Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-23
SIR FRANCIS DKAI1E.
His American Relations Looking
After the Nice Sum of 5000, 900
The Meeting An New York.

His Americana Relations Looking
After the Nice Sum of SI25,OOO, 200
The Meeting An New York.
The Herald of the 10Th contains an ac-
| count ofthe meeting of about fly persons,
| who claim to be the lineal decendants OF
the great English Admiral, Sir Francis
Drake, and the legal heirs of the immense
| property which the female ofthe family hold
in Devonshire, England.
Sir Francis Drake, the head of the family,
and the chief Of the naval worthless who
fouTished in the reign Of Elizabeth, was
born in Jainstock, about the year 1916.
His father was a poor clergyman, and
Francis was the eldest of twelve sons,
nearly all of whom were bred to the sea.
| While yet lad he was appointed to the
master Of a coasting bark, and in the hum
BILE capacity Of a seaman made frequent
VOYAGES to Holland and France.
| He soon new to be thorough master OF
| his rough protest. on. and so gained the es-
| teem of his lnastt r that when the latter
| died he left the yC Jung seaman all he pos
sessed-his bark. Drake continued in the
| coasting trade for 30 metime, but his adven-
turous spirit soon ii ring Of the wears ONE
mOnotony of channel voyages, he sold his
vessel and procee ied on a voyage to the
West Indies, during VIII ich he suffered much
iIl-usage and loss from The Spanish cruisers
| in the Main.
Drake left an immenS property behind
him, which has been gradL ally accumulat-
! ing, until now il is roughly estimated at the
enormous sum of S125, 100000, situated in
the county of Devon, England
The meeting yesterday was S harp and in
teresting. Whether Sir Francis would be
proud Of his descendants OrnOt, L. q ques-
ton which he alone can decide, nut they
certainly did not present the appearance Of
aristocratic ease and refinement which the
representatives of family of such long de-
scent would naturally be supposed to pos
sess. The chair was taken by Horace Doc
Ian, of New Y OTk city, stout, puLchy man,
with bullet head and fat, ruddY cOuDte-
nance. The Secretary, who rejOices in the
name of BeckWOrth, who halls from the
good city of Philadelphia, is sleek, oily in
diVidual, with a meek cOuntenance and
singular bald spot on the top Of his head.
Scattered around the room were sOlidlOOk-
ing farmers in garments Of bOmespun,
strong minded females with VOluminOus
hats and short hair, who did most Of the
talking, and helped to relieve the monOtony
of the proceedings. The male branch Of
the family are supposed to have come over
with the Pilgrim Fathers, and the motley
assembly yesterday claimed to be the rep
resentatives Of the male line.
The claimants are scattered over all
parts Of the Union, and every day fresh
ones are turning up. They came yester-
day from smoky Pittsburg, cody Pbladel-
phia, Sag Harbor, Staten Island, Long Is
land, Jersey, and other parts UnknOwn-On
all their features expectancy sitting, as if
they were gathered together at the reading
of a will. In the corner of the room
huge bag of biscuits and pitcher Of water
were visible, of which the audience
steadily partOOk, justifying their claim to
be bone of the Admirals bone, and flesh Of
his flesh, by INDUCING in an unlimited guam
tity of hard tack.
The Secretary made a long report Of
what had transpired since the last meeting,
in February, and presented a number Of
documents received from England, with
genealogy which would puzzle Sir Bernard
Burke, DR.. Shelton Mackenzie, or Welsh
man to unraVel. He said the property in
volved now amounted to S125,0O0,O0O.
At this point little man, WHO looked
like Daniel Dancer, and who held the mob
of a large stick to his nose to assist his
hearing, Jumped out of his chair, eXclaim-
ing, "Eh! what Oh!' and then relapsed
into idiOtic silence, vainly endeayoring to
comprehend the magnitude of such a sum.
The Secretary read list of the principal
claimants, mentioning families which had
been intimately associated with Trinity
church in times past. An old lady pricked
up her ears at this, and playfulIy tapped
an old gentleman by her side On his bald
head with her parasol. She was one Of the
families alluded to, and then attacked the
biscuits again with increased zest.
A female with an OveTpOWering expanse
of breast, attired in a black silk dress, and
wearing her hair la Tennie Cl2fin, here
came forward, and in an animated speech
moved that no consideration be given to
those heirs who neglected to be present.
Carried.
Al who had claims were called upon to
send them in, no one being attended TO
which could not produce in It's support the
coat of arms Of Sir Francis Drake-a large
ship on a small world, with two dragons in
the rigging, their heads downward. This
device and crest was the especial gift Of
Elizabeth to the Admiral in his knight
hood.
The Pittsburg claimants caused a great
amout of confusion by the amount of at
tention they claimed, but they were sum
marily disposed of by resolution. The
progress reported by the secretary did not
seem to give satisfaction, no connecting
link with the English family having been
vet established.
A farmer from Allegheny, clad in Oxford
gray. moved that no heir should dispose Of
his Claim to any coming from England to
buvitu This seemed rather unneC5s- !
sary. but it was unanimously passed.
A motion was m, Rte to adjourn until the
ID of October.wbicfJ, after some discussion,
was passed, and rush was made at the
crackers which remained, .,,ttcr which the
heirs Of Sir Francis Drake gathered up
their coats, hats, umbrellas, and carpet-oags
and departed to their respective hoiues' II
may be necessary to add that the present !
owners of the property in England are III
no way uneasy, and have taken no steps 10 !