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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 18, 1916)
THF RPMi.WPPKlV TRIRIINP NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA. AT THE 6M6USH HOMC OP HINGTON fAflllY - I ill i dii ! 1 p inn n Hi" 111 ii I hi i mmw ii i an f ' "n" 'u. .i-tMMr . r'Ti'"'i-i J" I I :r- . - . . - --.Birau'v.it.fprT'. in- ! i ip i i i ii a win vm m mil i i I i M ' n i i i i i i 1 1 i i ulgrave Manor, in Northamp tonshire, is preserved as a peace memorial between Great Brit ain and the United States. Here is an interesting story of the historical place forrre of tifer&hirif fonts AncGdtonj N a quiet, rural neighborhood, whoro tho farmhouses aro quaint, and antiquated, stands Sulgravo Manor, tho ono-tlmo English homo of tho Washington family. tiio ma.ior nover really saw Georgo Washington or his father, or oven his grandfather, but tho Washing-ton family posscssod and occupied tt during most of tho sixteenth and seventeenth cen turies. It is still posslblo to dis tinguish over tho main cntranco to tho old building tho heraldic devlco of stars and Btrlpos which Washington accoptcd as his own coat of arms, and which is commonly re garded as tho origin of tho Amorlcan flag. In tho summer of 1911 the suggestion was mado by a prominent member of tho British Pcaco com tnlttoo that tho historical property should bo pur chased and dedicated as a memorial to tho peace ful rotations existing between tho two countries during tho past century, tho dedication to bo ono of tho featuros of tho international celebrations In 1914. This Idea immediately met with popular favor. Tho British comraltteo acquired tho prop erty, and dedicated it to peaco between England and tho United States. Tho manor has beon mado into a Hall of Rec ords, whoro raattor portalnlng to Anglo-American unity is kopt. It Is understood that a locturo chair Boon will bo supplied by tho purchasers and that Tames Bryco, ox-ambassador to tho Unltod States, will be Its first occupant Charming Old Place. Tho manor Is a charming ploco of old archi tecture, gray with tho rains, frost and sunshlno of 300 years. Tho houso stands at tho eastern" extremity of tho vlllago of Sulgravo, in Northamp tonshire, nnd It Ib approached from tho west by a pretty green croft, separated from tho almost encircling road by a hedge. To tho right of tho gablo end of tho manor is a low stono wall with a larch gato, facing a small court, partly paved and partly In grass. Prom tho courtyard tho houso is entered by n handsomo old stono doorway, nbovo which a little attic projects from a tllod roof. Tho flno old Tudor doorway Is Buraountod by a shlold containing tho Wash ington coat of arms, which throo conturics havo Bomowhat robbed of Uh origlnol Bharpness, but Which is still unmistnknblo. 1 What a fortuno had that shield of a prlvato English gentloman to bocomo th,o most notablo blazon of all tho world! Strango to think that this Iittlo obscuro stono coat of nrras in a se cluded Northamptonshire vlllago should bo tho original of bo much should still ho extant. Ab etrango to think of tho contrast between tho tor pid and monotonous ruBtlo lifo surrounding it for eo many generations with tho 'rush and roar of oxlstonco in our great republic. ' Thoro Is vory Iittlo doubt that tho throo stars and tho throo stripes furnished tho Idea for tho American flag. In tho flag, ns In tho original, tho Btars signify divlno influonco guiding tho bearer In the right way, while tho bars donoto ono who sots tho bar of conscience and religion against wicked temptations and evil desires. Tbo colors, red and white, scorn to follow also; tho red mean ing military bravery and fortitude; tbo whtto peaco and sincerity. Tradition attributes tho suggestion to Benja min Franklin. Tupper Is probably right when, lu his "Centennial Drama." ho makes Franklin say: . . I proroBcd It to tho congress. It was tbo leaders old crusading blazon, Washington's coat, his own heraldic shield; And on tho spur, when wo must chooso a flag Symbollng independent unity, Wo and not ho all was unknown to him Took up his coat of arms and multiplied And magnified it, In ovory way to this Our glorious national bannor. Ho adds, oIbo, somo allusions to tho old man Bton: . . . Tho Washlngtons, of Wassyngton, In County Durham, and on Sulgravo Manor, County Northampton, boro upon their shield Throo stars atop ... and for tho croBt Ah eaglo'B head upspringlng to tho light, The urchltravoB of Sulgravo testify, As sundry printed windows In tho hall At Wesayngton, this was their family coat. And at Mount Vornon I myself havo notod An old cast-iron, scutcheonod chimney-back Charged with that heraldry. Tho old building Is In nn excellent stato of preservation. Tho main hall has a flno flroplaro and an oak beam colling. Tho ancient oak stair caso haB vory beguiling twisted baniatorB and a fascinating secret cupboard at tho Intermediate landing. Tho drawing room is on tho second floor, as was tho custom in tho days when It was built, and in ono of tho bedrooms It Is said that Queen Elizabeth onco slept Tho cstata surrounding Sulgravo manor con sists of about two hundred acres of gontly rolling land, substantially all of It in full view of tho manor. Tho ownership carrlos with it tho lord ship of tho manor, "with tho Rights, Royalltles, Privileges and Appurtenances thereto bolonglng," nnd Is BUbJoct to "a feo farmront of lis 5d (2.84) per annum." Sulgravo Manor la tho place In England most closely associated with tho namo of Washington, and yet it is truo that Georgo Washington him self attached little Importanco to this fact. In tho early days of tho Amorlcan republic, ancostry was despised much moro than Is now tho case. In 1788 Qoorgo Washington rofusod to accopt tho dedication of n book on heraldry becauso a pop tlon of tho community wero: "Clamorously endeavoring to propogato an idea that thoso whom thoy wished invidiously to des ignato by tho namo 'woll-born' woro meditating In tho first tnstanco to distinguish themsolvoB from tholr compatriots and to wrest the dearest privileges from tho bulk of tho peoplo." But tho ability to traco ono's ancestors has a greater valuo in this country today than it had in tho days of tho first president. Washington know vory iittlo nbout his own forefathers. When ho waB asked about them by tho Gartor Klng-of-Arms, ho said tho first of hlB family in Virginia had como from ono of tho northorn counties In Ehglnnd, possibly Yorkshiro or Lancashire, or oven farthor north. Later thoro was consldorablo disputation nbout tho root of tho family treo from which ho was desconded, nnd it waB finally agreed by genealogists that tho Washlngtons of 8ulgravo and Brighton did actually spring from tho Washlngtons in Warton, Lancashire, a placo on tho Westmoreland border. Several generations of Washlngtons of Warton aro recordod, and ono of theso was tho fathor of Lnurcnco Washington, mayor of Northampton In 1632 and 1545. Ho Booms to havo taken up his rosldonco nt Sulgravo, though members of his family continued to remain ut Warton for several generations. This Laurenco Washington h&d for mother tho daughter of Robort Kytson of Hen grnvo in Suffolk. This proved a matter of vory considerable importanco in their history, bocnuso it brought thorn into connection with tho Spen cers of Althrop nnd Wormlolghton, through tho marrlago of Sir Thomas Kytson's dnughtor, Cath erine, to Sir John Sponcer of Wormlolghton, whoso grandson, Sir Robort Sponcor, wns creatod Baron Spencer of Wormlolghton In 1C03. In tho process of tlmo tho Washlngtons of Sul gravo appoar to havo got Into financial difficulties. Laurenco Washington cntored tho wool trado, por haps Induced to do so by tho fact that Lord Spencer was ono of tho great flock-mastors of his day. This Lauronco acquired consldorablo rlchos In tho wool trado. In 1539 ho becamo posBossed of tho Manor of Sulgravo for tho sum of throo hundred and twonty-ono pounds, fourtoon shil lings, and subsequently ho purchased additional property. Sundial With Washington Arms. He had many sons, of whom tho oldest was Robert, tho ancestor of Qoorgo Washington. Ho succeeded his fathor In 1585, when ho was of the age of forty, but ho docs not scorn to havo been so prosperous as his fathor. Yet It appears that ho waB ablo to Bend both his sons?, Christopher nnd William, to Oriel college, Oxford, whoro thoy woro (n 1588, tho year of tho great armada. Robert's oldest waB named Lauronco, probably aftor tho mayor of Northampton, and In 1C10 Robort, in agroemont with his son, agreed to sell Sulgravo to their cousin, Lauronco Makopeaco. Tho socond Laurenco Washington then removed to Brlngton, near Northampton, his father per haps going with htm, though tho latter wns burled in tho family vault at Sulgravo. Lauronco Wash ington had Bovontoon children, two of whom roso CLAIMS HIGH HONO to high positions and woro knlghtod Sir William Wash ington of Packing ton in 1022 and Sir John Washington of Thrapstoa In 1623. Tho old church of St. Mary's, whoro tho Washington fam ily worshiped for years, is near tho old manor and is in The WsshinrtoJhied a good stato of pros- ervation. It forms a point of considerable interest containing, as it does, throo memorial brasses on tho gray stone slab put down In momory of Lau rence Washington and his family. Those brasses conBlst of Laurenco Washington's effigy, a shield bearing the Washington urms, and the following Inscription: "Hero lyeth burled yo bodys of Laurenco WaBh Ingto, Gont, & Anno his wyf by whom ho had lssuo lit J sons and ij daughts wo laurenco Dyed ye . . day . . . ano 15 ... & Anno De censed tho vj of October ano Dnl 1564." Apparently Laufonco Washington, grcat-great-groat-grandfather of Georgo Washington, devised this monument as a memorial to his wifo, leav ing tho dato of his own death blank to be filled In aftor his death. This, however, haB nover boen done. Two other records of tho Washington are found In tho vlllago of Brlngton. In this little township, not far distant from Northampton, stands tho houso to which the family moved from Sulgravo. It was In this houso that Robert Wash ington died In 1622,' and in tho yard, engraved upon a sundial. Is found tho Washington coat of arms. In tho Church of All Saints, noar at hand, whero Robert Washington is burled, an lnscripton reads as follows: "Horo lies Interred ye bodies of Ellzab Wash ington, wldowo, who changed this llfo tor Immor talltio yo 19th day of March, 1622. As also yo body of Robort Washington, Gent., her lato hus band second sonno of Robort Washington of Sol grave In yo County of North, Esqr., who dopted this llfo yo 10th of March, 1C22, after they lived lovingly together." Laurenco Washington, grandson of tho Lau renco of Sulgravo, dlod in 1C16, and la also burlod hero. Unfortunatoly Iittlo of tho vlllago of Sulgravo as It woa In tho dnyB pf tho Washlngtons now re mains. A disastrous flro In 1675 swopt tho vll lago, nnd only a roltc may bo seen hero and thoro in an nnclont houso. Most of tho strootB aro sot with neat brick houses. Coming toward tho Church of AH Saints, ono might fancy onoBolf In tho business center of somo minor Now England city, but with rathor less of glaro and nolso, and tho community hold In a certain aboyanco by tho presenco of tho old church. In dedicating tho manor ns a memorial to the peacoful relations oxlsttng between tho two groat English-speaking nations during a century, the British commlttoo has creatod a pormnnont me morial of permanent Interest Lovers of Old Ycocomico Church Claim Washington Was Christened There. M ANY residents of Westmore land county, Virginia, who aro descended from colonial families, assort that Wash ington vns christened in old Ycocom ico church, ono of tho quaintest and most interesting of tho old churches of America. They havo no record evi dence to offer In support of their con tention, for tho registers of tho parish during tho colonial period woro de stroyed in tho Revolutionary war, and for proof of tho great honor claimed for that church they can only point to a local tradition that ho was chris tened iu "old Yoocomlco," and to an ancient letter bearing on tho subject However, traditions, or at least those of Virginia,, arc not to bo brushed lightly aside and in tho absence of authentic record ovidonce aro at least worthy of consideration In arriving at a conclusion ub to any doubtful matter of history. Old Yoocomlco church, a quaint rollo of colonial Virginia, Is built in tho form of a cross or a hexagon. Its solid walls havo weathered tho storms of two centuries, and it has suffered tho devastation of three wars. It waB l favorlto camping placo of soldiers of tho Revolution, of tho War of 1812, First to Die for Liberty It would bo llfUft.ult to say who was tho first man klllod In tho Revolutionary war. Tho spirit of revolt provatlcd and somo collisions betwocn tho peoplo and BrltlRh soldiers occurred boforo tho war actually bogan. Tho battlo of Concord oc curred moro than a yoar boforo tho Declaration of Indopcndonco, but thoro was bloodshod boforo the battlo of Concord, Ono of tho earliest of theso collisions wns tho so-called BoBton massacro, March 5, 1770, lu which British soldlera flrod upon citizens, killing three and wounding eight Tho first to tall In this affray was Crispus Attucks, a mulatto, Tho first man killed in tho battlo of Con cord, April 19, 1775, waB Capt Isaac Davis of the Massachusetts "minuto men." In tho battlo of Con cord tho Americans lost 03 killed, woundod and missing, hut no comploto list of names was preserved. The Spirit of WASHINGTON By FRANK EMERICH Kindliness is tho truo wealth of tho mind and I beg you to koop tt in your heart as a priceless treasure. Glustl. Old Yeocornlco Church. and of tho Civil war, Somo of the soldiers, according to tradition, stabled tholr horses In tho building, used the marblo font as a horse trough, and also as a punch bowl, and tho communion table as a butcher's block. It Is described in detail by Bishop Meado In his "Old Churches and Fam ilies or Virginia." Thts quaint, peace ful country church is situated in a grovo of flno old oak trees noar Yeo cornlco creek, an estuary of the lower Potomac river. While only a few miles from tho river, tho church is a great many miles distant from a rail road and Ib far from a town or vll lago. Ab a consequence of its com parative Inaccessibility but fow vis itors from tho outsldo world cross its historic portals. In part of tho wall of the church are tho Initials "R. L." and figures "1706," evidently referring to Richard Leo, whoso wealth contributed to tho erec tion of tho church. Other curious symbols appear on the exterior of this venorablo placo of worship. Thoso objects, together with tho beautiful marble font still used for christening embryo Washlngtons, tho quaint win dows and communion table, the sun dial bearing date of 1717, tho old iron dipper in tho nearby Bprlng, and tho .gallery for slaves and carriage driv ers aro Intensely interesting. All throo quaint nnd curious objects and many others not mentioned, apart from tho tradition that Georgo Wash Ington was christened within tho walls of "Old Yeocornlco," make this ono of tho most noteworthy of tho old churches of Amorlca. Whon visited a few years ago by tho writer service was generally con ducted In tho church in daylight and rarely at night, owing to a lack of lighting apparatus. When evening service waB hold members of tho con grcgatlon brought oil lamps from their homos, and theso lamps, set on shelves In each hlgh-bcxod pow, fur nished tho necessary light to enable tho Borvice, Just aB in tho days boforo tho Revolutionary war. Except for a period following tho dlsostabllshment of tho Church of Eng land as tho state church of Virginia, Yeocornlco church has been in con tinuous uso einco 170C by tho Eplsco pallana as a place of worship. For several years after tho Revolution tho church waB usod by other sects, dur ing which, time, It Is said, the blind Presbyterian preacher, Rev. Mr. Wad doll, mado famouB by tho eloquent de scription of William Wirt, displayed on one occasion his fervid oratory Hero also tho great but Iittlo known Scotch clergyman and educator, Rev, Archibald Campbell, tho man who taught Washington, Madison, Monroe John Marshall and other Virginia youths, who wero born in and lived in tho "northern neck" of Virginia, and- wrote their names high on the scroll of famo, occasionally preached. With all the world at war ana we nt peaco, Thy spirit guide us, who dldat llrst dcclaro th' Insidious snare Ot foreign ties that draw ua from our ease. Thy searching wladom need w sore to day As world strife threatens to extend Ha sway. Thy mtprhty name, thy mem'ry wll-be- lov d Insplro .our leaders, that the path may clear, , Dark placeo yield to light, that dancers near May vanish, by thine own great spirit mov d; That this remain a refuge land serene, That naught Its course from honor'd pcaco may wean. Thou wast, Indeed, In war a man of might Thyself, when arm'd in Freedom's pro clous cause, Dut war to thee was hateful thou didst pause And sheathe thy sword when vlct'ry crown'd the right. In peace, at last, was won thy greatest famo. For peace a blessed land doth praise thy name. Now harried nations cant their envious eyes Upon tho plenty and the blessings raro Which Providence hath granted for Its share Unto this country, father whom we prize. And, covetous of our contented life, Seek to embroil us In unholy strife. Since ,thou wast friend of dv'ry folk ana land. But lov'd thine own and unto It didst give All of thyself, that honor'd It might llvo And for oppress'd humanity e'er stand. Now may throughout this troumea, lur moll'd earth , Thy high example give to peace new birth. SUFFERING AT VALLEY FORGE General Washington and His Llttlo Army Encamped There One Hun dred and Thlrty-Nlne Ycara Ago. General Howe,) having sallied forth from Philadelphia, where ho had es tablished his headquarters, several times during tho early part of Decem ber to give battle to Genoral Washing ton, but finding the hitter's forces wore too formidable, Howo finally de cided to go into winter quarters in Philadelphia on December 9, and Washington, seeing that tho campaign on tho part of Howo would hardly bo resumed beforo spring, nnd not hav ing nn army formidable enough for at tack, decided to go into winter quar ters himself. Ho selected Valley Forgo, about thirty miles northwest of Philadelphia. Washington and hla army arrived there on December 11, 1777, and at onco began ,the erection of huts. Thoy wero arranged in streots, giving the placo the appear ance of a city. Although tho winter was Intensely cold, tho men wero obliged to work at tho buildings, with nothing to sup port llfo but flour mixed with water, which thoy baked into cakes at tho open fires. Tho horses dlod of star vation by tho hundreds, and tho men were obliged to haul their provisions and firewood. Sickness spread rapid ly. "Tho unfortunato soldiers," wroto Lafayette In aftor years, "wero In want of everything; thoy had neither coats, hatB, shirts nor shoes; their feot and tholr legs froze until thoy be camo black, and amputation was fre quently nocossary." It was when tho army at Valloy Forgo was at Its worst condition Bar on Stoubon, nn accomplished Prussian officer, arrived In this country, and wont to tho cacp. Ho set to work and ns fast as posslblo brought order out ot chaos. Hero's Tribute. Lincoln said of Washington: "Wash ington is tho mightiest name on earth, long Blnco tho mightiest in tho causo of civil liberty, still mightiest in moral reformation. On that namo a eulogy la expected. It cannot be. To add brightness to the aun or glory to tho namo of Washington is nllko impossi ble; lot none attempt it In solemn awe pronounce the nnmo, and nakod, deathless splendor, leavo shining on." In it Season for Reflection. At a season like this it is good, to turn back to tho hour of tho nation's birth and lay our garlands on tho tomb of him who mado this republic posalblo by his possession ot Just thoso qualities ot patience and mag nanlmtty and hope which most wo need in view ot tho difficulties and perils of tho present hour.