The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-14
THE OLDEST FAMILIES.
A Descendant and Namesake oil
Christopher Columbus Still
Living in Madrid.
Royal Houses of Europe and When
They Emerged From
Obsourity.
Mnh0n,et's Blood = Title to Nobility After
n Lapse OF Thirteen Centuries
COnfucius' Family.

Americans who visit Madrid aro surprised
to learn that Christopher Columbus is still
living there in excellent preservation, and
still enjoys the title of duke OF Vsragua,
conferred upon the family by the king OF
Spain $50 years ago, writes James Parton In
the New York Ledger.
The first who bore the title was Luis,
grandson of the discoverer, from whom il
has descended lineally to the present duke,
who bears also the identical name of his
ancestor. Few Of us know or care about
the imaginary dukedom of Veragua, but
no American can look with indifference
upon n Christopher Columbus descended
from the man who made Che name ~illustri-
GUS ana immortal 800 years ago.
Among other relics, he possesses a very
fine portrait of the navigator, some features
OF which reappear in the countenance of
hia descendant. Doctor Henry Field, of
the Evangelist, visited this old gentleman q
year or two age. While looking alternately
at the picture on the wall and the face of
his host, he perceived a considerable like
ness between them. Doctor Field did not
forget to remind him of the approaching
f~our-hundredth anniversary of the great
discovery, nor did he omit to invite the
present Christopher Columbus to visit
America ON that occasion. But the duke of
veragua is an elderly gentleman and a
Spaniard. spaniards of the present day
ere not so fond of roaming the seas as their
ancestors'were He could get to Americn
much more comfortably than the first
Christopher Columbus, but he was strongly
OF opinion that the celebration should be
held III Spain, the country that sent his
ancestor forth on the glorious voyage of
1882. 1t is to be feared, therefore, that
We sinai not nave the pleasure of seeing
him in 1892.
1t is rather remarkable that SO many men
identified with the early history of this
continent should have living descendants.
Many of US remember the lady who visited
New York some years ago, who claimed de-
scent from Americus Vespucius, and had u
conviction OH her mind that the congress of
the United States ought to bestow some
klnd OF pecuniary recognition upon her.
Congress was not then in a pensioninp
frame OF mind, and she returned home no
richer than she came. Her visit, however,
led to a close investigation of the career of
her ancestor, which resulted in the dlscov-
cry that the word ''America'' originated in
a name given by the natives to a portion
of the coast which he visited. Neverthe-
less. the lady is believed to have been lin
emily descended from Americas Vespuc1us,
or rather the person whose name was Lat
iniZed in that form.
In Peru, there are families claiming de-
scent from the 1ncas whom Pizarro MUIR
cered and despoiled, and in Mexico both
the name n the lineage of the gentle
MonteZuma are preserved, with some es-
tates conceded to the family of the Mexican
Emperor by the Spaniards. Here are two
families with living descendants who trace
their origin to an antiquity which reduces
TINT of the aristocratic houses of Europe to
insignificance.
The royal houses of the European con-
tlnent all appear to have emerged from OBJ
scurlty about r thousand years ago, whom
C~harlemagne was the mightiest name In the
world, Oh had recently been the miphtiest,
The first Bourbon known to history -four
1shed about the year 800. The first Guelph
was contemporary with Charlemagne, who
in Sl4. The first Hohenzollern of
prinoely rank built the castle of Zollern
about the year 500. The first Romanoff
into the world as late as
cient at the time when they became impor-
tant enough to figure in European records.
Some of the English heralds have expressed
the opinion that Queen Victoria is descended
from the roman Caesars. Let us hope they
were mistaken.
10 find families of an antiquity at once
and certain, we must 60 beyoud
Europe, and seek them nearer the cradle of
the human race. Mahomet died In 632.
leaving nine wives and only one child, his
daughter Fatlma, who was married (as sew
eral other ladies were) to Ali the prophets
first convert and chief lieutenant. From
have descended the numberless
mobiles, cherifs, kings and emper-
ors who, ever since the prophets day, have
constituted SO important q part of the rul-
ing class in the world which be organized. |
To-day, after the lapse of thirteen centu-
ries, it is the blood of the prophet that con-
the title to nobility in several coun-
tries of the east.
But in matter of antiquity Mahomet
must yield the precedence TO tho Chinese
philosopher, Confucins, who died 479 years
before the Christian era. There is no
race that oan boast of an antiquity
IKE HIS. On the occasion of the death, a
few weeks ago, of the Chinese statesman
known in Europe and America as the Mar
billty was due, not to any connection with
.oniucius himself, but to his descent from
one OF the chief disciples of the great
There are, however, very numer-
Gus living descendants of Confucius; and
although he has been dead 1870 years,
superior rank is conceded to them in China
soiely from their relationship to him.
when Confucius was born, $50
Z. O., his family was already among the
most ancient of the empire, and has = re-
corded history of more than hrce CEN
'ut'es: Tradition goes still farther back,
extending the probable duration of the
lily to little less than 5000 years.
The descendantso of Confucius. known and
recognized as such, now number about
otty-flve thousand, most of whom live in
me city, in the neighborhood of which
heir great ancestor was inferred. The
lineal head of the family, the
eventy-ffth in descent from Confncius,
nJoys a rank and title in China about
quail to that of duke in Europe. and he
besides, large estates SETTLED upon
he head of the family by former empefors.
The grave of the philosopher, Just outside
T the city where his descendants live, is
ne of the hallowed places of the Chinese
III the midst of the public ceme-
cry there ID a squaree enclosure containing
he tomb, in front of which ere
lounds marking the burial places of
is son and his grandson. Large
ypress trees impsrt solemnity and dignity
D the scene. Many former emperors have
laced tablets within the Enclosure, con
~eulogies of the man who has ruled
for SO many centuries with Il sway
acre than imperial. Now the mound which
larks the grandson's grave is a small! house
'hich, tradition says. occupies the site of
hut whore he passed five years mourn
rs for his grandfather. Confucius seems =
. be US freshly remembered there as
hough his death were a recent event.
Far more marvellous than the duration of
his family 10 the influence of Confncius'
ritings, which to-day appear to command
10 complete assent and profound homage
the Chinese intelligence. However wise
may have been in his dny, and
lr hia 0av. IL ia doubtful ;f ~, .~j,.nl