The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-04-10


Virginia Historical Sosiety was held on Fiji
day evening the 7th instant. Present:
Messrs. William Green, chairman; G. b.
Barksdale, recording secretary !; 3. AZ
Brock. corresponding seeretary;afW. A.:
MRury, DIR. w. p. Palmer, DIR. g. Ct. Bsrs
neys and Colonels Archer Anderson, and 81,
Coalter Cabell. The minutes of the last
meeting were read aud approved.
The following donations were reported !:
Atnumber OF newspapers, pamphlets, and
bound volumes (aHong the last copy Of
the Calendar of State Papers), from Hon.
w. W. Crump; q lithograph copy OF the
dying words aud last handwriting OF John
Randolph, Of Roanoke, from j. &. Bryap,.
Esq, Fluyanna county; Virginia half.
penny of 1773 and four other copper coins
and several Indian relics-spear and arrow
heads-ftom. E.. p. Richardson, Esq, of
Richmond; 3 copy of, the Inaugural address
Of President Jefferson, delivered March A.
1901, pPinted1o white satin and neatly
framed, from Mrs. FraneesA.C Cooke through
Charles Ellis, Esq, of Richmond; aud note
in the autograph of Lafayette from gentle
man Of Richmond. :, :, : -. -! :.
The corresponding secretary. Mr.. Brock,
read to the committee letters from Colonel
Frank M. Etting, chief OF the historical de,
partment OF the Centennial Commission, re-.
garding the representation of Virginia =
Historically and otherHise-in the great ex-
hibition. Colonel Etfing, in reply to recent
letter Of Mr.. Brock, writes: ;,
"The action of the [Yirginia1 Legislature
in refusisg an appropriation for the Centen.
nial understand to be based upon the COM
dition Of the State finances and the para
mount obligation Of paying the public
creditor. These are assuredly excellent
reasons for their course, and are fully appre.
ciated here. 1t is to be trusted that this
action will not have tho unfavorable eject
which you fear. TIT was apprehended by
Mr.. Brock that the action Of the General
Assembly would be accepted by our citizens
as q encouragement upon the part Of the
State OF effort by individuals to contribute
to or participate in the CentenniaE1 For the
State is so rich In historical relics, and natu,
rally occupies such prominent place in
colonial history, ,that7a full representation
from her is essential to the completeness of
the HISTORICAL department. Of the portraits
you mention, the following will be very
Eacceptable: Pocahontas and Governor Spots
wood fremlthe State Library; Lord Culpep.
er, Edmund Pendleton, and Patrick Henry
from the, Virginia Historical Society; Colo:
nels William Byrd first and second and
Benjamin Harrison, from Lower Brandon.
"Some material is already at hand for the
| illustration Of Virginia history, beginning
with the celebrated picture Of Raleigh spread.
|ingthe3 cloak for. Queen Elizabeth, and :em.
bracing several Of the portraits. mentioned
In your letter." .y,,s- =
|, Colonel Etting, after recommending the
appointment Of board to represent our
State, adds:
"The great point is that the work may be
at once ifaugurated that lists OF such illus.
trations as can be procured towards an OBJ.
jectiye history ofgVirginia be prepared and
digested, so that may reserve for the Old
Dominion the wall-space needed, and also
order cases of plate-glass to receive the arti'
| cles and preserve them safely"
| Colonel Etting, in another letter, gives
assurances that all expenses incidental upon
the transportation Of the desired articles to
and from the exhibition will be paid by the
commission; and states, also: "l have re.
ceiYed from Mrs. Lucy Robinson the only
portrait Of Speaker Robinson, and General
Lee lent US; the original OF George Mason" !"
1t is to be hoped that persons possessing
relics, portraits, and such articles as are de-
sirable towards proper objective repressn.
tation of Virginia in her successive historic
periods will be good enough to communi.
cate with Colonel Etting, TO the address be-
fore designated.
Mr.. Brock also read an interesting letter
from Colonel Joseph L. Chester, Of London,
England, who writes: sf shall soon devote
myself to an exhaustive history of the Wash
inqton family of England, for: which have
been collecting materials during the last ff-
teen years. You are probably aware that I
have destroyed the existing pedigree OF the
illustrieus president, and left him for the
moment without an ancestor. My great
anxiety now is to trace his true ancestry,
and hope to be successful; but the diff
Guilty is greater than would be naturally sup
posed, ANY facts you can give me from the
records of your State land registry, say pre-.
vious TO 1900, could not fail to prove of the
greatest possible service to me-. What /
want beyond everything else is copy OF the
will of John Washington the emigrant Il
have that of his brother Lawrence); but this,
I fear, is hopelessly lost unless it caR be
found among the papers Of Bishop Meade.
or, IL yoa could possibly ascertain any
thing about the name OF the first wife of John
W Washington, whom, In his will dated Sep.
tember q. le75, he states that he brought
from England and buried on bis plantation
With two children, you would render me
perhaps greater service" ..r.'s
The pedigree exploded by Colonel Chester
was constructed by Sir Isaac Heard In lI9i.
Sir Isaac having observed in the heraldic
visitation for Lancashire In 1913 the names
Of John and Lawrence Washington, of the
| Sulpraye family, assumes their Identification
| With the emigrants Of the same names who
came to Virginia In 1867. Washington him
self was more than doubtful Of the correct
ness of the assumption Of Sir Isaac, and com
municated to the latter his impressions
based upon the accepted accosnt-trad1tona
IN his famiy-that his ancestors mad come
from county OF England stsH more norm,
eriy than Lancashire or Yorkshire. Ano
Il appears that Sir Isaac also appended 8
note OF doubt 10 the memorandum contain
| ing his deductions, which pedigree. now
ever. after being once or twice printed TitE'
out such qualification. was adopteQ 10y
Sparks. and incorporated in his Life ano
Writings Of Washington" and has beer
unGuesfionably accepted by the severa
bioaraphers who have followed him to within
| q few years since, when Colonel Cnestel
completely demolished the whole creation
for he established, regarding the SulgpVe
Was6in gFons, that John was knighted, ant
THAT Lawrence was . clergyman OF the es
tabiished Church Of England. It Is 40
likely that they would have abandoned TN
Bible and profession respectively, and II !:
lindispntable that the emigrants never claimed
or were conceded any other designation thar
the one common TO Ihe Colony, Of Esquires
Certainly neither Of them was aselergyniaD
! The Virginia Land Registry Office gtve'
the date Of the irst patent Of land TO ID sJo'