The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-02-06
REVEALED IN A DREAM.
How an Illinois Man Discovered
His Fathers Will
A Fortune Recovered by Union Soldier
Through the Instrumcntality oe .
Dream Thhos Dreamed - A Qusse
BIT Of Family History

tho brain, in which no credence should
be placed, is forcibly illustrated by the
following facts which came to the knowl-
edge Of a Globe Democrat correspondent
at Greenville, Ala. Twonty-three years
ago, just after the close OF tho war, an
old settler Of this (Butler) county
Ezekiel Pickens, Of Mount Olive-died,
after amassing q. fair-sized fortune as
planter, which the four years struggle
OF the Confederacy reduced but little.
Mr.. Pickens had two sons, James and
Alexander, the former being the eldest
and favorite son up TO tho commence
ment Of the war. Tho mothor Of the
boys died in 1850, and during the latter
part Of that year James, st the ago Of
twenty-one, cut loose from tho old home
stead and started north. settling ulti-
mately at Paris, ILL.,, where he, IN due
time married and took up the profession
Of school-teaching as means OF hven-
hood. When the war broke out, James,
who had become warmly attached to
the North during his brief residence
there, and firmly believing that the doc
trine of secession was wrong, took
sides with tho Union and obtained
Lieutenant's commission in the first
regiment Of infantry that left that por-
ton OF Illinois. In the meantime the
other son, Alexander, had Joined the
Confederate army as . private, while
the old gentleman, who was unified BY
ill-health for military duty, remained
at home. As the war advanced he be-
came more jealous in his adherence to
the Confederate cause, and the emanci-
patton proclamation Of Lincoln stimu-
lated still more his loyalty 10 the
South. It was not until some time
after his son, Alexander, had fallen
prisoner into the hands Of . brigade OF
Illinois troops, to which James Yves at
tached. that he learned the fact that his
oldest boy was fighting on the Union
side. The information was conveyed to
him by Aleck, who had been sent home
on parole mainly through his brothers
influence, and the news was sufficient
to arouse the frenzy Of the old man,
who declared that James, his once fa-
vorito child. should never have penny
of his property, and that he would not
own him as O son from that time for.
word.
Immediately after the partial settle
ment of affairs In the South, James, who
had heard nothing from his family since
his brothers. parole, set out tho Arst OPP
portunity for his old home in this coun-
ty, but on arriving here the door was
shut against him, and neither his father
nor brother would hold any intercourse
with him whatever. He was ignored
also by his former friends and acquaint-
ances, and with Q heavy heart he 1e-
burned to the North and engaged scttve-
ly In business. In 1885, as above stated
the elder Piokens died, leaving . will In
which Alexander, his youngest son, wAs
made sole legatee. The property LETT
by deceased consisted of q 800-acre plan
tation, with fine residence, out-buiidr
ings, etc., valued OF SeO, 900, and cash
and other securities amounting TO 830,-
900. Alexander took the property under
tho will, and has sinoe resided an old
bachelor on tho homestead, adding 600
siderably to his fortune by judioious In
vestments. A few weeks ago the eldest
brother, James, dreamed that Q will waa
made by his father at q later date than
the one under which his brother had
acquired the inheritance, and that The
document was In tin boz Of papsss be,
longing to The old gentleman. which
had been placed on deposit by him some
time before his desth In the reoopd
vault x tho Butler County
courthouse. On the following
night, and fos three nights in suO;
cession, no dreamed the same thingovex
again, each time moro vividly than TIE
other. Major Pfokens. for suoh was the
title he earned during the war, had not
up to this time been believer in
dreams, but tho one referred to made
suoh an impression upon him that, With
out relating the story to any ono but his
wife, he took the train for this city,
and, arriving here, lost no time in get.
ting to the courthouse, where Q search
was ut once made in the recorders vault
for the box which ne he'd 30 plainly seen
in his slumbers at his Illinois home.
Within an hours time the Major was
rewarded by itsdiscovery behind pile
OF ancient records, and on opening IL al
most the first document to mako It's ap.
pearanoe was viii signed, sealed and
properly witnessed. In which his father
divided the property Left by him equally
between James and Alexander, and In
the envelope inolosing 1t was likewise q
letter addressed to his oldest son, a..
suring him Of his love and begging par
doh for the manner tn which he he'd
treated him because of his loyalty 10
the Union The genuineness Of the doc,
ument being beyond question, Alex.
snder promptly made over securities d
his brother James amounting in the q.
gregste 10 $4,000, that being regarded
as fair share OF the estate and ats %.
oumulations.
Chssed hv Rsttiesnahs.
An exciting adventure, IN whish q
big rsttlesnake and Jesse 0r4sby, od