Babbitt, W.L. - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

W. L. Babbitt, of 209 Marshall Street, had a most acceptable addition to his charming family circle last week, the addition, strange to say, being his mother, from whom Mr. Babbitt was stolen thirty two years ago, and of whose whereabouts he was in total ignorance until a few days ago.

The story of the kidnapping and the circumstances relative to and surrounding it is a most interesting one and presents one of those most romantic dramas which constantly occur in real life. Mr. Babbitt’s parents came from New England, where they were highly connected and located in Chicago, where W. L. Babbit was born thirty seven years ago. His father was a successful lumber dealer but a violent atheist and his radical views and inexcusable actions finally forced his wife, a devoted Christian, to leave him and secure a divorce. She was given the custody of W. L. Babbitt, their only child, then five years old. One day, during the mother’s absence, the divorced husband drove up to her house and stole the boy away, taking him to the home of a relative at Sabula, Iowa, where he was left. Babbitt later then returned to Chicago and brazenly denied all knowledge of the child to the distracted mother. She exhausted every effort searching for her son, but was unsuccessful. She had no proof of Babbitt being the kidnapper and, therefore, could not institute proceedings against him. In a few years she left Chicago and went to reside with a sister at Niles, Mich. In a few years more, this sister died and Mrs. Babbitt went to live with other relatives in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

Meantime, Babbitt disposed of his Chicago business and went to a lumber town in Michigan. He took with him his son, whom he had kept for several years at school. In Michigan, the lad picked up a thorough knowledge of the lumber business and accidentally learned that he had been stolen from his mother. He had an indistinct recollection of her and also of the kidnapping, but knew nothing of where it occurred or anything definite regarding his mother or her people. Nevertheless, when sixteen years of age, he started to run off and find her. But his father quickly recaptured him and from that day until the boy attained his majority the old man scarcely trusted him out of his sight. Mr. Babbitt, however, celebrated his twenty first birthday by asserting his independence and calling his father to account. His parent, however, laughed at him and refused to give nay information whatever. They parted then and have been strangers since. Mr. Babbitt is still alive and in South Carolina.

Freed from parental rule the young man determined to find his mother. He had some money and a number of positions were opened to him as a lumber salesman. He visited his father’s relatives at Sabula, Iowa, and from them learned a few things concerning his mother, enough, as he thought, to give him a clue. A wealthy friend in Chicago aided him in advertising, but unfortunately their efforts were misdirected. They supposed that Mrs. Babbitt had returned to New England; there they sought information, when the truth was that she and all her kin had left the east many years before. They advertised for her under the name of Babbitt, not knowing that she had resumed, upon divorce, her maiden name of Hattie Davis. Thus their labor came to naught and Mr. Babbitt began his business life as a lumber salesman. But through the years, wherever he might be, he sought his mother and told his story in strange towns to strange people, hoping that somehow and somewhere he would learn of her or she of him. In the course of time, he married and located in St. Paul, Minn. Considerably over a year ago, he began traveling for Mississippi lumber dealers and came to Crawfordsville. Here he has since resided and has with his family made many friends.

Still as he went about his work he sought his mother and his filial love finally had its reward. In the latter part of November he was in Niles, Mich., and in the office of a customer, he told his story. It so chanced that an old gentleman named Hunter was present and upon the conclusion of the story, stated that he was satisfied he knew Mr. Babbitt’s mother and declared that she had lived there years ago and was very intimate with his wife with whom she still kept up an occasional correspondence. Mr. Babbitt hastened home with Hunter and there learned enough to satisfy him that his search was nearing a successful end. Mrs. Hunter informed him that his mother was living in Cuyahoga Falls, O., with her sister, Mrs. J. S. Boyce, and Mr. Babbitt at once telegraphed to that place stating his identity and asking for information. His business obliged him to move on, but at Jackson he received an answer stating that his mother was alive, well, and anxious to see him. As soon as his duties could relieve him he hastened to Cuyahoga Falls and the joyful reunion there can be better imagined that described. He found his mother a remarkably well preserved and intelligent lady of seventy and he also found a host of heretofore unheard of uncles, aunts and cousins, all excellent and prosperous people. After a several days’ visit there, he, accompanied by his mother, left for Crawfordsville, arriving here last week. The mother is naturally most happy and feels that her many years of suffering have had their recompense in her present gladness.