The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-06-23
BACK HOME
After an Absence Of Thirty-three
Years or MOre-WiIsOn Scarboro
OF BishOpville, S. c., Goes to States
borO, Ga, and Takes His Long Lost
Parent Back to the Old Home.

remarkable story. The letter saws
a1ter fruitless search for the where
abouts Of his father for thirty-three
years, during which time his estate
IS said to have been administered
on by members of the family, Will
son Scarboro, a resident of Bishopville.
S. c., came to this county last Sunday
and carried his father back to his
South Carolina home to spend his de-
clining years.
| r. Scarboro, the father, came to
this county twenty years ago and
adopted the name Of r. Baker, first
making his home on the farm of Sol.
Atkins and later with the Aliens until
recently he took up his place of abode
on the farm of Tom Moore at Email,
rear Bryan county, where his son
found him. Domestic troubles are
said to have been the cause Of his
leaving his, home in South Carolina.
Before he came to Bulloch county he
spent thirteen years within a hundred
miles of his home and was successful
in keeping his wife and four sons
| from learning his. Whereabouts.
| Some time ago it is said a travelling
man happened to run across Mr.
Scarboro, or Baker, as he was known
here, and when he went back to
Bishopville he told one Of his sons
that he had seen and spoken to his
father. The traveller remembered the
name Of Mr.. John NJ. Jones, a hard
ware dealer, and told the son to write
to Mr.. Jones for information, which
the son did, giving a description of his
| father from which Mr.. Jones readily
applied the description to Baker"
| The letter was answered by Mr..
Jones giving the desired information.
In some way Mr. Baker" learned
that Mr.. Jones had written to his son
and it is said the old man did not
relish it very much, evidently intend
ing to keep his whereabouts a secret
|
! between Mr. Jones and the son in
South Carolina and finally the father
was communicated with by his son
and persuaded to consent to return
| to his old home and be cared for the
rest of his life.
| Mr.. Scarboro arrived in Statesbo-
ro Saturday night and proceeded to
Email without making known the OBJ
| ject of his visit to any one but Mr..
Jones with whom he had been COM
municating. He stated to Mr.. Jones
| that the four sons were still alive;
that each Of them were in good f1nan
cial circumstances and were 1esirous
OF having their father spend MS de-
cling years with them where ne could
| be cared for. When the son reached
meeting is said to have been a loving
| one, first handshake and then throwing
| their arms around one another the
| two stood there and hugged for some
| time.
This was on Saturday night and
Sunday morning when they started
for the train they passed through
| Jimps, five miles from here and some
time was spent at the home of Will
| Atkins while waiting for the Central
train. Mr.. Atkins was not at home
at the time and when he returned
he walked up and spoke to the faith
er and cordially bowed to the son,
| not knowing who he was.
At this time Mr.. Baker" said.
| twenty years. 1 want to introduce
you to my son, Mr. Scarboro. 1 am
going back to the old home with him
this morning and will spend the bal
ance of my life there with my wife
and children. 1 have been away
| thrty-three years, twenty years of
which have been spent in Bulloch
county. where / have made many
friends, and it is with regret that l
leave now. but l suppose it is best for
me-"
Baker is we'll known in States
boro, though his home has always
be en- in the country near here. Dur
ing his twenty years in Bulloch coun-
~ it is said he confided in one man.
MI. Sol. Atkins, when he first came
here, and told his real name and
the cause of his leaving home. He
evidently confided in a safe man for
through score of years Mr.. Atkins
has told no one the Old mans secret
Baker" is apparently nearing his
allotted time. three score years ana
ten. and that he will receive a low
ing welcome in his old home Is evil