Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-27
SOLD INTO SLAVERY.
How the Proprietor of the Great
Springer Estate Was Kidnapped.
STOLEN FROM HOME WHEN A BOY.
Local Heirs Preparing to Make . Hard
Fight for the Fortune.
ONE is MARRIED TO BLAINE's SISTER

The publication in The DISPATCH that
the great Springer estate of Wilmington,
Del, was awaiting the heirs has brought to
light the fact that number of them re-
side near Pittsburg. 1t also developed
romance about the life of the
Springer who founded this estate. He was
kidnapped, brought to America and sold as q
slave. He was known as Lord Essley.
The circumstances during the time Of his
servitude are not well known. He was
brought to America from his home In
Sweden. One of his countrymen, happening
to be in this country, saw him and the
father sent over the boys old nurse to
identify him.
Mrs Virginia Evans is one of the heirs,
and it was through her the above informa-
tion was obtained. She lives at AZ Thir-
teenth street, Sharpsburg. She is the
daughter of Mrs. Mary Loomis, of Eliza
beth. The whole family is naturally inter-
ested at the prospects of fortune. Mrs.
Loomis has written to her daughter, Mrs.
Mary Large, of Montana, for the genealogical
tree and the family Bible in order to trace
out the other heirs
Other Heirs in This Country.
Mrs. Loomis has another daughter, Mrs.
Josephine Struckell, employed in the Dead
Letter Office at Washington. The family
of Captain Gordon, near Springdale, are
also heirs. Senator Springer, of Illinois, is
another of the heirs All of them are pre-
pairing to make hard fight for the millions
worth of real estate in Wilmington.
Mrs Mary Loomis, of Elizabeth, Pa, in
q letter to her daughter Mrs Evans, of
Sharpsburg, recounts number of peculiar
incidents in the family history.
Mrs Loomis is a granddaughter of Eliza
beth Springer, one of the original SPRING
ers of Wilmington. Mrs. Loomis attended
her grandmother much of the time in Will
mington during her last illness Elizabeth
Springer often told parts of the family his
tory. Once, as great secret, she told her
granddaughter that her great-grandfather
had been kidnapped His fathers estate in
Sweden was an immense one, and the oldest
son was, OF course, 1dolized by all
Wandered Off Never to Return.
One evening he wandered off into the
forest and did not return. He was mourned
for years as dead. A gentleman whose
lands adjoined those of the Springers came
to America. Near Philadelphia he saw a
boy that greatly resembled his neighbor's
child. All the boy knew was that he had
been brought to America and sold as a
slave.
The gentleman went home and told the
father of having found his son. The father
however, to be certain it was his child sent
the nurse who had cared for him as boy
10 America She recognized him by a
mark on his back. He was taken back to
Sweden, but on the death of his father he
returned to America and bought the i'm
mense tract of land at Wilmington, Del
This was the land that he leased for 100
years and which is now to revert to his
heirs
The gentleman to whom the kidnaped
boy had been sold said the boy would not
work, but would read and study all the
time. After his return to Sweden he was
known as Lord Esslev, though he took the
family name OF Springer when he returned
to America.
A Little Bit of Family History.
Elizabeth Springer was married to Sam
uel Walker in Wilmington. Eight chill
dren were born there. Charles, Gabriel and
Rebecca Walker died at Wilmington
while they were young When the war
of 1872 broke out Samuel and Hugh
Walker enlisted under the American flag.
They served with honor during the greater
part of the war. Then both fell victims of
the fever. One died in the hospital at Fort
Meigs and the other near there.
During the war the English stole Eliza
beth Springer's driving horse. She was
large woman and very fair. She had auburn
hair and her cheeks were red as long as she
lived. She had dark eyes and always dressed
in Swedish costume. The British occupied
her house as headquarters when in Will
mington.
One of the Walkers came West and mar
ried sister of James G. Blaine. The family
still lives at Elizabeth