Perplexing Predicaments of the Past: A kidnapping story in Rochester more than 150 years ago

A child kidnapping case in Rochester from 1873 was brought to light 36 years later when the kidnapping victim reappeared in the Fulton County community.

The Rochester Sentinel reported the mystery on May 31, 1909. 

The child was Almeda Daugherty, aged 10. When Alemda's mother passed away, her sister, Martha, decided to take the girl away from her father. 

The day Almeda disappeared Martha took her sister and 14-year-old brother, along with as much of her father's valuables that she could. The father of the two minors had been at work at the time Martha decided to make her getaway from Rochester. 

By the time they reached Danville, IL, Martha claimed to have had her pockets picked, having no money to travel any further with the two children. The two minors were forced to work two weeks in that area to get money to leave. 

From there they traveled to small town near Bloomington, IL, where Almeda was placed in an orphan's home. She was later placed in a foster home near Springfield, IL. 

The foster family was said to have treated Almeda very cruelly. She reported that although she always had enough to eat, and the family provided clothes for her to wear, she was worked very hard. Almeda stated that Martha came back to visit her at the foster home several times during her stay. 

After a few years, Almeda eventually left the foster home and stayed with strangers for several more years. 

Told by her sister that her legal name was Quivey, Almeda claimed that Martha refused to allow her to ever change her 'legal name,' prior to her marriage in the late 1870's to James L. Graves, of Monticello, IL. 

After six years in Illinois, the couple moved to the west coast and had three children of their own. 

Eventually, in 1906, Martha came to live with Almeda's family in Santa Rosa, CA. Given a photograph of Alemda's daughter, Alta, the photograph would be the ticket to solving the kidnapping mystery. 

Martha told Alta that the photo was of her mother, Almeda, and some cousins from Indiana. It was later discovered, however, that it was actually Almeda with her sister and nephew. 

One day, after analyzing the back of the photo, the family noticed writing, and a thin paper that appeared to have been pasted on the back. After working and scratching at the paper, the names Almeda and Aggie Daugherty appeared. 

Martha justified the name Daugherty, claiming it was their uncle's name, but refused to tell Almeda his first name. It was then that Almeda's husband began putting ads in newspapers in the midwest, particularly in Illinois and Indiana, searching for the truth under the names Quivey, Daugherty, and Huffman. 

Martha remained in denial, but the ad brought forth the truth, thanks to Almeda's biological sister, Mrs. Jane Huffman. 

It was soon learned that the children had been scattered in different places where Martha left them. Almeda's father was also reported to have died before ever getting to see his children again. On May 22, 1909, Almeda was reported to have been in the area, visiting her long-lost family that lived one and a half miles south of Rochester. It had been the first time since childhood that Almeda was able to contact any family from the area. 

Although 114 years later it still appears no charges were pressed on the kidnapping, the links to the mysterious kidnapping have finally been solved, hopefully, creating some kind of closure.