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.
