The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-05-08
TERMS IS. 90 PER ANNUMIN ADVANCE

families have record extending beyond their
emigration to this country. Dry and uninvit-
ing as this species of study would be to most
people, yet the results are interesting to all.
ltis hopefu.and comfortable reflection now
a-days, when we are continually reminded by
the n en- OF science that the physical diseases
and moral infirmities of men are entailed up
on their descendants, that the noblest quail
.,eS are not less transm:ssible from parent to
IIiio. S There is such thing as commenda-
freI S,e praue In being able to trace our descent
thnaa on d iong line of worthy men; and even
tnose who do not know who or
wnat thelr great-grandfathers were
ouSnt 10 lake as much interest in such recsrds
as those whose names dangle from the wide
spreading branches of the tallest family trees
for they may be sure that their unwritten
family history is as long, and may be more
honorable, than the most voluminous genoa
logical memoirs, and that they have an ances-
try quite as ancient as the Howards or Mont
morencys. 1t is a subject which broadens
the understanding and ad,ls hopefulness and
dignity to our views of human destiny. An
inquiry into the origin-whether gentle or
simple-of those familier whose names are
most respected in America cannot be with
out interest. The history of the Webster fami-
ly is recorded in small voinme by the emf
nent photographer, Noah Webster, from the
time of John Webster, who was Governor of
Connecticut in 1856. Daniel Webster is from
another race. His ancestor was an early set
tier at Hampton, N. H., and came from
Ormsby, Norfolk County, England. The
family OF James Buchanan is descended from
one of the numerous branches Of
the great Scotch family of that name.
One OF his ancestors sold an estate in Scot
land and settled in Ireland; aud his son,
General Thomas Buchanan, came to Amer
lea in the last century and took up his abode
in Cumberland County. Pa. Ex-senator
Foote, who was prominent in the rebellion,
traces his descent from Richard Foote, .
brother-in-law of Bradshawe, the regicide.
The Hon. John Wentworth, of Chicago, and
other prominent bearers OF this name, are
descended, through several Colonial govern
ors aid other magistrates, it is said, from
cadet of the family of the Earl OF Stafford.
The BowGoin family, from which Bowdoin
College has its name, are the descendants of
Huguenot Pierre Baudouin, grandfather OF
Governor Bowdoin, OF Massachusetts, Bay
Colony, whose daughter married Sir John
Temple, of Maiden. Mass, prominent fig
ure in revolutionary history. He belonged
to the famous Temple family, OF which the
great Sir William Temple and the late Wis
count Palmerston were members, and of
which the Dukes of Buckingham ale a
branch. Their descendants bear the name
of Bowdoin, in accordance with the will of
Governor Bowdoin. Tue name of Prentiss,
illustrated by the orator, Sargent s, Prsntss,
is first found in colonial annals represented
| by Valentine Prentiss, of Roxbury, Mass,
in 1881. The Sumner family, which gave
Massachusetts Colony governor, and is rep
resented in our time by Senator and General
Sumner, migrated in 1604lfrom Bicester In
Oxfordshire, England. The Dana family
sprung from Richard Dana, who lived al Cam
bridge in 1910; but they are unable to dis
| cover even the land from which they origin
ally came, for the name Is unknown in Eng
land. Late investigations have completely
disproved the formerly received genealogy oi
the Washingtons, which derived them from
the North OF England baronets of the name
and the Father of his country IS as entirely
without a pedigree as the obscurest Demo
Gratis among us. One of the most curious
causes of this search after pedigree Is the be-
lief which has seized upon the minds ol
many, as soon as they awoke to the idea that
their families had an existence as families be-
fore they came to these shores, that they
old country. The Houghton family, not
many years ago, sent an agent over to Eng
land to establish their claims to the property
of their ancestors, who came to this country
in 1910, and were not little surprised to find
that there was no property waiting for then
to step into. Among others, the Willouehby
and lngraham families have formed associa
| tions for the purpose of investigating similal
claims; and the Holt family, when they as
sumed that they were the heirs Of the fami
| ly of Chief Justice Holt, with singular ere
dnlity based their claim upon pedigre
which was entirely without foundation.