The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-06-16
BACK HOME
After an Absence Of Thirty
Three Years or More
FINDS LOST FATHER

Wilson Scarboro, Of Bishopville, g.
c., Goes to statesboro, Ga, and
Takes His long Lost Parent Back
to the Old Home-Old Man Bore
the Name OF r. Baker.
A letter from %Statesboro, Ca, to
the Augusta Chronicle tells a most
remarkable story. The letter says
after a 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. VIII
son Scarboro. q resident Of Bishop
Vile. s. c., came to this county last
Sunday and carried his father back
to his South Carolina home to spend
his declining 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 AL
lens until recently he took up his
place Of abode on the farm Of Tom
Moore at Email, near 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 learn
Ing his whereabouts.
Some time ago 1t is said a travel
ing man happened to run across Mr..
Scarboro, or Baker, as he was known
here, and when he went back to
Bishopville he told n Of the sons
that be had seen and spoken to his
father. The traveller remembered
the name Of Mr.. John NJ. Jones. a
hardware dealer, and told the son
to write to Mr.. Jones for informa-
ton. which the son did, giving q de-
scription Of his father from which
Mr.. Jones readily applied the descrip-
tion 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 1t very much, evidently
intending to keep his whereabouts a
secret until death. Several letters
passed 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-
70 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
municatipg. He stated to Mr.. Jones
that the four sons were still alive;
that each Of them were in good fnan-
cial circumstances and were DESTROYS
Of having their father spend his de-
Ginning years with them where he
could be cared for. When the SON
reached the home Of his father at
Email the meeting Is said to have been
a loving one, first handshake and
then throwing their arms around one
another the two stood there and hug
ged for some time.
This vas on Saturday night and
Sunday morning when they started
for the train they passed through
jumps, 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
err and cordially bowed to the son,
not knowing who he was.
At this time Mr.. Baker" said.
We'll, Will, I have fooled you al!
for twenty years. / want to intro
duce you to my son, MH Scarboro.
I AIN going back to the old hoLie
with him this morning and will
spend the balance Of my life there
with my wife and children. I havo
been away thirty-three years, twenty
years of which have spent in Bull
loch county, where / have made mauy
friends and It IS with regret that l
leave DOW, but 1 81. :Cse 1t is pest
for me-"
Baker" is we'll known in States
boro, though his home has always
been In the country near here. DIR
Ing his twenty years in Bulloch COL
ty 1t Is said be conhded In one man
Mr.. Sol. Atkins. when he first cana
here, and told his real name aui
the cause Of his leaving home. He
evidently con1ded In a safe man TO-
through a score OF years Mr.. Akio'
has told no one the old mans So
crct. Baker" is apparently nearing
his allotted time. three score years
and ten, and that he will receive a
loving welcome in his old home IS
evidenced by the continuous search
which has been made for him for
! thI.tr tbroa vearS