The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-01-06
NEW CLAIMANTS.
The S. Glars of This NaIlly Pronounced De
scendants of Am Yica's First Diseeverer,


It NAV be news to a good many people to
know that the s. ClaIrs wao are known IN
this valley since the first settlement OF the
country are direct descendants of the FIRST
discoyerer of America. Colonel ST. Clair
who in the early DAYS Of this country was
a senator from this district IS she head oil
this branch in this section OF the
state and one member of the family Is
still living in Wichita. At a family re-
union held, some time ago, IN which rep
resentatives of every st. Clair family IN
America participated, Colonel St. Clair
was recognized as one of the direct
descendants OF Henry st. Clalr' Earn
of Roselyn, Nithsdale and CartnnesS'
who, it is claimed, landed IN America
over 100 years before Columbus did. 80 IL
can be seen that Wichita Is very nearly
related TO the worlds fair The family
reunion that established Colonel 81. Glars
claims 10 this notable ancestry gave The
family the necessary genealogical docu-
ments to prove the same, aud they are
now safely locked up ii the archives Oh
one ot the members who lives at 8elle
PLANE. A sketch Of this geneaiosy NAV
be interesting TO many OF she OLD timers
who knew Colonel 81. Clair, and 1t VIII
also be interesting TO the readers OF the
EAGLEat Kingasber, o, T, where Colonel
St. Clair now resides.
The story OF the eari's wanderlngS was
brought out at the last reunion OF the SIN
clair family of Perry, Lake county, o.,
held at the Hemlock Grove, o. Upon that
occasion Mrs. May Whitney Emerson OF
n, Z. nf Mary 81 Clair
of Vermont, and seventh in descent from
John of Exeter, read from the records that
in the year 1880 the earl, with seventeen
picked men, sailed from the Orkneys Tor
America, where they spent consloeraoie
time and made useful maps and charts
which are still in possession of the Hank
lvn society of England. She further
declared that of Henry St. CIalr IL
| NAV, therefore, be affirmed that be discoV-
! cred America nearly century before Co.
! lumb bus SAW its shores. In view OF THESE
records Mrs Emerson proposed that the
next reunion of the family take place IN
! Chicago during the Columbian exposition,
and that all persons of the name oil o6.
| Clair or Sinclair, of whatever country, DE
! invited to attend. 1t was further resolved
! that all Sinclairs be asked to return 10
the original spelling of the name,St. Clalr'
which was only changed in Scotland when
the revolt of Presbyterianism against
| Romanism became general.
| Mrs Emerson, mentioned above, IS not
the only descendant of the earl living III
Boston. Cecilia St. Clair Elton .uady ST
Clair is also descendant. She will be
remembered by many as having mac
charge OF the Episcopal church association
rooms in Hamilton place for so many
years. The genealogy of the family car
be traced back to the year BIZ, through
tventv-one generations to Rolf or Rollo
prince of Norway, to whom was given, fo'
his bravery and devotion, the entire prov
lnce of Normandy and the castle of ST. 10
built by Charlemagne for his strong
hold, the first ancestral home OF th'
St Glars. The line can be followed
through civilian the Seemly, cousin OF
William the COnquerer (himselt St
Clair), who attached himself to the throne
of Scotland and ecame the head OF TIT
Scotch and American line. William wa
first Earl of Roselyn. The decent ha
been traced through kings, queens, earls
barons, arch bishops, priests, lords, farm
ers and what not, until the present Earl
Caithness was reached-John Sutherland
Sinclair, seventeenth earl. who was las
wear invested with the titles and dignitle
in Scotland, and who is now an American
citizen, living on his farm in Dakota.