A website dedicated to the history and genealogy of my children’s families

The words of Evelyn Haroldine DeBorde

When we lived on the farm in cove, there were 353 or so then but it never changed we lived off canyon rd and it was Christmas time there was snow on the road my there was my sister Kathy who was two years younger then my self. And my brother Charles who was two years older. And so Kathy was a baby and mother had told us we have to go to bed before santa would come. (Grandma asked me and Tove’ if we believed that then looked at the camera and said “well we did”) But we were still up and mother was giving a bath, and we were sitting in the kitchen and momma had Kathy on her lap, and all of a sudden; Guess what? We heard the sleigh bells on the roof. And mother jumped up, dropped Kathy on the floor, (Gradma gave us a good laugh) and we all got our selves together and boy did we get our selves to be because we knew Santa was on the rooftop.
Additional information about this story
Description About the story’s These storys are right out of the mouth of my beloved grandmother we have some family videos that I am typing out the stories word for word from. These videos are available for viewing on you tube search for DeBorde or Patterson and you
Date
Location Cove, Oregon told in Redland Oregon

Attached to

* Joshua Daniel Patterson (1979 - )
* Kathleen Violet DeBorde (1932 - )
* Evelyn Haroldine Deborde (1930 - 1993)
* Evelyn Gambill Deborde (1906 - 1992)
* Charles Ray DeBorde (1928 - 1944)

The words of Evelyn Haroldine DeBorde

And this is a story that really does show that the lord really does undertake, I became a Christian when I was 18 none of my family were born again, and so I was very fervently praying for my grandfather deborde, John Franklin Deborde who I dearly loved, my mother and dad and sisters. And uh So grandpa I would talk to him about the lord and he would always say well I don’t understand why does god let little children suffer. And he would ask me questions that I couldn’t answer, he was not at all.. he just didn’t understand those things he had to know those things, so every year he would usted to go up and stay on the home place he had a root cellar and up above it there was an little apartment there, up along ways long ways from nobody. I think the only church in the town was the old (-un-recognizable word-) Adventist at that time I don’t know whether they did or not they did not have many people there, he went up there that winter and when he came back down that spring he was cleaning out mom and dads front room and he said “ya know a funny thing happened” and I prayed all that time that god would send someone to teach him about the lord. And uh so he said a funny thing happened. He said he was cookin bacon one morning and her heard a knock on the door and he opened the door and he said there was a yong fellow there that had a bible and he said he came in and he sat down with me and he he taught me about god my father was sitting there when he told it he said it was a funny thing he would never eat with me and I never knew where he came from and he said “when it snowed I went out and I couldn’t see any footsteps when he left” so ya know I always have believed that, that was an angel that god has sent to him, cus after that I went out and prayed with him and he accepted the lord and he was 87 years old when he died, and he knew Jesus and will have his part in heaven, so I think we had a divine angel there was no one to come it was remote so I just praise god for that experience
Additional information about this story
Description About the story’s These storys are right out of the mouth of my beloved grandmother we have some family videos that I am typing out the stories word for word from. These videos are available for viewing on you tube search for DeBorde or Patterson and you
Date
Location Union Oregon Told in Redland Oregon
Attached to

* John Franklin DeBorde (1871 - 1959)
* Evelyn Haroldine Deborde (1930 - 1993)

Other trees this object is saved to

* My Childrens Ancestors and their Allied Families

Cove, Union County, Oregon
Another of Cove's early day settlers passed from earth to the Better Life, April 17, 1919 at his home in Cove, Oregon, aged 77 years, 11 months and 25 days, after a lingering illness, during which he was tended with loving solicitude by the hands of his children. T.J. DeBorde was born April 22, 1841 in Grants County Wisconsin; was united in wedlock with Miss Sarah J. Franklin in Webster COunty Iowa, June 2, 1865. Twelve children blessed the union, seven of whom are living, tree sons, Thos. W., John F. and Benjamin F. DeBorde; four daughters, Mrs. Amy Valentine, Mrs. Dollie Surby, Mrs. Minnie Coons, and Mrs. Christine Musick:also a grandchild, Miss Hattie DeBorde, reared from infancy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Vincent, the latter one of the four daughters, Emma, Abby, Sarah Vincent and Della Jane Harris who precede him to the grave. There are now twenty grandchildren living.
So that all the families could be present the burial in Cove Cemetery did not take place until Sunday April 20, at 2 o'clock p.m. Rev. E. O. Otto
of La Grande Baptist church, conducted the funeral services in the presence of a large attendance of relatives, friends and acquaintances.
Among the flowers was and Eastern Star floral offering, in condolence, Mr and Mrs. Frank Musick being Chapter members.
Mr. DeBorde crossed the plains with wife and six children, the yuongest being three months old, by team, thirty seven years ago, coming direct to Baker County, Oregon, and about four years later came to Cove, his final place of residence. Mrs. Deborde dies in August 1913.
After a long and useful life the pioneer man and woman who helped in building up the Oregon Country are now resting well.

Contributed by: Jason Gregg
March 2002

Taken from www.accessgenealogy.com/scripts/data/database.cgi?file=Data&report=SingleArticle&ArticleID=0019346 by Joshua Patterson Note: Thank you Jason
Additional information about this story
Description Obituarie of Thomas Jefferson DeBorde
Date
Location Union Oregon
Attached to

* Thomas Jefferson DeBorde (1841 - 1919)

My Grandpa’s Horse Stories

(Harold Venro Deborde)

Born May 24,1901 in Cove.
(Jason My mothers father.)

Dear Jason,

(Mar 1978)

The snow use to get about 9 feet deep up on the summit. So after the snow went off below, the ranchers would bring a lot of extra horses and break a trail across the summit. They would run their cattle through to the other side where there would be green pasture. I helped once and that cured me.

Dear Jason,

(Sep 1978)

Big Gypsy caravans would come in and camp below Cove in the trees. Men would trade for anything. They were sharp traders. The women would come up town with their long dresses full of pockets. Most stores wouldn\rquote t let them inside. They were afraid they would fill their pockets with loot.

Dear Jason,

(Apr 1977)

I was walking on the hill you see behind the house when the bull took after me. I ducked and he missed then I grabbed him by his tail. Every time he tried to turn around I would kick him in the face or ribs. He then run strait down the hill. I hung on to his tail and run to. I was afraid to let loose. He came to the fence and turned. I let loose and rolled under the barbed wire. That fence sure looked good to me.

Dear Jason,

(Apr 1977)

When I was your age I was home alone and decided to take a horseback ride. I got the horse out and climbed on him. Then I met my cousin and thought I would let him ride behind me. Well the horse began to buck and snort. I hung on and rode him, but he threw my cousin off so high that he came down and broke his arm. The old horse and me went bucking off down the road. He was a buckskin and his name was Johnny.

Dear Jason,

(Apr 1977)

See the fence in front of the house. When I was our age I set a post full of nails in front of it. Then I put a pole across in to the fence. Then I rode bareback and made my horse jump it. Every time she jumped it, I would raise it higher. After she got tired of it she would run around the end of it. In later years, you Uncle Charles learned to ride on her when he was 3 years old. She lived to be 33 years old. Her name was Bird.

Dear Jason,

(May 1977)

When I was your age my Father bought me my first riding outfit. Chaps, spurs, saddle and a pretty Chestnut horse with white face and feet and a ? mane. They had parades in those days and he liked music. When the band played he would strut like he was something special and I guess he was. His name was Ned.

Dear Jason,

(Sep 1978)

Another bunch of friendly Indians came along. They lost their horses too. So one took Grandpa up behind him. Grandpa said that was the wildest ride he ever took. They caught and killed the Indians and everyone got their horses back. But they had cut the ? of one of his horses. But he got alright and so Grandpa hooked up and started on to Oregon all by himself}

Additional information about this story
Description
Date 1977-1978
Location Cove, union, Oregon
Attached to

* Harold Venroe DeBorde (1901 - 1990)

Postcards written to Jason Gregg (his Grandson)
Added by skylermoon1 on 5 Jan 2008

Dear Jason,
(May 1978)

When I was your age I used to fish up the creek and watch Granny Bloom, an old southern lady
do her washing in the creek and smoke her little clay pipe. Then I would go to Vina Duncan’s place. She
was insane and everyone was afraid of her but I wasn’t. She would take me in her house which was neat
and clean and feed me cookies and give me apples. That sure was a long time ago.

Dear Jason,
(April 1978)

The rangers could draft fire fighters in the old day. They were sending men and big ? String in to
fight this fire. Well, one man didn’t want to go, so he came limping up town on his right foot. Said it was
so sore he could hardly walk. The ranger excused him and he went home limping on his left foot. He had
forgot which one was sore. Anyway he made it work. He didn’t have to fight fire. His name was Mac
Saunders.

Dear Jason,
(Nov 1978)

There were five Wilson boys and two girls. The girls wanted to get married so they would invite
the boys to Sunday dinner. After they were all seated, these Wilson boys would pretend to get mad and
start yelling and shouting . Then they would pull these guns out and start shooting over each ones head.
You bet the boyfriends took off up the road in a hurry and never came back. But the girls did find and
marry good men. Eva Wilson was my school teacher in 1910 and 1911.

Dear Jason
(Oct 1978)

They called Tom Gardner cluck hen because he went around clucking to hisself. His wife was
also off beam. Tom had a work mule. When he went to work he hooked his wife up with the mule. When
they came to a corner he would spot? His wife with the lines and she would prance around the corner in a
trot. This was a common sight in Cove Oregon for many years. Tom driving his wife and mule around
hooked up together.

Dear Jason
(Oct 1978)

Lee Wilson when a boy made him a set of wings to fly with. Then he climbed on top of his dads
barn. When he got up there he lost his nerve about jumping off. His brother Pete came out with a shot gun
and said jump or I will shoot. Lee jumped and the wings didn’t work and he broke his leg. He walked with
a limp all his life.

Dear Jason
(May 1977)

Over to the left of the house was a large creek. When the water was real high and swift I could
wade it. Was very foolish. When it was low I could play in it. There were crawfish, bull heads, penny
winkle minnows, water skippers, fish, frogs, sometimes a sucker would come up and also tadpoles. It was
called Mill Creek.

Dear Jason,
(1978)

I had friend in La Grande. ? And Charlie Smith who used to hunt. One time they shot a bear and
brought me over some bear steaks rolled it flour the way they fixed them. They were really good. Old
times used bear grease for many things like greasing there boots to keep them from leaking.

Dear Jason,
(Jan 1978)

When I was your age I was up on Mt. Tanny? Looking for a horse. I came to a canyon which was
about as steep as a cows face. I tied my horse and walked up to the top of the ridge. Guess what? There
was a black bear tearing up a rotten log. He grunted and I took off. It took me about a half an hour to get
up there but I came down in 8 seconds flat, jumped on my horse and took off. I don’t know what the bear
did. I didn’t stop to look.

Dear Jason,
(Oct 1978)

Ed Crissman was a big man. He wore waist overalls and a big loose shirt. Then he would wrap a
log chain around and around his waist. Then he would stuff his shirt full of chains etc. Carried many lbs.
All the time inside his shirt. One day he was sitting in his cart on a dusty four corners. My dad come
along and asked him what was the matter. Said his mind was muddled. Didn’t know which way to go. He
was still sitting there as far as my dad could see.

Dear Jason,
(Feb 1978)

The boys used to have long ropes on their sleds and when a sleigh came by they would hook on
and get pulled along. Sometimes the driver would speed up around the corner. They called this pop the
whip. Was lots of fun for the kids.

Dear Jason
(Apr 1977)

When I was about your age I sold pictures from and ad. I got a little movie machine with three
short reels and some slides. I decided to go in the show business. I hung a sheet in one end of the hall.
Went and put a sign out on the road. Said Show 2 cents. I think I took in about a dime. SO that was the
end of the show business. Some business, don’t you think.

Dear Jason,
(Feb 1978)

At your age I used to fish up Mill Creek and for years the remains of the old mill home and barns
laid there. But they are all gone now. Ground up in the brush. Nothing left but another memory.
Additional information about this story
Description Post Cards that were written to Jason Gregg by his Grandfather were found on the following website. http://www.usgennet.org/usa/or/county/union1/gpaspostcards.html
Date 1978
Location Cove Union Oregon
Attached to

* Jason Ray Gregg ()
* Harold Venroe DeBorde (1901 - 1990)

-= Top of Page =-

State of North Carolina
Ashe County
Be it remembered that at a court of please & quarter sessions held for the county of Ashe & State of North Carolina at the court house in Jefferson on the 4th Monday in February A.D., 1864, it being the 22d day of said month the following justices of the peace were present & presiding and holding said court, viz:
Geo. H. Hamilton
David Worth, Esqrs
James P. Waugh

-= Pages Down =-

"Ordered by the court that Robert Gambill & James Gambill be appointed Admr of Sylvester Gambill (Dec'd) who entered into bond in the sum of five thousand dollars with James [illegible initial] Hardin security."
Additional information about this story
Description Court Document regarding a debt of Sylvester Gambill's that must have been passed down to a sibling after his death.
Date 22 Feb 1864
Location Ashe, North Carolina
Attached to

* Sylvester Gambill (1820 - 1862)

Shirley Graham

Formerly of Union

1929-2003

Shirley Ann Graham, 74, of Umatilla and formerly of Union died April 11 at a care center in Hermiston.

A graveside service will begin at 1 p.m. today at the Union Cemetery. Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Graham was born March 26, 1929, in Union. She attended high school in Portland and moved to Rainier. She attended Lower Columbia River Community College. She moved to Umatilla in 1977 where she worked at Lamb Weston in Hermiston until she retired in 1991. She was a member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church and enjoyed gardening, bird watching, genealogy, pinochle and spending time with her grandchildren.

Survivors include children, Daniel Graham of Rainier, Katie Graham of Portland, Laura Gray of Umatilla and Josephine Powney of Hermiston; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and a sister, Sharon Scott of Elmira. Her mother, Alta Mae Gambill, and a son-in-law, Michael Gray, died earlier.

Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 1311 N.W. 21st Ave., Portland 97209.

Source http://www.lagrandeobserver.com/News/Obituaries/OBITUARIES-FOR-APRIL-14-19-2003
Additional information about this story
Description
Date 11 04 2001
Location Umatilla Oregon
Attached to

* Shirley Anne Gambill (1929 - 2003)

Surname First Serial Number Rank Death State County

Gambill William W. 0-743000 1 LT DNB Oregon Union

~ Army, Army Air Force ~

Source http://www.oregongenealogy.com/union/casualties.htm

Name: Henry Finch Gardner

Will of George Coons -- Book B, pages 51-52; Harrison County, Kentucky

In the name of God amen I George Coons of Harrison County & State of Kentucky do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament In the first place (after my Just Debts being paid I Lend To my beloved wife Sarah Coon during her natural Life my house Kitchen & out houses with all the house & Kitchen furniture as now furnished Together with forty acres of Land Laid out by a parallel Line to the Line between me and John Chinn across my whole Tract also two horses and my Stock which She may Choose also her choice of three head of Cattle out my Cows & one third of my Sheep Together with all the hogs I possess also my negro woman Sarah & two of her children (Viz) Hulda & Sharlotte with a sufficient Supply of Grain as From her family & Stock one year & at her Death my will is that it be Equally divided among my children Secondly I Give & bequeath my Daughter Betsy Chambers wife of Samuel Chambers one negro Girl named Leanna & all that I have heretofore Given her & her heirs forever Thirdly I Give & bequeath to my three Sons towit John Isaack & David What I have heretofore given them also as much to Each of them out of my personal Estate if so much there be If not the ballance To be made up out of my Land So as to make them Equal to Valuation of the negroe first above given my Daughter Betsy Chambers My further will & desire is that all the residue of my Estate not herein disposed of Be Equally Divided amongst all my Children by Sale or other wise as a major part of them may advise I do hereby appoint my son John Coon & son in law Samuel Chambers Soul Executors of this my Last Will Testment this 10th Jany 1820.

George Coon C. S.

Executed in presents of

John Chinn Harrison County January Court 1821 SS

his This Last Will & Testament of George Coon

Soloman x Coon Decd Was proved by the oaths of John Chinn

mark & Soloman Coon Subscribing Witnesses there to & was ordered

to be recorded. Att H C Moore CHC

--------------------------------------------------

NOTE: I attempted to transcribe the Will verbatim from the copy in the Harrison Co, Kentucky records. There are obvious misspelling which I perserved. There is NO puncutation (commas or periods). Words are capitalized randomly, apparently at the whim of the clerk who recorded the Will. Early in the Will there is a left pharenthesis that does not have a match, it probaby should have been: "(after my Just Debts being paid)." [DLE, 25 June 2002]
Additional information about this story
Description Transcribed from a copy provided by the Clerk of the Court of Harrison County, Kentucky.
Date 10 Jan 1820
Location Harrison County, Kentucky
Attached to

* George Coons (1766 - 1820)

Other trees this object is saved to

* Fisher Family Tree
* Newell Family Tree

James arrived in Williamsburg on the James River along with 130 other servents on October 7, 1773. Prior to 1780, he came out the lower section of the "Great Wagon Road" that stretches from eastern Pa. through the Shenandoah Valley into the New River Valley. James settled in the New River Valley in the late 1770's on Cripple Creek near where it empties into the New River. It was here that he met his wife-to-be, Lovis Ott. Lovis was the daughter of a German settler, Sylvester Ott (Utt). James and Lovis were married in Montgomery County (now Wythe County) on December 25, 1780. James was the administrator for the estate of Sylvester Ott and at the time of Sylvester's death around 1803, Sylvester owned 60 acres of land on the New River at the edge of Peak Creek in Wythe County (currently Pulaski County) but was living in Grayson County when he died.

Abreivated from website Source:: http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/a/g/GLEN-H-SAGE/index.html

and http://www.w4ghs.org/Sage.html

GLEN HARRISON SAGE
1928 CROOKED OAK ROAD
HILLSVILLE, VA 24343
A-United States
540-398-3548
[email protected]

James in 1779 volunteered his services in the Rev. War and served eight months under Captain Robert Sawyer. Later he was drafted to serve additional terms in the war. In 1781 he served under Captain James Montgomery for six months and in 1782 he served and additional six months under Captain John Montgomery. James fought in the battles of Monmouth, Bunkerhill, and Sullivan's Island.
Yourowquains, A Wynadot Indian Queen by Bill Bland.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pension information for James Sage-
In her application for a pension in 1851, Lovis stated that James served 8 months in 1779 as a private in Capt. Robert Sawyers company; 6 months in 1781 with Capt. James Montgomery; 6 months in 1782 with
Capt. James Montgomery, under Col. John Raul; also 6 months under the last-named captian, in Col. Crockett's regiment. He was drafted in 1781 and 1782, but volunteered in 1783. She stated that he was discharged in Penn. , but left his discharge in a pair of buckskin trousers. She was unable to remember all of the battles in which he participated, since she was in her middle nineties at the time of the application. However, she did recall the battles of Monmouth, Bunker Hill, and Sullivan's Island. She also stated that he had learned the trade of a baker in London.
The petition was never granted , because Lovis died before she could complete the necessary proof needed by the War Department.
Ref-Article by Bill Bland in The Bicentennial Heritage of Grayson Co, Va

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/w/o/o/Susan-T-Woodson/FILE/0020text.txt

Caty Sage was abducted from her family home at the age of 5 and traded to the Cherokee people. From the Cherokee she was adopted by the Wyandot tribe and given the name Yourowquains. A biography of her is available titled "Yourowquains, A Wyandot Indian Queen--the story of Caty Sage" authored by Bill Bland, a descendent of the Sage family.

"The Ballad of Caty Sage"
Added by Joshua Patterson on 18 Feb 2008

"The Ballad of Caty Sage" was originally a poem written in the 1930s by Eva Boyer of Carroll County. The poem was published in The Grayson Gazette and was set to music by J. C. Pierce of Galax. Pierce performed it at the 1940 Galax Old Fiddlers Conventio

"The Ballad of Caty Sage"

Way down in Grayson County,
In the valley of Elk Creek,
In the year of 1792,
The birds sang so sweet,
'Twas on an April morning,
The sun was shining bright,
Poor little Caty was stolen,
And taken off in fright.

Her mother was out washing,
While Caty was at play,
When she looked for Caty,
She was stolen and taken away.
The mother called for father,
Father came to search.
The calls rang out for neighbors
With sad and aching hearts.

They roamed the mountains over,
And the valleys, too,
But they did not rescue Caty,
Whose heart was aching, too.
While out in father's wandering
On the mountain side,
Was found an old, old lady
Who told him that she was alive.

The years they did pass onward,
And the father died,
With longing heart
To find his stolen child.
The family was all scattered,
Even far and wide,
With dim memories of Caty,
Poor Caty and her smile.

Way out on an Indian reservation,
In Kansas far away,
Was found an old, old lady,
And her name was Caty Sage.
When her brother recognized her,
To Virginia they planned to go.
She was taken sick with fever,
And her heart was filled with woe.

Poor Caty could live no longer,
Her life was taken away,
She was buried on an Indian reservation,
And is sleeping silent today.
She went to meet her father
Where all is good and blessed,
With her Savior in Heaven,
With an everlasting rest.

James Sage was a soldier in the War of the Revolution. He belonged to the brigade of Gen. Enech Peore, and did service under the eye of Washington at Monmouth, Brandywine, Valley Forge and Yorktown. In 1780 he married a lady in Fredericktown, Maryland, and after the surrender of Lord Cornwallis he and his young wife moved west and settled on Cripple Creek, in what is now Wythe county, Va., and remained there about ten years. He then moved to Elk Creek, in Grayson county, Va., and there spent the remainder of his life leaving to his progeny some of the fine lands of the section. Soon after he settled on Elk Creek his horses were stolen. He and a neighbor named Delp, and another named Cornett, followed in hot pursuit, and in two or three days recovered the horses, but the thief escaped. A man by the name of Talbert had been prowling about through the neighborhood and suspicion rested on him as the horse thief. On the 9th or 10th of April, 1792, which was soon after the stolen horses had been recovered, Talbert was again seen in the Elk Creek neighborhood close to the house of James Sage, but the people of the vicinity never saw him again. The 11th of April, 1693, was a bright and balmy day. Early that morning James Sage went to his "clearing" to prepare his ground for crop. The day opened so bright and clear that Mrs. Sage decided to go and do her week's washing. She left her four children in the cabin and started to a little stream near by to build a fire to heat water to wash with. As she was leaving the door she saw a number of butterflies wandering about among the shrubbery in the garden and she called her little five-year-old daughter Katy to come and look at the butterflies. The child came and went on into the garden to enjoy a better sight of the gauzy-winged creatures, while the mother went on to build the fire. After a while the mother returned to get the clothes she intended to wash, but Katy was missing. Mrs. Sage thought the child had wandered off after the butterflies, for the last words she had heard Katy utter was her childish language talking to the pretty butterflies. She went in search of Katy but could not find her. She called her husband and they looked for Katy all day long and all night long, but they did not find her.

The next morning the neighbors for miles and miles around began to gather in and for several long weeks they searched in every direction for Katy, but in vain. After all had been done to find the child that human ingenuity could devise the neighbors and friends gave up the search as fruitless and returned to their homes. But James Sage began the search anew. Starting at his cabin door, he examined every square foot of ground for miles and miles around, hoping to find some rag of clothing or some mark, however dim that might indicate to him the fate of his lost child. But he never found one trace. At last, in his despair, he heard of an old woman in North Carolina known by the name of "Granny Moses," who was said to possess the power to reveal mysteries and look into and foretell all human events. James Sage made a journey across the mountains into the "Old North State" to see "Granny Moses." He found her and in his own way laid before her the whole story of his lost child. The old women consulted her occult science, gathered up her faculties and told him, that his Katy was still alive and well, but she added, "Katy is where you will never see her or hear of her again in this world, but your wife (Mrs. Sage) will outlive you and in her very old age she will hear of Katy but will never see her. With broken spirit and sick at heart the man who had followed Washington through his greatest campaigns returned home and resumed work in the forest around his cabin. Other children with bright faces and joyous prattle came to join the three that remained at his hearthstone. Other events and other transactions came into the lives of the parents, and to all outward appearances, as the years glided along, the memory of little Katy Sage became more and more like a faded dream. But as long as the family remained together, when father and mother and children gathered around the embers that glowed between the jambs of the old fireplace on the long winter evening they talked of the missing one.

When thirty-one years had passed since Katy's disappearance James Sage was laid to sleep in a grave in the beautiful Elk Creek Valley, and the message of "Granny Moses" was the only tidings that ever reached his ears of his lost child.

Mrs. Sage outlived her husband many years. Her children, as time rolled on, became widely scattered. Some remained in Virginia and others settled in different States and Territories in the West. Her son Charles settled in Kansas, and in 1854 he met with an Indian agent there, who one day asked him if he had a sister or female relative among the Shawnee Indians. Charles answered No. But on reflection he told the agent the story of his sister who had been lost or stolen more than sixty years before. The agent said that there was a white women among the Shawnee Indians that bore a most striking resemblance to Charles. The woman was sent for and when Charles saw her his face became pale. It seemed to him that the very image of his mother as she appeared twenty years ago, when he left the old homestead, lived and glowed in the face and features of the strange woman. He believed her to be his long lost sister. She could not speak a word of English, but through an interpreter she told them that she had been stolen away from her home in Virginia by a white man when she was a small child, that he took her to the Cherokee Indians and she never saw him again, that she had lived among the Cherokees awhile, and then with the Creeks, and finally with the Shawnees, that she had been three times married to distinguished Indian Chiefs and had bore one son, that her husbands had all died and she was a widow now for the third time and her son had recently died, that her name was Katy, and that she had retained that name in all her wanderings and travels through different countries and among different Indian tribes. Charles got her to go home with him and he at once wrote to his brother Samuel, who lived in Missouri, to come and see if he could recognize her. Samuel was older and could remember Katy. Samuel came and saw the woman and heard her history and believed her to be his sister. The brothers then wrote to their mother, who was still living at the old place on Elk Creek, and told her about the woman they believed to be their sister, and asked the mother to tell them all she could remember about Katy. The mother was then near her ninetieth birthday, but on hearing the letter read her memory revived and she said almost instantly: "Write and tell the boys that my daughter Katy has a ginger-colored birth mark on her shoulder," and then she went on and described the mark, and the very spot described by the mother was found upon the shoulder of the woman in Charles Sage’s house.

Her identification was now complete and beyond question, and the brothers decided to take her home to their mother at once, and Katy was anxious to go. Arrangements for the journey were made but just as they were ready to start Katy was seized with pneumonia and died, disappearing from the world just as suddenly as when a child chasing butterflies on Elk Creek. She crossed the dark river that flows between the transitory life and the eternity of life, beyond, to join her father who sought her as long and faithfully, to meet face to face with Talbert the horse thief, who had no doubt stolen her from her childhood home; and "Granny Moses" who seemed to read her chapter in the book of fate so truly; soon to be joined by her mother in whose soul of deep, strong and deathless love, the memory of a lost child and the little birth mark by which she was at last identified lived so long. Lovingly the dust of Katy Sage was buried by her brothers Samuel and Charles under the skies of the western plains. A modest tombstone marks the spot. Now and then a flower is cast upon the grave by some relative or friend who visits her shrine. The great masses of human beings who still tread around the grave in the future will know nothing of the dust beneath, but under the eye of Him who feeds the ravens when they cry, and clothes the lilies with their hues, the dust of Katy Sage is safely kept and, in a court where errors never creep, her wrongs will be redressed.

One sister of Katy Sage, Mrs. Elizabeth Delp, who was born long after Katy was stolen, is alive. She lives on Elk Creek near her parental home. She is bent with age and leans heavily upon her staff, but the story of her lost sister as she heard it thousands of times from the lips of her mother will be the last thing she forgets in this life.

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