June 6, 1957
Los Angeles
Just in time for Father’s Day, 16-year-old Barbara Davis Chilton was
reunited with her dad, whom she had never seen, thanks to a Paul Coates
column.
Lester Eugene Davis came to the door of 11812 Phillips Ave., Lywood, "Right away I was crying on his shoulder," Barbara said.
"I remember her saying, ‘This is my daddy. I just know it is.’ And then
she fell into my arms," Lester said. "I guess we were both crying."
Lester said that he and Barbara’s mother separated shortly before his
daughter was born. "I did get to see her at the hospital in Inglewood
when she was a few days old, but on later attempts I was told that I
wasn’t wanted. And, eventually, I lost complete track of her."
Barbara was bounced from one relative to another and finally placed
with foster parents. Whenever she asked about her father, she was told
that he had moved out of state. Barbara finally ran away from a foster home in Lancaster to marry a mechanic named Jack Chilton, 21.
The break came when Lester’s mother read Coates’ column and contacted
her son, who lived in Yucaipa. At the same time, Barbara’s
sister-in-law Cloa Chilton also contacted Lester’s mother.
Upon being introduced to his new son-in-law, Lester said: "A wonderful boy and a real fine addition to our family."
According to California death records, Lester E. Davis died Feb. 5,
1977, at the age of 65. As for the newlyweds? There’s no further
information. We can only hope for the best. Barbara would be 66 now and
her husband would be 71.
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