The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1895-04-12
FAMILY PRESTIGE PASSING.

Prominent American Names
The decadence Of prominent families
ls = very interesting subject for the
study 81 social philosophers, says the
Few York correspondent Of the Phlla-
delphla Press. Here Is the Field family,
perhaps the most CONSPICUOUS for intel
lectuai gifts that the country, at least
OF the present generation, has known.
But. with the passing away Of the Field
brothers, this splendid prestige is now
doomed to pass also. David Dudly
Fields most talented son died in early
manhood. One of Cyrus w. Fields sons
passed away after an unsuccessful ca
reer, and the other one can hereafter
as a tolerated outlaw. Justice
Field has no heirs who can maintain the
family name, nor has DR.. Henry NJ.
Field. The late Moses Taylor, who in
some respects was our greatest finan-
cier, has almost passed, out Of the
memory OF this community, excepting
perhaps IN banking circle. His grand
o carries on the great banking house
with which he was identified, safely con-
servatively, but without any of those
flashes Of genius like suggestion such as
that one by which Taylor was Enabled
to STAY the hand OF panic bv creating
the clearing house certificate. The
grandson does not even bear Nh. Tay-
lor's for he is a son Of a daughter of Mr..
Taylor who married Taylor's junior
partner, Mr.. Tyne. The great lawyers
OF a generation ago have, 1 think, with
out a single exception left no sons to
maintain their repute; tradition alone
has done that. Those legal giants of
the Hoffmans are extinct. James T.
Brady was a bachelor. Charles o. Con-
ner left no children. Governor Tilden's
he'rs were his nephews and nieces and
they tore up his will. With the excep-
ton OF Hamilton Fish, not one OF the
greater politicians of this state had SONS
who suggested the intellectual powers Of
the father. Wright, Morcy, Van Buren,,
Morgan. Fenton, are names known now
only by tradition. General James Wat.
son Webb was the only one OF our edi-
tors who created a family distinguished
for intellectual power. The Adams fam
lily, the Sherman and the Wolcott fa,ni-
lies are the only ones which have main
tanned from revolutionary days the in
tetlectual p,e-eminence Of the founders.
The Adams family is the most conspl.
clous, since it's gifts made two Of its
members Presidents and one a most
successful diplomat in a most trying
time and three sons of thefourth genera
tion-Charles Francis, Henry and John
Quincy-have all been distinguished for
commanding intellectual gifts, Roger
Sherman probably bequethed a heritage
Of intellect that has been more i%nt1uen-
tlal and long-continued than the record
of any other American family shows,
but a the strain runs almost wholly
through the female side OF the family.
the name itself is not SO promin ent
Senator Sherman and his brother, the
general, were collaterally connected.
William NJ. Evarts and George F.. Hoar
who are grandsons, and ChaunceY NJ.
Depew, who is a collateral descendant
Sherman.s father being his ancestor.
Gov. BALDWIN OF Connecticut and his
son the present justice OF the supreme
court of that state. were direct descen-
dants OF Roger Sherman, but upon the
maternal side.
Sometimes the intellectual heritage
has skipped for a generation or two, as
IN the case OF the Wolcotts. one of whom
is nov United States senator from Col
orado, and another lieutenant governor
Of Massachusetts,. Connected with this
family and illustrating the literary
capacity that has ALWAYS been in it, Is
Brete Harte, although his relation Is
through the Gr1swalds, who married and
intermarrled with the Wolcotts. There
were three generations OF Welcotts.
There were three generations of VOL
colts who were governors Of Counecti-
cut, the first having also been a mem
Der Of Washlngton's cabinet. There
were three generations OF Griswalds, al
SO governors Of Connecticut, and the
sous and daughters OF the Griswalds and
Woicotts were given and taken in mar
riage SO hat the house of the third gen
GRAFTON on either side had both maternal
and paternal ancestors who were COVER
nors OF that state. Therefore that to
he a law. at least in this country. whirt,
makes it very difficult forfamnly prestige