The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-12-08
Virginia Historical society.-Monthls )
Meeting.

n. Bs
DREss-vALuABLE DoNATIoNs-RARE PoR-
TRAIT OF EFFERsoN--GENEALoGI INFoR-
NATION OF THE PEARCES, BROWNE, LEE,
woRMLEy, AND TURPIS FAATLIEs-ELEC-
TIQN OF OFFICERS.
A meeting Of the Executive Committee
OF the Virginia Historical Society was held
on Friday the 30th ultimo. Present:
Messrs. Green (chairman), Henry, Curry.
Anderson, Palmer, Cabell, Barney, Brock
corresponding secretary, and Barksdale
(recording secretary; and, by invitation,
Mr.. r. T. Brooke (treasurer), and Colonel
Sherwin McRae, general agent and col llector
of the Society.
The minutes o! the last meeting were
read and approved.
The subcommittee appointed to secure
the services OF some acceptable gentleman to
deliver an address before the general meet
ing OF the Society reported that the Hon.
3. johnson Barbour, OF Orange county,
SO favorabfy known for his scholarly attain
ments and fervid eloquence, had consented
to do so. The Executive Committee e1-
pect to be able to name the day definitely
| for the general meeting In short time. The
occasion, it is hoped, will result in such a
reawakened interest in the welfare OF the
Society as to place it promisngly on de-
|
! Donations Of large number OF books and
pamphlets were reported by the correspond
| ing secretary. Among them, from Charles
Henry Hart, Esq, OF Philadelphia, Penn
syIyania, " A Sketch Of the Life OF Robert
Morris. the Fina8cier OF the American Rev.
olution." Mr.. Hart is preparing life OF
Robert Morris in two volumes, Svo. He
would be deeply grateful for any informa-
tion aiding him in his object which may be
kindly offered him, or for copies OF any
MS. document or autograph letter of Nor
ris or his contemporaries, illustrative Of his
life and times, which may be in the posses
sion OF Autograph collectors or learned in
stitutions. or for the loan OF such originals
the utmost care OF and promptness in re-
turning being guaranteed.]
| The following highiy-interesting dona.
ton was reported from Judge William d.
Shpman, New York city: A photo-litho
graphic copy OF rare portr1it Of President
Jefferson, engraved in Paris, concerning
which Judge Shpman writes az follows: Il
purchased the original engraving from deal
or in prints who imported it. AS l know
Of no other copy than the one have [ con-
Guided that it would be of sufficient interest
TO warrant its reproduction by pheto-litho-
sraphy. The success is such that the copies
can scarce he distinguished from the origi-
nal. You will notice that the let
tering says designed by Disnoyus, but to
have been engraved by DequeyanvIlier.
In Bryan's Dictionary of Painters and En-
gravers Disnoyus is ciassed both as
painter and as m engraver, and in list
of his cngravings n portrait OF Jefferson,
President of the United States, 1901, is
given. Whether the latter date is intended
as that OF the engraving is not quite clear.
3hnr. NJ no ia
mentioned only as an engraver OF celebrity.
Mr.. jefferson left France in October, 1890,
when Disnoyus was only eleven years old.
The latter could hardly have painted his
portrait, at least not from life. Undoubt-
| cdly Mr.. Jefferson's portrait was painted
while be resided in Paris, and which re-
manned there after he left. 1t Is not un-
likely, too, that the work on the plate was
done by pupil OF DiSnoyus, but under
the supcrintendence Of the latter, and he
allowed the pupils name to appear as
the enprayer The unaccountable
thing to me is that, so far as I have
been able to learn, nothing appears to
be known in Virginia OF this engraving
or the painting or drawing from which 1t
must have been taken. But, perhaps, when
my copies come to be seen by Virginia an
tiquaries they will be able to tell the story
OF the picture. That Mr.. Jefferson should
not have been furnished with copies or
copy OF the engraving seems to me incredi-
BILE, but il am not mistaken Miss Sarah n.
Randolph, his granddaughter, told
me that she had no recollection OF ever
having seen copy" The engraving is ar
tistic In execution and appears very life
like, presenting marked resemblance TO
the known portraits Of Jefferson, but de-
| lineating him at L younger period than those
commonly met with-the age being aDpa-
rently about forty. 1t differs also in that
the forehead is somewhat higher and the
chin more pointed. An opinion was eX-
pressed by some members OF the EXecu-
tive Committee that the portrait was an
idealized one.
Letters were read by the corresponding
secretary from John OFT, Esq, making some
valuable suggestions for the advancement OF
the interests Of this Society and enclosing Il
letter from James L. Morgan, Jr., Esq, a
member of the tirm Of j. l.. Morgan d Co.,
merchants, New York city, and donation
from them to the Society OF fifty dollars,
which generosity is gratefully acknowl-
edged; from Mr.. T.. G. Pierce, OF Grafton,
Mass, who is engaged in compiling the
history and genealogy OF the Pierce, Peirce,
pearcc, ETC., families in America. He has
succeeded in the last four years in securing
about $4,000 names OF persons who nave
descended from the first settlers OF the name
and family in this country-vlz. Robert
Pierce, of Dorchester; John Pierce, OF Wa
tertown; and Sergeant Thomas Pierce, OF
Charlestown all OF 1880. Mr.. Pierce requests
the gcnealogies OF persons the Pearce faml-
ly OF the various orthoSraphy as above to
be forwarded to him to assist him to per-
fo1m his labors as fully and accurately as
possible from Mr.. j. Nj. Bancroft, request
ing information Of the family or descend
ants Of one NJ. Turpin, Of Virginia, who,
in 1903, was large landed and slave-own-
er, and who married In 179G Miss Ban
croft, of Wilmington, Del; from Reginald
Stewart Boddington, Esq, No. Is Markham
Square, Chelsea, London, S. W. England,
who desires verifcation as TO the ancestry
of Thomas Browne, who is stated in Col
Inns Peerage to have explored the Kappa
hammock river in Virginia, and to have ac-
ouired large estates there and to have mar
ried daughter of Captain Thomas Gates.
This Thomas Browne is supposed to have
been a son Of Sir Anthony Browne, OF county
Surry. by his wife Magdalen, daughter Of
Lord Dacre, Of Gilles!and. Sir Thomas was
created Viscount Montague December 81,
1854, and died October 19, 1892. Mr.. Bod
dinston also derives information Of the de-
scendants of Joseph George Browne, MINIS
TER OF Fairfax, MERCHANT and Planter, who
married Elizabeth, daughter Of - Lee, OF
Jamestown, Va, and had George Browne,
Of Fairfax and Brownsville, MeI chant and
Planter, who married Ann Sheridan, hay-
ing issue George Browne, who died in his
faiher's life. and left by Mary, his cou-