Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-20
BROTHERS SEPARATED
FOR Ga YEARS MEET
AT HOME OF THIRD
Both Write on Same Day Their lnten-
tions to Visit Relatives Here,
Neither Knowing Purpose
of the Other

Two brothers who had not seen each
other for sixty-four years have just
met in Los Angeles at the home of a
third brother whom they had never
seen. This proof of the oft asserted
statement that truth eXcels fiction
comes in the persons of Jacob, Austin
and John Gribling.
Fate has played peculiar part in the
lives OF these three men. The olden
painters always depicted three sisters
as the fates, and surely one sister must
have devoted much of her time to spin
ming the web of life and incidents for
each of the brothers, so complex and
strange have they been.
Remarkable Coincidence
Startling coincidence in this remark
able case is that the two who resided
in the east each wrote to the brother in
California that they intended visiting
him, writing on the same day, announc-
ing their departure on the same date,
and other plans strangely coincident
with each other, although neither one
knew that the other intended to make
the journey. The two letters announc-
ing their intended visit arrived in the
same mail.
The story of the family begins away
back in early times when Christopher
Gribling, a young man, arrived in New
York from France. He married and
settled down on a farm in Parish, N.
Y. This young man from France lived
to see six of his children, but died
shortly before his youngest child was
born.
Mrs Gribling, left with her large
family and being in moderate financial
circumstances, was compelled to sepe-
rate her numerous progeny and the
children were placed in different homes,
excepting one little girl.
There were four boys and three girls
in the family. One of the boys died a
natural death and one of the girls was
drowned by falling into, a well.
The separation of the children after
the death of the father and before the
last child was born prevented the older
from seeing the youngest
Decide to Visit Brother
Jacob, who lives in Ithaca, Mich. and
John, whose home is in Virgil: Kas,
recently decided to visit their brother
i'm California Jacob arrived two
months ago, leaving his family in the
east Had it not been that John
stopped over to visit relatives in Kan
sas he would have arrived here the
same date. He arrived here two weeks
ago with his wife, and saw his brothers
for the first time.
The brothers could not but have
recognized each other, for they look
much alike, and unknown to each other
wore their boards in the same style.
1t has come to light during these
family conclaves that Jacob and Aus
tin. who had not seen each other for
sixty-four years, had enlisted in New
York regiments and served during the
Civil War, having fought in the same
battles unknown to each other.
Austin Gribling, whom the other two
brothers are visiting, resides in cozy
home at 115 South Bright street, Whit
tier, and has a fine five-acre walnut
ranch two miles distant. He came here
five years ago from Lincoln, Neb., hay
ing been a neighbor of Bryan. The
others own valuable farms in the east
The visiting brothers will start on
their return home Monday. Jacob Crib
ling has become much enamOred of
California and expects to sell his east
ern property and move to this state.