The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-27
MISSING FIFTY YEARS
JOHN SWAIN, A LONE wANDERER ON
THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
Family I'm Indiana Has Found
and Brought Him Home
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

dents not usually allotted to the ordinary
mortal. Mr.. Swain was born in Stokes
county, North Carolina, Feb. 2S 179s On
July IL, 1916, he married Elizabeth Hines
who was born July 10, 1875. They lived
happily until they had family Of nine
children. John II. Swain followed the life
of a farmer and also that of teamster,
hauling freight from the seaboard towns
for the merchants of Salem and other in
land places This work often necess;tated
his being away from home for DAYS and
weeks at time. He was also a Justice of
the peace About 1910 he had become in
yolved in debt by going security for neigh
bors, and finding that he would have the
bills to pay decided to leave that section
and make an attempt to earn the money.
He did not intimate to his family how
ever. that he was going away to remain
longer than usual, and his absence for sew
eral weeks did not alarm them. When the
weeks grew into months, and finally into
years, the family began to give up hope of
ever seeing him again. Creditors took the
home, and the broken-hearted wife gath
cred her children together and with a
team of horses and wagon moved to this
State, settling at Warren. Here she reared
her children. Mrs Swain died Sept 1874
at the home of her daughter, Mrs Cynthia
Crum, of this place.
John Swain, the missing man, made his
way to Ohio where he accumulated some
property and finally. after the lapse of
years, made his way back to North Caro-
lima to see his family and pay his debts.
When he reached his former home. how
ever, he found his people, gone and all
he could learn was that they had moved
North. He began a search for his lost
family from one end of the country to
the other roaming through Ohio and In
diana, becoming we'll known to the people
of many of the larger towns. His eccentric
habits gained for him the title of "Old
John Swain, the beggar," and .'Old SWAIN
the miser'' He was often arrested by the
authorities for vagrancy, but it was always
found that he had plenty of money with
when TO pay his fine II fine should be
imposed.
HoRDED HIS MONEY.
The trait of making and hording money
finally became his ruling passion and he
is now believed to be worth many thou
sand dollars in farms and bank accounts
besides having hidden treasures which he
is supposed to have buried at different
places. Often when arrested for vagrancy
he would disappear for a day or two and
return With hundreds and even thousands
OF dollars in greenbacks and bonds
nf 1qsI OF years ago he came to the town
bringing with him a. small / bundle of
clothes tied up in an old red
HH anu Throwing the bundle on the
moor and then left, forgetting his bundle,
ane proprietor of the place kicked it into
corner knowing that the s'.old miser' would
returned and called for his bundle and as
tonlsned the loungers of the place by open
sl,s II ana taking therefrom over 5000 in
During the sixties, Mrs. Ricketts,. one of
ms aaugnters from Blackwell county was
heard of the strange old man At once She
conceived the idea of making an investiga-
ever. she could obtain no positive proofs
that her surnlises were correct and returned
10 her nome; About the same time the old
gentleman also heard OF her visit and be-
gan to inquire about her and finally being
CONVINCED that it was his daughter he wrote
Inc re dotioWS WI letter to her:
sept TO- 1866. Dear Daughter Nancy-I
take this opportunity to let you know that
l. am in reasonable health, and 1 hope that
amt heard from you for a long time NV
health ALT amt been very good for a long time.
but was unable to travel and could NOT
write very handy till this present time.
didn't convey word sooner I want to Oh hear
from you all soon as you can write.
1 aon know when can come out there,
Answer this as soon as you can. Direct
your letter to Fairfield county. Ohio T1actxe
vile postoffice- From your affectionate
Mrs; Ricketts, answered the letter y and niM also
sent her photograph. but never received an
never received the letter or picture About
three years ago the children formed an Or
effort toward gathering evidence to nrnYe
the ola mans identity and establish the fact
that he was really their father they have
made several trips to Ohio collecting evil
dence, and have finally been convinced that
f fney can 1bs establish isl beyond doubt the
Several years ago the old man bacane
feeble, both in body and mind. and neanie
IA nIai Ohlo by the same name and others
of the Probate Court at Columbus anpoi5f
a guardian for Mr.. Swain About the same
that his children were making an effort
to establish their claims and thew SEM
Inc 5ne old man to friends in the Hooking val
track OF him. The old man. however. as
the years heightened became restless and
fore he died again began his s searcb P ae
wrote WI fe. to to Hugh Alexander, whose address
his srandaon and o Mo0 was
written by him to Mr.. Alexander:
SUCCESSFUL LETTER.
VEST JEFFERSON. O., Jan. 2, 1885,
MI: Alexander-Dear Sir: Hearing that you
thought 1 would write you and ana ont
where my sons Robert and Zebedee are.
to see them on business. 1 am at Mr..
Flanagan's, who lives on my farm. SO You
or or, them na will know where to find me, as
will please write and oblge l would be
very thankful. Your grandfather
JOHN SWAIN"
Mr.. Alexander and Mr.. Peter Minnich
left for Ohio in day or two and arrived
at the Flanagan farm, and there met the
old man, the first time any of his family
had seen him in fifty years. The old man
on seeing them exclaimed. "Thank God.
you have come at last" --He said he
wanted to go to his children in
this State. Dr. Minnich returned to this
State, went after the son, Robert Swain in
Jasper county and went back to Ohio with
him. Last week, Tuesday. Dr. Minnich.
Robert Swain and Son-in-law Daniel
Schnepp arrived at West jefferson in
Franklin county, and went to the home of
the old man. 1t was after night when they
arrived, but soon as the old man saw
Robert he pushed him toward the light
looking him in the face and exclaimede
This is my son Robert" The latter rec
ogniZed the old man as his father and the
scene between the reunited father and SON
was very affecting. Mr.. Alexander and Dr
sMinnich spent several days at Columbus
making arrangements with the Judge and
the guardian to bring the old man home
with them to see his children. They finaJIy
succeeded and on Sunday morning they ar
rived in this place, taking the old man fo
the home of his daughter, Mrs Cvnfhia
Crum, where he now is. 1sa atm
A reunion of the living children and the
old man, their father. took place at the
home of Mrs. Crum last Monday A legal
fight of unusual bitterness and lenptb ;S