The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-03-16
THE STATELY MlNUETl.
Out Of the Forty Characters Personated
TWenty:three Were Represented
BY ONE OR MORE DIRECT DESCENDANTS
Making tho Event Unusual. Unique
and OF Even Historical INTEREST
Virginia aud massachusetts Side
by Side-RerusetlG encrnl washing.
lonesome Of the Characters.

The mtnuet. which was danced short
time ago In the ballroom Of the Cham
berlin for the benefit OF the white ward
| OF the local hospital, was In one respect
q most unusual, possibly u unique per-
formance, and as such deserves special
record. Out Of the forty characters
personated, twenty-three were repre-
| sented by one Or more Of their direct
descendants, and we give the following
details, believing that they will COM
| 1nand general interest.
The two young ladies who led the
entering procession, and were the first
| 70 be presented to General and Lady
Washington, We're Miss Alice Lee,
daughter Of Sir Henry Lee Of Wood
Richard Lee Of Yorktown, who went to
Breda in 1851 to pledge the loyalty OF
the colonies 10 Charles H., then in exile.
However charming these two little mai
dens In their day may have been, they
can hardly have eXcelled their repre-
Sentatives and llneal descendants. Miss
Mary and Miss Bessie Booker, who, with
! their mother, Mrs. Harry Booker, as
Lady Washington, stood for the Lee
family In Virginia.
A DELIGHTFULLY."- FRESH NINA
TURE.
Mrs. Thomas Whiting, whose husband
held Washington in his arms at baptism,
and whose daughter, Anne Beverley, is
said to have been the most beautiful
woman Of her time in Virginia, might
well have been cnvied the good fortune
which gave her such a group Of repre-
sentatives as Mrs. Hunter Booker, Miss
Anne Chisman, Miss Lila Chisman and
Miss Watkins, while Miss kitty Nc
Even as Katharine Beverley, could have
been taken without stretch OF magma
tlon for delightfully."- fresh minia turc
Of her Erea -great-grcat- era ndnother
Side by side with Virginia stood Mass
| achusetts In the PERSONS or Miss Laur.,
TileStOn and ,NLiss Walcott the FIRST as
Mrs. William Bradford, who crossed the
| Atlantic in the Mayfower, and whose
husband was III 1921 elected first Gov
ernor OF the Plymouth colony. and the
| second as Madame Derby, wife Of King
Derby, Of Salem, ct that time the richest
man III the colonies and 4 staunch
friend and supporter Of the colonial
government, into whose treasury he
gave a large share OF his wealth.
Maryland held her own bravely in
Mrs. George Booker and Miss Louise
Booker, descendants of Madam Louise
| Winder, wife OF Governor NVinder. the
former, however, representing another
ancestress, Lady Yeardley Of Virginia,
while Rhode Island sent Mrs. DR.. Bou-
| telle as the wife Of William Henry
Dyer, 1859, and Connecticut followed
with Mistress Hopes,ill Morgan, Of New
| London, 1879, represented by her great
| Z
| Morgan.
REFUSED GENERAL WASHING
TON.
Again. from Virginia, came Mrs Com
modore Barron In the person of her di-
rect descendant, Miss Laura Hope, and
Mrs. George Mason. wife Of the author
| OF the Declaration OF Rights, in her
| great g1andniece, Mrs. Nelson Groome,
while from the shore Of Hampton Creek
came the daughter Of Sir Miles Carey,
Lady Mary, who, in her descendant,
Miss Mary Shield, showed piquant
| grace which may we'll have belonged to
| the dalnSel who Is credited with the
mistake OF refusing General Washing
ton III the days Of his surveyorship. II
IS probable. also, that Mistress Betty
,, Duke, the wife OF Nathaniel Bacon.
would have been entirely satisfied with
| her representative, Miss Barnes, 4 des-
cendant Of 4 lateral Branch OF the Duke
family, while both Lady Spotswood and
Mrs. Richard Henry Lee could claim n
share in more than one OF the ladies
already mentioned.
a FEW OTHER DESCENDANTS.
It goes without saying that for such
an occasion the quota Of men is always
difficult to fiji, and in view Of the inevi-
table limitations. tho managers felt
themselves fortunate III being able to
Introduce SO satisfactory n list as the
following: The Freiheer Won Schiling,
a contemporary and friend OF Won
Steuben. who accompanied the latter TO
this country, and who was represented
by his descendant. Mr.. Marshall Won
Schlling, and his brother. Mr.. Franz
Won Schilling. Captain John Ferguson.
who went In 1867 10 the relief OF Fort
William Henry, and later was Il minute
man at Lexington, represented by his
grca neutrality-suspicious., Richard and Ka-
| lani Armstrong: and two revolutionary
officers, Major Price and Colonel Daniel
Wilson, who appeared in the persons
Of their descendants, Mr.. ". Strother
Smith and DR.. HObsOn.
In addition to this somewhat remark
able showing, it may also be said that
If more time could have been given to
the selection and preparation Of the per-
formers, the Hampton minuet could
have been made s.ill more distinctly his
torical. AT the same time, the members
OF the Association for the Preservation
Of Virginia Antiquities, for whose benc-
fit it was first given, recognize that it
has done good service in attracting at
tention to the value OF their work and
to the Importance Of preserving family
and local records.
b 4.
Hebrew Benevolent society.
a tea will he given for the benefit Of