East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1866-08-30
American Aristooracy.

Among the pleasantiest and heal
thiest sensations of family position are
those inspired by kindred with those
who, a century or more ago, them
selves enjoyed the distinction which
is won by true worth, and held honor
ed, and perhaps envied, social posi-
tions.
1t is true that in the United States
there is, as a general fact, a very mar
row basis for family pride. A genu-
inc thoroughbred pedigree of an
American family is quite. rare to find
among the millions who make up
American society All are concerned
in establishing a pedigree for those
who come after them; and very few
indeed are those who would care to
trace industriously the lines of their
descent back to previous generations.
The old families are dying but, leav-
ing few descendants, And some Of the
old families have no other distinction
thea chat tkey ESQ sold'-hainp ahla
to boast but little Of the social emf
nence of those who, one hundred
years ago, stood at the fountain-head
oftheir line.
Some, to be sure, fcndly believe
themselves to belong to the magic cir
Of a fancied "aristocraoy," within
which the vulgar crowd can mover
come; but their notions are rudely
shocked by finding that with each
year in the numbers Of the circle are
changing, and new comers add to its
strength and share in the fiattery of
the public's envious gaze.
One is surprised when his memory
is taxed to discover how few there
really are remaining of the old fami-
lies in any of the cities of the land
In the food Of newcomers who seize
and occupy the conspicuous positions,
the old settlers and their descendants
are overwhelmed and vanished from
view.
One would be surprised now here in
st. Louis, to SEQ how few Of such FAM
lilies he could count up among the
200, 200 inhabitants of the city. There
is something melancholy, too, MOTTO
ing that some of the distinctively hon.
ored names of st. Louis, which are
associated with its earlier days are
seldom heard mentioned now entire
new names filling the public ear.
Among those in all cities who claim
pre-eminence of social position by
their wealth resources for ostenta-
tious display, the number is very
small of those who would hang the
portraits of their grandfathers and
grandmothers in their parlors with
any sensations of family pride, or who
would experience any other emotions
but that of mortified vanity, if the
walls of their dwellings were portrait
ures of their ancestors engaged in the
avocations by which they earned their
bread.
The last number Of the New York
Directory alludes to the pride of the
New Yorker who wishes to trace his
descent from the "Knickerbockers,"
and points to the fact that in the old
New York Directory not one Knick-
erboeker seems to have been promi-
nent enough to have been recorded.
In the Directory of 1896 the name of
Stuyvesant first appears-one of the
most honored names in New York,
and cherished with an aristocratic
pride. 1t is registered as '.Peter Stuy-
vesant, Shoemaker" Two years later
there are two, "Peter Stpyvesant,
Shoe Warehouse" and "Peter Stuy-
vesant, jr., Attorney, the record of
the directory afording thus striking
illustration of the manner Of growth
of position in the United States. The
father is a shoemaker, who accumu-
lates means and becomes the owner
OF store or a warehouse; his children
are educated, and the next generation
hold forth the more ambitious titles of
merchants, attorneys and doctors.
In the directory of the same year
appear the names of two Astors, one
as q eur Merchant" and the other a
Butcher, Since that day the name
of one has become q synonym for
wealth, and has commanded the ador-
alton of all the vulgar crowds who
worshipthe aristocracyof grocnbacks.
Another which has become
historically associated for all time
with our late civil war, is that of Sill
dell. This name appears in the old
directory, and is registered as "John
Slidcll, Soap-Doilor." His son became