Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-06-26
John stipes, a Salem Farmer,
Was Lett On Doorstep Thirty
eight Years Ago
STORY or THE 0EsERr'oN
His Mother, Mrs. Charles ovsrroeker,
Having Loft Her Husband, Felt Her
self Unable to Care for Two Children
and an Uncle Of the Babe Assisted
in Securing II Now Home.
special 20 rimes-Republican.

Special 20 Times Republican.
Salem, June ga mystery OF years
has been solved, John Stipes, Salem
farmer who was left q wait on a. door
step thirty eight years ago, having
Just learned his parentage. One spring
morning In 1869, this usually quiet
Quaker city was thrown into q fever
OF excitement when it became known
that . basket containing baby boy
had been left at the hotel OF Hiram
Gibbs. The following note was pinned
to the clothing:
.Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs: Please accept
this child, love and cherish it as your
own and rest assured it will never be
taken from you or you will never be
troubled about it"
Mr.. and Mrs Gibbs, who were en-
xaged in the hotel and mercantile BUSH
ness and had two little daughters OF
their own, thought the care and re-
sponsibility Of the little boy too much
for them to undertake, 80 they sent for
Mr.. and Mrs. Hezekiah stipes, who had
no children of their own. They We're
glad to take the little wait to their
hearts ard home.
/ Mo. 6tipes, the ward. now grown to
manhood, received letter from gen
tleman recently, telling him to come to
Kahoka, No, If he wished to know
who his parents were. Anxious to clear
up the mystery of his birth, Mr.. Stipes
went and to his surprise, DR.. Albert
Broll q prominent dentist Of the place,
told him he was his uncle and 1t was
he who left him at the Gibbs home,
thirty Eight, years before. He said he
was then practicing dentistry in Salem
and boarded at the Gibbs hotel. Short
ly before the babe was found DIR. BroH
went to Kahoka to visit his parents,
and he found his sister, who had a few
years before marted q Mr.. Overrocker,
had left her husband, and with her lit
tie son had returned to the parental
home, where IN short time another
son was born. Her father thought two
children were more than he could well
care for in his declining years, and it
was decided that a home must be
found for the younger child.
Her brother, DR.. Broll, had often
heard Mr.. Gibbs wish for a son, so he
decided to play the part Of the good
fairy and see that the wish was full
filled.
He heard the comments OF the crowd
that assembled to see the baby, but
never by word or act limited that he
knew aught of the mystery. For thir-
ty-eight years he kept this secret, and
never told a friend. until, being warned
by ill health that death was near, and
thinking he owed to the child he had
abandoned some recompense, he broke
the silence and sent for the boy.
DR.. Broll gave Mr.. stipes papers that
proved that he was the son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Charles Overrocker and had a
brother living at Millsburg, Mich, and
sister at Centerville, Iowa. Both Of
his parents and grandparents and his
foster parents are dead. Mr.. Stipes'
real name is Albert Overrocker, but
his foster parents adopted him and
gave him the name of John Wesley,
Stipes. Mr. Stipes is married and has
two sons. He is an Industrious far
mer, an honest and upright citizen and
has the respect OF the entire COM
munity.