Found in
Gettysburg Compiler
(Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
Wednesday, October 9 1822 Page 2
Bangor, Sept 12
Rare Case of a Lost Child
Ruth
Ames, born
August 14, 1818, daughter of Daniel Ames, of Sangerville, 38 miles
from Bangor, in this county (Penobscot)) on the 4th of
June last, left home about 10 o’clock A. M. in company with her
mother to go to the house of David Doughty, a neighbor near half a
mile distant. It was a town road, and bordered a part of the way by
woods. The mother turned and left the child after seeing her half
the way to Doughty’s.
As the child did
not return as expected, the mother went to Doughty’s to inquire
after her; when she was informed little Ruth had not been there.
The father immediately came, and 12 or 15 persons without delay,
commenced a thorough search in various directions. Doughty’s son,
20 years old, upon reflection recollected he saw a child in the
field, 60 or 70 rods from his father’s house, about 11 a.m., thought
it his brother, and called to it and told it to go back to the
house. The one he saw must have been the lost child, as Doughty’s
children had not been there after early in the morning.
In vain was search
made that day (Thursday) by increasing numbers. Friday at daylight
60 or 70 commenced the hunt; the news spread, and the number
increased to nearly 200 persons, and the search was unremittingly
continued till Monday; but not the least intelligence of the child
could be gained. On Tuesday the search was recommenced by a great
number, from 7 or 8 of the towns in that vicinity, in all not less
than 300 persons, and lasted 2 days; after which they retired in
despair, supposing her dead and perhaps the food of some wild
animal.
In the fore part of
August about two months after the child was lost, a Mr. Haywood of
Hallowell, 80 miles from Sangerville having heard the child
described, wrote to its father, and informed him of a female child
there, apparently between 8 and 4 years old, with Ruth’s features
and complextion. This child at Hallowell was found in the
possession of a vagrant or straggler, who called his name Stephen
Appleford, between 40 and 50 years of age, poorly clad and
moneyless, said he belonged to England, appeared at times strange,
or deranged, though many think all appearances of derangement are
the effects of intemperance. He says the child is his own “in
flesh, in blood, and bone”; and that he had brought her in his arms
and on his back from Lake Ontario; he called her Sally.
Mr. Ames the father
hastened to see the child, but she discovered no particular
knowledge or regard for him. He examined the nails on the thumb and
little finger of one hand, as those of his own child had been hurt,
and had peculiar appearances. Nothing remarkable was now discovered
on this little girl’s nails; he examined it some more and went away,
believing it not his lost daughter. Indeed he thought the whole
appearance of this child different from that of his own.
On his return home,
the subject being the perpetual and most interesting topic in that
quarter, the select men of Sangerville, about the first of this
month, September and and brought the child to town at a house about
a mile from Mr. Ames’ where he and his wife and a crowd of others
met to see and examine her. The mother found scars on her hands and
sides occasioned by burns, much like those of her lost daughter, and
prevailing opinion was, she was her own, but many others doubted
much and samples were constantly excited in the minds of both her
husband and herself.
The child was as
sprightly, as forward to talk, and as large as children generally
are at the same age. One present asked her “is that your mamms” and
the child said “That’s Mamma,” and appeared to be attached to her a
good deal. A circle was formed, its mother o one side, and Mr. Ames
with the child in his arms on the other, and Appleford, who had
followed, and still was claiming the child, was in the midst, the
child immediately reached out its arms toward Mrs. Ames, called
“mamma” and seemed inclined to go to her.
The child was then,
by Mr. Ames, carried to his own horse, where his own mother was, the
men asked the little girl “who is that” “Grandmamma” was the child’s
reply. She answers about equally quick whether called Ruth, Sally,
Mary or Sarah. No one ever saw Appleford in that quarter, except
that a little girl 10 or12 years tells him she saw him no far from
the day the child was lost. Such is the state of the case: some are
sure the child is the lost one, others continue to doubt, and
Appleford insists on having it restored to him, as being his own.
(The foregoing
statement of facts is taken September 7, 1822, from the mouth of Mr.
Ames, the father of the lost child.)
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