Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-05-23
MOUNTAIN MAID.
Heroine Of Queer Romance and Hell
ess to $4,000.


ess to $4,000.
One of the Boston Sunday papers prints
very romantic story of the discovery in
the Tennessee mountains of the outcast
daughter and heiress ola Nantucket physi-
clan. 1t appears that DR.. Augustus Frank
lin, who had lived on the isla nd since
1862, and was, perhaps, the leading
physician in all Nantucket, left the
place and was gone about sixteen
months. When he returned he inserted a
card in the local paper, announcing that
he would resume his practice on certain
date. AT the end of this notice was the
announcement that mystifed the people of
Nantucket. He changed his name. The
physician whom the whole town had for
years known as DIR. Franklin stated that
hereafter he wished to be known as Frank
lin Augustus Ellis.
Great was the wonderment, many were
the surmises and not few were the stories
told, but no one knew the truth. The
physicians lips were sealed, and when,
years afterward, death came, the doctor
and the secret were buried together. His
popularity in Nantucket, both before and
after his change of name, was great. His
success as physician was extraordinary,
and his participation in all the public in
terests of the town was marked. The
opium habit, however, crept upon him,
and by 1888 he was slave to the drug.
In March Of that year he left the island
alone and came to Boston. In May, 1884,
he died at Monson, leaving a will be-
queathing some 900 to his three sisters.
Now comes the strange portion of the
story George III. Newton, of Monson, the
attorney who settled the estate in behalf
OF the heirs, made trip to California the
following year. At Santa Ana he became
acquainted with Ephraim III. Cleveland,
former resident of Massachusetts, who it
turned out, was an acquaintance of the
late Dr. Ellis. Mr.. Newton was much sur
prised to learn from Mr.. Cleveland that
DIR. Ellis had been married in 1860. Mr..
Cleveland said that in company with the
doctor, he was in Saylesville in 1859 where
the doctor taught school and practiced
dentistry, while the former taught pen
manship. In the fall of 1860 Ellis, Mr..
Cleveland said, married Martha Patty of
Saylesville. About week later he rob-
bed her of $4,000 and disappeared
Upon learning these facts Mr. Newton
began a systematic search for the widow
and child, if any, for he had been in
formed by Mr.. Cleveland that child had
been born to Martha and DR.. Ellis few
months succeeding the latter's departure
to regions unknown. Mr.. Cleveland hav-
ing known the father of the child SO well
became at once greatly interested in the
case. The widow and child were traced to
Anrn Ill and laorpal Al
had gone thence to some place in Tennes-
see. L. Hall, of Collinsville, Ala, was also
interested in the case, and to him came
the information in January last that girl
named Sarah Anne Ellis was living in one
of the so-callsd Moonshining" districts
of Tennessee.
Mr.. Hall proceeded TO the locality at
once, and after riding on horseback for
long time, for the roads were impossible
for vehicles, he at last came to an old log
house where he found the girl in cues
ton. She was scantily clad and surround
ed by meager household furnishings. Her
appearance indicated that she had been
subject to all kinds of drudgery that one
could impose, and investigation proved
that she had practically been the slave of
an old and eccentric moonshiner, although
her character was above suspicion. She is
of medium height and fair complexion,
while her mountain life has given her
particularly robust appearance Her hair
is of a shade of brown, and her grayish
eyes resemble those of her late father, al
though otherwise her features are similar
to those Of her deceased mother.
She told Mr. Hall that her mother had
been dead about eleven years, but that her
maiden name was Martha Patty. She re-
members distinctly hearing her mother
relating many things concerning her father
whom she never saw, but whose name her
mother told her was Franklin Augustus
Ellis, and that he had been dentist and
teacher before their marriage Her
mother also told her thai shortly before
her birth her father deserted her.
The girl is now in Colllnsville, at the
house Of her mothers cousin, Mrs. Eliza
A. Adams, who, though she had not seen
the child for many years, at once recog-
nized her by the features that so much re-
sembled those of her mother. A perfect
chain of evidence has been found for the
future in support Of her claim. Whether
the matter will be adjusted in the Courts
or by compromise with the three sisters
who now enjoy the possession of their dead
brothers wealth, remains to be deter
mined