Joe Lobdell and Wife-Their History, Jeffersonian (Article, 1871)
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FRIEND SCHOCH:--Much has been said and written lately concerning two dilapidated specimens of humanity, who have been wandering about through this region of country for nearly three years, and who have been representing themselves as man and wife, and call themselves Joseph Israel Lobdell and Mrs. Lobdell.
As the people of this country generally have been desirous of learning something of their history, I will endeavor to relate it as near as I could ascertain it.
It appears that they first turned up in Jackson township, where they were arrested on a charge of vagrancy, and committed to the County Jail. After having remained in charge of the keeper of the prison for some time, they were discharged, after which they came to Barret township, where they remained for about a year, when they were again arrested and taken to jail. It appears, however, that before they were arrested, "Joe" had written to his parents informing them of his whereabouts.
A few days after they were sent to jail. A letter was received at the Post Office at Canadensis, directed to J.C. Lobdell, and which came into the hands of the Overseers of the Poor. In that letter we found out where they were from, and, on Monday of last week, I went in company with Henry Schaller, one of the Overseers of the Poor of this township, to Stroudsburg, for the purpose of taking them to their homes. We left Stroudsburg on Tuesday about noon for Great Bend, at which place we arrived about four o'clock. We then went over to the depot on the Erie Railroad, and, after resting until after seven o'clock in the evening, we took a train for Hancock, at which place we arrived on Wednesday at 1:30 A.M. Here we put up until seven o'clock, when we took another train for Basket Creek, or, as it is generally known, Long Eddy. Upon arriving at this point, we found that we then had about four miles to go yet, before we would get to the house of "Joe's" father, and, after some inquiries at Long Eddy as to the road to be taken to get there, we found the father to be a man about seventy years of age, and pretty well broken down, and the mother insane, as she has been for 23 years, and both dependent, on the charity of their neighbors for their support, we started consulting with some of the neighbors, we started for Delhi, the county-seat of Delaware county, N.Y., which place is situated about 15 miles distant. After arriving there we took them to the County Poor House. Here we found that they had run away from this Poor House about 5 years ago, and started on this expedition, and here we left them. We then started on our own journey homeward, and arrived at Stroudsburg, on Thursday afternoon, 10th inst., at about 6 o'clock. This much for our journey, and for the disposal we made of our charge.
Now for something of the history of these people. I will give it to you as it was given me by the inhabitants of that section of country. Of the one who passed as Joe's wife, when they were here, there seems to be but very little known, save that she is a daughter of Daniel Perry, of South Abington, Plymouth county, Mass. It appears, however, that she ran away from home, and, after wandering about over the country for some time, she finally landed in Delaware county, N.Y. Here she was taken in charge by the proper authorities and placed in the County Poor House, where she became acquainted with Joe. Here they remained together for some time, when they ran away and came to Monroe county, Pa.
Lucy Ann Lobdell, alias Joseph Israel Lobdell, was married, about 21 years ago, to a man by the name of Slater, in Hancock township, Delaware county, N.Y., and after living with her for about 3 years, he ran away and left her, in consequence, it is said, of their not living very agreeably together. About two years after their marriage, Lucy Ann became the mother of a daughter whose name is Mary Slater, and who is now 19 years of age, and is living at Tyler Hill, Wayne county, Pa. After the husband had left, it appears that the wife, occasionally, would dress herself up in her father's clothes, and take a gun and go out in the wood, hunting; and, very soon, she dressed in male attire altogether, and assumed the name of "Joseph Israel," and was known for some time as the "Female Hunter of Long Eddy." At one time she wrote a small book, or pamphlet, giving a history of her adventures over the mountains of Delaware and Sullivan counties, N.Y., and Wayne county, Pa., in which it appeared that she had killed four deer and five bears, besides any quantity of smaller game, such as rabbits, squirrels, [etc.]
The daughter, Mary Slater, as before stated, is living at Tyler Hill, Wayne county, Pa., and is employed in the family of Mr. Daniel Fortman, and, it appears from accounts that I saw in several papers since, that a young man by the name of Thompson Keats, who is also living in the same neighborhood, has, been trying for some time, to accomplish the ruin of this young lady, but without success. Having become satisfied that he could not succeed in accomplishing his object, he commenced circulating very damaging reports in the neighborhood against Miss Slater. Mr. Fortman, the gentlemen in whose family Miss Slater was employed, knowing the history of her parentage, and knowing that she had no friends who would take any interest in her welfare, resolved upon taking the matter into his own hands, and accordingly went to Keats and told him that he must either substantiate the reports he had circulated against Miss Slater, or sustain a suit for slander. Measures were at once taken to have him arrested on that charge. Keats, however, succeeded, on the night of the 18th ult., with several associates in abducting her, and after having chloroformed her, threw her in the Delaware River, it is supposed with the intention of drowning her. It was a dark and rainy night, and it appears that there was a sand bar in the river where the girl was thrown in, upon one edge of which her head rested out of the water. This saved her life, and in this position she was found and rescued. Keats is in the Honesdale Jail.
E.H.H.
Mountain Home, PA., Aug. 14, 1871
