Here's two examples of what this question is about. An old man who was my neighbor (since died) said that his Dad used to tell them a story about when he was a young man living at home with his parents and brothers and sisters. His dad said one day the oldest brother (still in his teens) got into an argument with his father. Got up from the supper table. Got his meager belongings and walked out the door. They never saw or heard from him again. This would have been along about the 1890's. Another old man said his brother and other family members were hoeing cotton one day when one of the older brothers laid his hoe down and walked off. His dad called after him to ask where he was going. He replied that he was tired of hoeing cotton and never intended to do it again. When they got back home, the brother was gone and they never heard from him again. (this was in the 1930's)Do any of you have simular stories? Closest I have to it is a cousin who was gone for three years once but he finally came home.
- Thread starter mb58
- Start date
ShadetreeRet
Well-known Member
In the neighborhood where my Dad grew up, if a person was mentally challenged or had a severe learning disability, they were ignored or outright mistreated. (In the early part of the 20th century, I think this was the case in many places). That said, Dad had a cousin who fit this description. My Grandparents were his legal guardians. One day, he was probably in his thirties, he announced that he was going West to see the country. The sad part is, no one tried to stop him. No one either saw or heard from him again.
Tom in TN
Well-known Member
- Location
- Southern Middle Tennessee
mb58,
I've never know of anyone to do that, but apparently Sara Evans knew of a similar case.
Tom in TN
She Left the Suds in the Bucket
I've never know of anyone to do that, but apparently Sara Evans knew of a similar case.
Tom in TN
She Left the Suds in the Bucket
One of great uncles left home in the 1930's to become a hobo. More or less deserted his wife and a couple kids. He'd come around every few years to see his sister (my grandma), but didn't stay long because she kept telling him to go home and take care of his family.
One of Dad's cousins, from the same side of the family, walked away from home in the late 20's. Somehow one of my uncles tracked him down in the early 60's. He had worked for the railroad and was living in a shack alongside the railroad in Canada. He had no interest in even hearing about anyone else in the family. My uncle took him downtown and got him a haircut and a bag of groceries and left him be.
My FIL left home in WI when he was 15, after his Dad told him that he had too many mouths to feed. He rode the rails to central ND, where he found work during threshing. He rode the rails further west and spent the winter with a sheeo herder in his wagon in western ND. After that he roamed around until he lied about his age and got into the CCC camp as a cook. Later he worked 40 years in the paper mill in WI.
One of Dad's cousins, from the same side of the family, walked away from home in the late 20's. Somehow one of my uncles tracked him down in the early 60's. He had worked for the railroad and was living in a shack alongside the railroad in Canada. He had no interest in even hearing about anyone else in the family. My uncle took him downtown and got him a haircut and a bag of groceries and left him be.
My FIL left home in WI when he was 15, after his Dad told him that he had too many mouths to feed. He rode the rails to central ND, where he found work during threshing. He rode the rails further west and spent the winter with a sheeo herder in his wagon in western ND. After that he roamed around until he lied about his age and got into the CCC camp as a cook. Later he worked 40 years in the paper mill in WI.
We had a SFC in Baumholder Germany in 85 who had about 18 years service. We got a congressional message down asking why he had not been in cntact with his family for those 18 years. He and his dad had it out and his dad told him to get out of the house. He went and joined the Army and did not bother to inform anyone in his family. His parents in 85 were getting old and wanted to mend fences. They checked with FBI to see if he may be in jail and was informed he was in the Army. We went him home on leave to see his family.
Rick
Rick
Walt Davies
Well-known Member
One summer day my uncle William Kennedy drove into the ranch and handed his two boys off to my grandparents and said take care of of them. It was years before they ever saw their mother and never talked to their dad again. They grew up on the farm with us and our grandparents. We had a great time but I think they felt sort of left off at times. They are both gone now died young at 69 and 71. Cousin Bill (William) was seventh in line of William Kennedy's his son is eight but has two girls and his wife said no more, to she ended a long line of Wiliams.
Walt
Walt
Walt Davies
Well-known Member
All these buildings are Abandoned the owners quit paying taxes on them walked away and said good ridence. So who owns them, well under the laws it resorts back to the county which is us so they are only entering their own property.
Abandoned means that the owner no longer wants the building, property or what's in it.
Walt
Abandoned means that the owner no longer wants the building, property or what's in it.
Walt
Walt Davies
Well-known Member
Whoops wrong place sorry.
Walt
Walt
Gambles
Well-known Member
On my wife's side, there were three brothers who came over from Germany in the late 1800s and settled in Texas. Two of them stayed in Texas and the third one decided that it was too hot there and decided to move north. They never heard from him again and they don't know if he got a quarter mile north and died or if he went 1000 miles north and settled there.
It's a pretty common name, so he could have settled (or died) anywhere and they never have been able to track him down.
I have a cousin who came back from Viet Nam a completely different man and lived on the streets in several states for about 30 years. Nobody knew if he was alive or in a pauper's grave. He was eventually found, given prescribed meds and leads a somewhat normal life (with the taxpayers footing the bill) as long as he takes his meds. He's gone off his meds a few times and that's when he goes off the deep end.
It's a pretty common name, so he could have settled (or died) anywhere and they never have been able to track him down.
I have a cousin who came back from Viet Nam a completely different man and lived on the streets in several states for about 30 years. Nobody knew if he was alive or in a pauper's grave. He was eventually found, given prescribed meds and leads a somewhat normal life (with the taxpayers footing the bill) as long as he takes his meds. He's gone off his meds a few times and that's when he goes off the deep end.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
My folks moved around a lot when I was a kid.......
Always managed to find em tho..... :roll:
theoldtexasfarmer
Member
My grandmother said she had an uncle who left Topeka Kansas going to Texas probably to work a cattle drive in late 1880s or 1889s.The last they heard from him was a letter from Sealy Tx.Probably died in an accident or was killed.
theoldtexasfarmer
Member
In the 1940s my mother in laws mother died.She was 10 andher two sisters were older.Her father said he couldnt care for them so he put them in an orphanage.She never saw him again.MIL was adopted by an older couple who loost their only child at Pearl Harbor.Her sisters were never adopted and they were bitter toward their younger sister.What happened to father is not known and sisters where abouts are unknown per their choice.With this background and a divorce from a bad marriage my MIL is a bitter old lady.So sad.
Ken Macfarlane
Well-known Member
Neighbours brother up and decided he was moving west about 7 years ago, in his early 40's. No one has heard from him since.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
That's funny....... Just spent the last 2 hours tracking down a kid and getting his 1SG to make him call home.... (family called the red cross)...
Mark - IN.
Well-known Member
Yes, but they generally involve someone accidentally digging up human bones, a pathologist, forensics and a crime lab, and murder charges. Who are these guys and are they willing to come in for a friendly discussion? You know them personally? Got an address? Names?
Mark
Mark
In the mid 1800's, my great grandpa's brother went "west" from N.Y. state. An adventuresome sort. Got in some kind of ruckus and was shot and killed. Station agent back in N.Y. state sent word that there was a shipment for the family. Someone went to check on it - it was his pistol, boots, and saddle, with a note about where he was buried. Around 1985, my brother was interested in geneology and looked up an elderly distant cousin in Denver. Brother asked cousin if he'd ever heard the pistol/boots/saddle story in his branch of the family, and cousin turned to his daughter and said, "Marge, show him the pistol". The boots and saddle were dried up and gone, but the pistol had been passed down to him.
Mike Henry
Member
had a cousin walk away from home before graduating high school in the early 80s. He was a troubled boy and been in lots of trouble. Didnt hear from him for just over 20 yrs. His older brother was in a truck stop having lunch and heard his laugh.Went to him and asked him to at least call home to say he was alright. He did. A few months later his mom passed unexpectedly. She was able to pass happily knowing her son was ok.The son passed 2 yrs ago from a diebetic seazure.We had only heard from him the one time in all that time. His daughter found his dads number in his wallet after he died and reported the death to us.
Ultradog MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- Twin Cities
Before the days of computer tracking and SSNs and photo IDs and driver's licences, and traceable credit cards and cell phones a guy could just walk away and start a new life.
Seems kind of desirable in a way doesn't it?
Seems kind of desirable in a way doesn't it?
My Dad had an uncle that walked away in 1932. No one knew why or heard from him again. A couple of years ago there was an inquiry on a genealogy search engine for the family surname and a few family details.
It turns out that dad's uncle (deceased 1951) ended up in Australia, raised a family. We've now have reconnected with that branch of the family.
It turns out that dad's uncle (deceased 1951) ended up in Australia, raised a family. We've now have reconnected with that branch of the family.
tedregentin
Member
Years ago, one of my older brothers just kind of drifted away. No one heard from him for years. My parents were worried, two of my brothers and I hired a private detective to find him. We got an address and a phone number, called him and he came to see mom and dad. he still doesn't keep in touch, but we do have an e-mail address. I hope none of my children ever do that sort of thing.
My Great Grandfather and his brothers were newly arrived immigrants, just arrived in IL, when WW1 broke out. Not a lot of people realize it, but there was a huge anti German movement at the time, with fear of a roundup and deportation amongst those newly arrived.
They decided that their best chance was to split up, and 2 of the brothers were never heard from again. Genealogy research indicates that one ended up in central Ks, and another in Tx. The other 3 stayed together and settled in SE Nebraska.
They decided that their best chance was to split up, and 2 of the brothers were never heard from again. Genealogy research indicates that one ended up in central Ks, and another in Tx. The other 3 stayed together and settled in SE Nebraska.
RBnSC
Well-known Member
My Great Great Grandfather left his family said He was going to Texas they never heard from him again. My Mother was making some genealogical inquires on the internet and found his family in Arkansas made the connection and went out to meet them. He just left and and started a new family.
Ron
Ron
My Uncle Roland told me this story over 45 years ago,His grand dad was in the civil war.He was only 16 or so.He was given the job of cooks helper.He spent most of his time getting firewood.Never close to the battle but the noise and smoke was bad.He and the cook bedded down in the open one night.Come dawn the connon started firing.Rolands grand dad head a thump, looked over and saw the cooks head was gone.A cannon ball hit the cook but didnt explode. He switched his papers with the cooks and headed west.He sent a letter to his mother saying he was ok and would be back home some day.He did return.My uncle Roland was a railrod engineer.He smoked cigars and always drove a Buick.
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