Of the charitable institutions, and tina,
he might in some way get clew Of her.
Last week, at the suggestion of friend, lie
went to the Commissioner of Charities and
there found the name of lis daughter, her
age, the way she had gone, and with
whom she was living. The entry was;
Sam Frances Donavan, aged 3 to years,
G.. A. Sillett, Mediga, Medina county, o."
He left New York Wednesday and went
directly to Medina, arriving there Thunday
evening. He went to Sillett's and ma ie
himself known; remained there over night
and ,came to Akron yesterday, where he
found his daughter. Mr.. Donovan further
stated that he had spent cousid ,rable
money in looking for his lost child.
Not being man of much means,
he was Obliged TO work for year or 80 at a
time, accumulate what he could, and then
start out on searching tour. lie averaged
a trip once In every two years. Whenever
he met anyone from the West he would
make inquiries about his daughter. liz
had always thought that his daughter wa,
stolen, and consequently had never thought
of making inquiries at the charitable insti
tutions in New York until the suggestion
was made by friend last week,