The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-26
Brother and Sister United After
Many Years.
Separated When Girl Was Six
Weeks Old.
AT MOTHERS FUNERAL
Lose Track of Each Other for
Long Time.
Jesse Swaggerty, Brother, Mrs.
Groves of WyO., Sister.

United After Many Years. a story
Of Sister and Brother" might be ap-
piled to the circumstances Of Mrs. Mar
garet Delma Groves of Grin Junction
Wyo.. who is visiting her brother, jesse
Swaggerty, of Shorey The two nave
been separated for "a years. The parting
occurred at the funeral of their mother
in Cedar county. Mo. Then the sister
vas only six weeks old. The brother
Jesse was four years of age. The BABY
girl was adopted by a Missouri family
7 he little boy was taken by T. t. Prath-
CT of near Meriden and brought up on
his farm. Meanwhile the brother ana
sister lost track of each other
When young man SWaSgerty went
inc railroad work and Travelled IN many
states. He returned to Topeka where
he accidentally learned that relatives
stil lived IT. Cedar county. cores
pondence with them developed thar his
sister was also living there. Next IeI-
tiers and photos were exchanged pc
tween She brother and sister. me latter
was married She moved to Wyoming
with her husband in 1908
Some time latter she arranged 70 NlSlI
Ter brother and arrived here tflddy
morning. Then came the meeting al
her brothers home
Mrs. Groves IS "a years Old fiFr
brother is about IS years of age. he
Is employed on the paint field, painting
boxcars at the Santa Fe shops
His home is on the west edge OF
Shorey. There NJ SWaggsrty ana ms
sister tol0 visitor of their parents
and of their own separation early IN
life.
Their father was born in ireland and
n arried his first Wife there Later they
came 10 America and settled in Cedar
county. No, about Ice miles southeast
Of Kansas City. A son was born TO
them His mother died some time az
forwards. Mr.. SNagSerty married again
ard moved to Jefferson county. Kan,
y here he located on farm near
OzawlSie. Here Jesse was born. Alter
wards his parents returned to Cedar
county On the Missouri farm a daugh- |
ter Margaret was born. When ahe
was six weeks old hor mother died.
At the funeral Jesse, then manly
little fellow of four years, parted with
lis infant sister. She was adopted by
a family named OVertOn. About the
Prather ard taken to the latter's home
near Neri6en. as Mr.. Prather happen
60 to know the boys sad circumstances
The son of Mr. SWaggerty's first wife
remained in Missouri.
The other son lived with Mr.. Prather |
until he become a young man, Ihen
he left his fosterfather ard travelled |
H. many states as a raiiroader.
After several years he married and /
located in Shorey. He found work in
the paint department of the Santa Fe
shops. He met a fellow workman |
1.amed Neil from Stockton. the county |
seat of Cedar county. Neil told Swag !
serty that another Swa ggerty liver near !
Stockton. The Topeka SWaggerty wrote |
&c the man referred to telling of his !
anCes ard asking about his sis
ter.
The man VINO received Jesse's letter
was his halfbrOther. He wrote to his
Topeka relative. giving an account of
the family since Jesse had left home
The father died ten years after the
death of Margaret mother. Her daugh-
ter had grownup and married A. V.
Groves. d Cedar county boy. The young