The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-05-07
FOUND SISTER IN
BARRE WHOM HE
HAD NEVER SEEN
L. E. Burse Had Searched Many Parts
of the Country-Came Here
from Missouri.

A long search that extended from
Richmond, Mo, to Barre, ended yes
terday morning when l.. 4. Burse To-
Gated his sister, Mrs. Frank Getchell
Of ll3 South Main street and met her
for the first time in his life, together
with her husband and eight children.
Mr.. Burse, man 28 years OF age,
came to Vermont from Missouri SIX
weeks ago, after he had been located
bv his sister. Mrs. J. X. Learie of
Bethel. who with her husband conducts
the Bethel inn. Mrs. Learie could only
supply the young man with the De
scription of his other sister and the
fact that the Getchell family lived
somewhere in the vicinity of Barre.
Mr.. Burse made several trips to
Barre. having started an auto stage
from Bethel to Barre, but at no time
could he locate his sister, there being
no record of such family in the city
directory or at the city clerks once,
The other day he decided to return TO
Missouri with his wife and three chill
dren and was about to begin the jour
nev when he determined to make one
last endeavor to locate the sister ne
had never seen, for as he pondered en-
the matter. he had searched at various
intervals practically all his life and es-
pecially during the past II years, and
had spent more than $1,000 in his
searching.
In an effort to locate the Getchell
family he inquired at the police sta
ton Yesterday morning, but no one
there knew of the family. he related
his story. however, TO special offlcer A.
B. Curtis and Times reporter, VINO
happened to be there, and the latter
sensing a real bit Of news, set about
to assist him in the search. Attention
was directed to the postoffice, where
a clerk told the two that intorma-
ton concerning mailing addresses could
not be given out. Mr.. Burse was next
directed to Postmaster George W. Tor
man, who after learning OF the persons
purpose made inquiries among the de-
iiyerymen with the result that fam
ilv Of that name was found TO 1--we IN
the vicinity of ITO South Main street.
II was at ll3 South Main street
that the family lived and it was there
that Mr.. Burses life e-long search Tor
one of his sisters ended. The brother
and sister met as complete strangers,
vet recognized in each other family
resemhlanees and Immediately set
about comparing facts OF family his
tory.
- NJ p,,~-, ,,.,s only Is ruout his
old his mother died, and the family OF
nine children, of which he was the
Youngest. was thrown on the mercy OF
the world. his father being dead also.
Mr.. Burse was taken by the Wyoming
County orphanage in New York state
and later transferred to the Children's
Aid society of New York City, which,
with three carloads of other children,
carried him into the west and placed
him in the hands of a blacksmith.
On that same train also was broth
or of his, who was carried on about 100
miles further and placed in the custody
of a rich family; yet Mr.. Burse never
could locate his brother even though
he knew he resided within the same
state. somewhere in Kansas, and il
was not until yesterday that he
learned the exact address through his
sister, Mrs GetchelE
Mr.. Burse was located by his sister
Mrs. Learier, about three months ago,
when the Wyoming County orphanage
gave up the information that L. Z.
Burse had been transferred to the Chill
dren's Aid society With that informa-
ton Mrs. Learie applied to the latter
society and within two weeks had To-
Gated her brother, one of the only four
survivors of the family
Mr.. Burse. by the way, is a black
smith by trade and an service maR.
who fought In the front line trenches
with a machine gun battalion Of the
seventh division.