The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-06-05
An Oil Region Romance.

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In the spring of 1882 William Ham.
ilton, farmer living in the Pennsyl.
vania oil region, was induced to in
vest $4,000 in oil land in the then
booming Cherry Grove district. in
Warren county. His investment was
a remunerative one. for in a few days
he disposed of his interest in the land
for $4,000. This was Hamilton's first
transaction in the petroleum business
and the making in less than week
a sum which he could scarcely have
hoped to accumulate in lifetime on
his farm turned his head, and he in.
vested all the money he had, and
mOrtgaged. his farm to obtain more.
in pipeline certificates. He was
caught. with hundreds of others like
him. in the great fall of petroleum
values in the summer of 1882, caused
by the sudden failure of the great
spouting wells in the Cherry Grove
fields. and ruined. His farm was sold
from him, and in less than three
months he died. physical and moral
wreck, having become heavy
drinker. He was a widower, with
one child, a handsome girl twenty
years old. She was left penniless. and
almost friendless. by her fathers
death.
Henry Gage, a well.to. do farmer,
was neighbor of Hamilton's. and
years ago they became bitter enemies
over some land dispute. A year be-
fore Hamilton died, Cages son Ly-
man. good.looking but shiftless
young man, began paying attention
to HamiltOn's daughter Mary. She
encouraged him, but both her father
and young Cages father opposed the
attachment. After Hamilton's death,
and for some time before it, his
daughter supported herself as seam.
stress. Shortly after Hamilton died,
Lyman Gage auarreled with his
father and disappeared. For some
time Miss Hamilton received letters
from him from different places in the
West, but they finally ceased. In
May. 1888, Farmer Gage received a
letter, signed by George Gray and
date Chicago, notifying him that his
son Lyman had been drowned in
Lake Michigan by the capsizing of a
boat in which he was out fishing, and
that his body had not been recovered.
Gage went to Chicago, but could find
out nothing further in relation to his
sons alleged death. He returned
home, however, satisfied that the
young man was dead. He was aston
ished, on arriving home. to learn that
Miss Hamilton claimed to be his
sons widow, and she produced un.
questionable proofs that they had
been married 10 July, 1882. This fact
being established, her her.in.law
at once provided her with home and
contributed to her support.
A young man named Bidlow Utter,
a well contractor and digger, formed
the Acquaintance of the young widow
soon afterward. and they became en-.
gagged. Their wedding day was set
for last Christmas, and preparations
were made for a grand marriage. The
Sunday before Christmas a great sem
sation was made in the community
by the appearance Of Lyman Gage.
the supposed dead husband of Mary
Hamilton. He refused to give any
explanation In regard to his alleged
death. He said he had come back to
take his wife to Chicago with him.
She refused to receive or recognize
him, in which refusal she was heart
lily supported by her father-in.law.
Gage. Young Gage remained at his
fathers for week, when he agnin
disappeared. The Utter-Gage wed
ding was necessarily indefinitely
postponed. At Farmer Cages sug-
gestiOn, his daughter-in.law began
proceedings against her husband for
a divorce. This was granted to her
last week, and in the evening of the
day the decree was made she was
quietly married to Mr.. Utter.