St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-04-28
STARS AND STRIPES
ne Story of IhsIr Orig1s - FsaA b -
oOe O0xso Beck.

s0t Ooxss Beck.
There 10 one romance connecting
America with the Orient and religion
with patriotism. which should be 70.
corded It involves tho 'Star Span.
gled Banner" 1warn my reader that
with this sedate subject of religion ]
am about to associate patriotic Incl.
dent Tho Washington family hes
been traced back to the time Of the
Norman Conquest and to tho north Of
HumbeE The princely see Of Durham
had prelste who was . feudatory of
the Conqaeror He was . warrior
priest, and had many feudatories under
him Among the rest was the kn,ghtly
William D.. Hertburn. who. IN ex.
changing his village OF Her,burn for
the Manor Of Wessynton. gave not
only tho first recorded link in the fam.
lily. but the immortal name Of Wash-
ington. further west"
The Ottoman dynasty had risen to .
formidable power, and Richard tho
Lion. Hearted had pawned his patri.
mony for . crusade and had been i'm.
prisoned on ihe shores Of the Bos-
phorus; the story Of the Plantsgensts
had been played before the world;
stately and warlike scenes in the west
and east had como and gone; and the
name of d. Wessynton. after illustrat.
ing many heroic qualities. bad died
out from the chivalric rolls OF Durham;
but it was preserved in the cloister BY
a doughty abbott The stock was di.
vided into various branches It was
scattered over England About the
time the great grandson Of the con.
queror Of neutrality-suspicious.
tho Magnif;cent-had raised his realm
to its acme Of fame. ono Of the Wash.
ingtons. Laurence. was practicing law
at Gray's inn. When the Sultan lbra-
him was trying to foil the intrigues Of
tho eunuchS Colonel Henry Washing.
ton was defending the city Of Wor.
cester for King Charles against Crom.
we'll Happily for America. England
became BILE for the cavaliers
who had fought for the Stuarts and
the brothers John and Andrew
Washington emigrated to loyal old
Virginia. John settled near the
Potomac. His grandson Augustine
was born there. There he lived. mar.
ried and died OF his sons George
was the eldest But as the genealogy
shows although he was out Of the di.
rect line. he had inherited the stamina
Of the stock. What of all this. now and
herea There is another George Wash.
ington living at Constantinople He
Is the chaplain Of tho British legation
and by no means mute. il not 80
glorious q his American namesake.
He 10 in the direct line from the
De Wessyntons Of the Conquest. In
his keeping is the crest of the family.
What Is the romance to which have
adverted? Nothing less than the in.
comparable growth of . great Western
nation, directed. moderated. energi1ed
and inspired By = descendant OF the
martial and priestly family whose
stock is noted in the stalwart folk Of
Northumberland and whose branches
are as widely apart as B sphorus and
the Potomac Rev. George Washing.
ton is an accomplished gentleman and
scholar. He is quite friendly to Amer
leans as. Of course. he should be.
can not refrain from inserting here
. little note which he sent to my wife.
1t contained his own card and. doubt.
less the arms on that card. a has.
been often surmi>ed. il not proven.
gave the first idea of the American
Star Spangled Banner:'
PERA, January n 1875.
DDAR MR0. CnX-It might interest Mr.. Coz
70 zee these quarterings Of which was speak.
ing to you the other evening. You see the
''stars and stripes" are there. Ihave always
heard that the story mentioned to you was
correct viz: That casting about for nag
when independence had oeen declared, the
ter than take their Generals family quarterin4s
rs . foundation. Hence the ''stars and stripes!'
With kind regards believe me yours, very truly,
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
The quarterings referred to are a
shield with three stars at the top and
the stripes below. running across the
shield. Above the shield are the head
and wings Of an eagle. rising from
crown and below il the motto. '.In cruce
glorior." Below all is the name.
George Washington. Memoirs Of a
Diplomat