The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1895-06-21

ABOUT PEDIGREeS.
The DIVERS. for Example, May BE Yer
de Nere- in dis -.ui-e.

The DIVERS. for Example. May BE We're
die Nere- in Disguise.
4 story in one of the magazines
about a woman named Diver. who
haunted gcnealogistS and experts il
heraldry until sh, satisfied herself that
her family name was DE We're. and i'm
Inediately adopted that patriotic patro-
nvmic affords no end of amusement to
photographers as illustrating the height
of absurdity in the quest Of ancestry,
says the Boston Transcript. But may
not the worthy Mrs. Diver have been
justified in her action? 1t is very prob
able that Diver i a plcbeian deforn-
ity of De We're. which time. custom.
carelesSneSs and indifference To de
scent brought about. Names suffer
Just such mutations and attritiou in
the course of time. and are ground
down To an indistinct sound. loSin"
edge and accent in the process We
once heard Of man who signed his
name Simmer without the slightest
suspicion that gcncalogy would have
justified him III writing il Seymour
This very beautiful and euphoniuS
name j. treated with barbarity 10y
many who bear il. who pronounce il
Seemorc. utterly oblivious that it comes
from IT. Maur. in which form il i now
written by the duke of Somerset. whose
heir il Lord seymour. This family of
S,.,mours. bv writing the name in its
ancient and authentic form. and con
serving its concentration a. Seymour
in one of their titles, undoubtedly are
moved 10y the purpose of letting the
world know how they would have it
pronounced. 1->y are very old
race associated with 1t. Maur in Nor
mandy before the ConquerOr invaded
England. They are a. proud a. the
proudcst. When Sir Edward Seymour
Joined William of Orange at Exeter,
the latter said: II think. Sir Edward.
that you are Of the family of the duke
OF Somerset Pardon me. sir. said
the aristocrat of ariStocrat~, speaking
a. the head Of the elder branch. the
duke of Somerset i Of my family"
If d man or woman in America thinks
il worth the time and trouble To- trace
descent in search Of an ancestor IL i
quite possible that hc or she may make
discovery gratifying To family pride.
Social lines have been much more close
" drawn in Great Britain in the last
two centuries than they were in the
times of the Plantagenrts and the
IudOrS. 1t was no uncommon thing
four hundred years ago for the sons OF
mobiles to 90 into trade in association
with men who had made their way
from very humble beginnings. The
sons Of country knights were often
glad to toe taken into the counting
houses and households of the rich Lon
don merchants. Marriages often fol
lowed that united the tradesman's ; fam
L.. a
ly relations sprang up between the pal
aces and the citV." Even monarchs
did not disdain To mate with ladies of
no higher rank than simple gentry.
Edward " married Elizabeth Wood
Vile. who. though the daughter of a
baron. was the widow of a simple
knight when the king. who was always
taken 10y pretty face. met her. The
mighty Queen Elizabeth had among her
near kinsfoIk on her mothers side some
good-natured everyday country people
who bore the name of Brown, and who.
when she came to the throne, visited
London in the expectation of nepotism.
The great queen was more Tudor
than Brown-by the way, Owen Tudor
himself was but plain Welsh knight
who made a lucky marriage and She
y
intimation that court life was not their
sphere. and with no sinecure to console
them. DIR. Doran conjcctured that the
slang phrase: astonishing the
Browns" long in vogue in England,
may have had its origin in this Incl
dent The Browns were types. for
there was many a plain coun-
try gentleman who might with genoa
logical justification call the king
his cousin" All this has changed;
caste has hedged itself in within the
last two centuries; classes do not min
gle 50 much as they did in the time of
the Tudors, which is the best period for
Americans to study when in search of
ancestors. If lady or gentleman with
taste for ancestors wants To CRAFTY
it. it il only an embittered enemy OF
the heraldry office who Will seek to
thwart the endcavOr.