Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1909-06-17
BACK HOME
After an Absence of Thirty
Three Years or More
FINDS LOST FATHER

lakeS his long Lost Iarent BACK
to the Old Home-Old Man Bore
the Name of II. Baker.
A letter from Statesboro, Ga, to
| the Augusta Chronicle tells most
remarkable story. The letter says
| after fruitless search for the where
abouts OF his father for thirty-three
years, during which time his estate
Is said to lave been administered
| on BY members Of the family. VIII
son Scarboro. 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.
Il. Scarboro, the father. came to
this county twenty years ago and
adopted the name Of X. 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
SoutL Carolina. Before he came
to Bulloch county he spent thirteen
years within 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 one OF the sons
that he had seen and spoken to his
| father. The traveller remembered
the name OF Dir. John NJ. Jones. a
hardware dealer. and told the son
10 write 10 Mr.. Jones for informa-
ton, which the son did. giving a de-
scription of his father from which
Mr.. Jones readily applied the dcscrip-
ton 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
|
not relish it very much, evidently
intending to keep his whereabouts a
secret until death. Several lettors
passed between Mr. Jones and the
son in South Carolina and finally the
father was communicated with by
his son and persuaded to consent 10
return to his old home and be cared
for the rest Of his life.
Mr.. Scarboro arrived in Statesbo-
TO 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 We're in good tnan-
cial circumstances and were deslrous
OF having their father spend his de-
clining 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
loving one, first handshake and
then throwing their arms around ono
another the two stood there and hug
ged 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 hone OF viii
Akins while waiting for the Central
train. MIR. Atkins was not at home
at tho time and when he returned
he walked up and spoke to tho faith
er and cordially bowed TO the son.
! not knowing who he was.
At this time Mr.. Baker" said.
We'll. VIII. | have fooled you all
for twenty years. i want to intro
duce you TO my son, MI Scarboro
am going back to the old home
with him this morning and VIII
spend the balance OF my life there
with my wife and children. / HAY q
been away thirty-three years TWEEN ?
years OF which have spent In Bul-
loch county, where have made many
, friends and Il ia with regret th1, |
? leave BOW, but sut3 3Cse 1t Is De I
, for me-"
Baker" is we'll known In States
= boro. though his home has always
been In the country near here. Der
ing his twenty Years In Dulloch Co -
> ~ II Is said he confided in one man
Mr.. Sol. Atkins. when no first came
: here, and told his real name an
the cause of his leaving home. lie
evidently confidcd in a safe man fo:
through a score of years Mr.. Aldl
has told no one tho old mans -
q cret. Baker" is apparently nearinf
a his allotted time. three score year
= and ten, and that he will receive :
! loving welcome in his old homo Il
!, evidenced by tho continuous searcl
~ which has been made for him 70
, : thirty-three years.
G Wilson Scarboro, tho son tha
- came after his father. is now forty
three years of age and states tha
he was nearly eleven years old whe
his father left home. The locatio
of his fathers whereabouts is pro-
a. ably due TO the travelling man wb