The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-07
YOUNG CHARTER OAKS.
Many Descendants of the Famous
Old Tree Ina This
Country. e
From the Hartford Courant.

From the Hartford Courant.
The famous old Charter Oak, of
which Connecticut is so proud, seems
= destined to be kept in. remembrance,
not only by the pages OF history. but
dren" and many grandchildren" Of
the original tree are now growing in
this and other states. AS is quite fit
ting, Hartford possesses upon Bushnell
park what Is believed to belt largest
and most thrifty Seeding Of the Char
ter oak that has been placed upon pub
lie ground. This tree stands in the
extreme east park, near Park river, oc-
cupying the center Of a triangle formed
by the junction Of the walks leading
from the Trumbull street bridge and
the Mulberry street bridge and extend
ing toward the capitol.
Aside from It's associations and SIM
ply as handsome specimen of the
quercus alba, or white oak, famed in all
ages for it's strength and durability,
the tree is worthy of attention. The
tree has just completed fifty years Of
growth, and gives promise of continu-
ing several hundred years. 1t now
measures over forty feet in height, thir-
ty inches in largest diameter at the
surface Of the ground and eighteen
inches through the trunk at a point
three feet from the ground, while the
*,
extend over radius of from eighteen
to tWenty-four feet. True to it's nature
as white oak, many Of the leaves
hang on through the winter until loos-
ened by the swelling buds of spring.
The authenticity of the tree as a
true descendant Of the charter oak is
beyond question and all facts connect
ed with it can be easily verified by
any one interested. It's history is as
follows: In October, 1S47, Samuel Whit
man. a we'll known citizen of Yves,
Hartford. when a. young man fresh
from Yale, and having a fondness for
beauty, walked to the south part Of
the city in search of specimens of
fringed gentian. Coming back he turn
ed aside at the WHY'S place and pick
ed up several acorns under the Charter
oak.
These were planted in a flower pot.
Two coming up in November of the
same year were carefully tended dur
ing the winter and later were set out
in a small nursery near Mr.. Whit
mans home in West Hartford AL
though now blind. Mr.. Whitman has
clear memory and the date is es-
tablished in connection with an ex-
tended stay in Virginia, which he be-
gan in December, 1S47.
In 1866 one of the trees which had
developed very finely was offered by
Mr.. Whitman to the park board and
gladly accepted. Late in that year,
not far from Dec. 81, the tree was care
fully prepared and moved to it's pres
emf place, under the personal direction
of Jacob Weidenman, a landscape gar
dener, then park superintendent The
other seeding was set upon the green
in West Hartford. but soon died
Judge Sherman w. Adams and
others of the park commission have
been much interested in the tree, and
1t has received the best Of care. Last
year it bore a peck or more Of acorns,
but this year the crop was less. These
acorns are sent to all parts of the
country and some stable "grandchi1-
dIen" are now filling useful positions.
1t was seeding from this tree that
was officially presented to the. city Of
Cleveland, O., recently to be placed
upon one of the city parks.
Officer Strickland, who has patroled
Bushnell park for several years, and
the caretakers Of the park have many
inquiries as to the whereabouts of the
tree, and frequent requests for acerns.
The former has this season sent a box
of the acorns to Norwich woman,
who is raising seedlings to present to
fellow members of the Daughters of
the Revolution. The tree bears no
mark or inscription. but can easily
be found by any one familiar with
oaks