Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-13
THE BLACKWELL CHILDREN.
Mr.. NorthrOp Gives an Account ofTheIr
Lives.


Editor Morning Neegs: Upon arriving
in Savannah to-day from Charleston, S.
g., was Informed by a friend Of the
/ several publications in the MORNING
( NEWS, under dates Of Jan. s, 8 and IL,
| growing out of an article which originally
/ appeared IN the Macon Telegraph, in
reference to the BLACKWELL Children"
/ These publications. ] think, fail TO give
/ correct impression relative 10 the matters
with which they deal. | am most parti-
cularly interested in the subject Of these
/ publications, and desire 70 bring the facts
properly before the public. The alleged
existence Of large fortune in pr0spec-
! tive, or OF any fortune whatever, is in all
probability based upon some misunder-
standing or misinterpretatlOn or the
| points OF the case. therefore beg leave
TO offer a solution to the problem" over
my signature.
/ In 1867 Mrs. NJ. NJ. Northrop, widow Of
the late Claudian B. kOrtbrop, OF Charles
| ton, ;. c.. was married in Charleston to
the late Samuel B. Blackwell, formerly OF
| Tennessee, then OF South Carolina. Mrs.
hoTthrop then having one son the Wfi-
ter and Mr. Blackwell sons and two
daughters living, by previous marriage.
BY the second marriage three children
were born, one of them, the eldest, dying
in infancy, leaving the surviving two
children, namely, Daniel Joseph, and
Mary Agnes Blackwell, aged now res
pectively Is years l month, and II years
9 months. Mrs. Blackwell died in Savan-
nah April 18th, 1876, leaving the two
children in the possession OF the father
who was residing short distance from
the city. The writer was present shortly
before Mrs. Blackwelrs This motber)
death, and received her dying wishes IN
regard to the future of the children, TO-
gether with instruction to carry them into
effect If ever possible. Though the writer
was always aware OF the general move
ments of the Blackwell family, still,
owing to his being away from the South
part OF the time. and twas after his re-
turn from Canada, that he learned OF Mr..
BlackWelPs death which had taken place
In the meantime J, be was unable to know
the exact disposition OF the children until
20 months ago, when he made visit to
investigate the condition of affairs, he
learned the below facts, which, to the
best of his knowledge, are correct in every
detail.
Shortly after Mrs. Blackwelfs death
Mr.. Blackwell took the above two children
to Tennessee where he remained a year
more. subsequently ne removed to Sa-
yannah, bringing the children witt MIN,
and being in poor health, placed the girl,
Mary Agnes, under the care of the ladies
in charge OF the Savannah Female Orphan
Asylum, where she Is at present, beng
kindly cared for. Some time afterwards
he removed the boy Daniel Joseph 10
Macon where he was placed under the
care OF Rev. l.. b. Payne, in the Methodist
Orphan House. Mr.. Blackwell returned
to Savannah and in 1882 he died,
The writer having passed mis- majority,
and finding il in mis- power to execute his
and the two children's dying mothers
wishes, came on from Baltimore (where
he is residing), for the express purpose of
80 doing. In view of more easily accom-
plishing his end and duty he caused and
had himself appointed by the Court of
Ordinary for Chatham county and the
State of Georgia guardian Of the persons
OF Daniel j. and Mary A. Blackwell,
minors.
The writer then proceeded to Macon,
and found the following existing facts:
AS before mentioned, Daniel !. Blackwell
was placed ut the Methodist Home, near
Macon, IN February, 1880, but in the fol-
| lowing April he was adopted into the fam
lily of Mr.. Anderson, with whom he spent
several pleasant years-untll near two
years agO-and, consequently, after his
fathers death, he disappeared, and no
more was heard Of him or his Whereabouts
since, until within a len days ago, when
the writer received some information
from him.
1t was in hopes OF his being brought to
light that the well-meant article in the
Macon Telegraph was published, and it
has accomplished its end. Hoping the
matter ''in totem" is now thoroughly I'M
derstOOd. GEORGE NoRTHROP.