The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-06-29
DEF0REST FAMILY HISTORY,
Il Work OF MUCH INTEREST TO
NEW HAVEN.

VIEW HAVEN
Just Published by Our Townsman, Ma
jor John w. Extraordinarily Inter
essing sketch of the Career of Fa-
nous New Havener OF Other Days
Founder of Ynle's DeForest Prize
New Haven's Reception of Lafayette.
Our distinguished townsman, Major
j. w. DeForest, eX-captain and brevet
Major United States volunteehs, the
author of many successful novels, has
just issued labor of love, work also
of infinite painstaking and research,
Tt is entitled "The de Forests of Ayes
mes (and of New Netherland) a Hugue-
not Thread in American Colonial Histo-
ry; 1894 to the Present Time" 1t tells
of the branch of the de Forest family
of which the author is himself one of
the most noted, although this fact no.
where is noticed in the work except in
the necessary words on the title page
giving the titles of the various books
he has written. Mr. De Forest Is a
brother of our lamented and recently
deceased townsman, Andrew w, De
Forest who in his last years was pres
ident of the New Haven Gas Light Co..
and who was the father of our towns
man, Charles S. De Forest, who though
an active and prominent business man,
has done so much for musical educa-
ton in our community as the president
of the Gounod society. Major De For
est's work traces the genealogy of the
branch of the De Forest family, of
which he is member, as far back as
the dim and dusty records of the past
will permit, and after having obtained
an unquestionable starting point, pro-
ceeds to detail the descendants, genera
ton after generation of this De Forest
Of France in question. Most genealo-
gies are exceedingly dry reading, even
outside of the mere record of names
and dates but the subtle charm of Ma
Joi iDSi VI CSl liONSlS Is OCCASIONALLY
apparent in the narration of the histor-
tcal facts regarding both the ancient
and the modern De Forests The dim
vista of the past regarding the family
is lit up by the fascinating touch of his
pen, yet he never swerves from his
duty as rigid and impartial investi-
gator and reliable narrator of the rock
bottom facts, which, after all, are the
essential thing in record Of this char
acter. This painstaking investigation
and careful sitting of facts so apparent
In the book, together with it's excellent
literary quality, must make this work
invaluable to the De Forest family
One of the most picturesque characters
of the book and one of great New Ha-
ven historical interest is that of David |
G. De Forest, locally known as Don De
Forest, who built and for years resided |
in the Don De Forest mansion" cor |
ner Of Elm and Church streets, now the |
home of ex-Mayor j. B. Sargent The !
sketch of the don's life reads like a |
chapter from romance Truth is |
stranger than fiction Major DeForest |
tells quite fully of the life of this brave |
and adventurous American in Buenos |
commission merchant and dealings as |
shipper with influential mercantile |
houses in the United States, one of his
customers on several occasions being
John Jacob Astor, founder of the Astor |
family of New York, who was then not |
we'll known in the mercantile world
Mr. De Forest, proceeding, tells us of
Don De Forests acts as an agent of |
the Buenos Ayres government in au-
thorlzing and securing privateers to
prey upon Spanish commerce In the
war between Spain and Buenos Ayres
in 1916 and of the rich returns the don
received from the successful ships
Next we are told of the don's appoint
ment as consul general to the United
States by Buenos Ayres and of his va
rious appearances at Washington be-
fore President Monroe, and his secreta-
ry of state, John c. Adams to urge the
recognition of Spanish American indie
pendence by the United States. This
country was not ready at that time to
do this owing to conflicting politics on
the subject, but a few years later Tin
1920 recognition was given, the affair
having been a national political issue
for years.
In the meantime Don De Forest, who
was still comparatively young man,
had settled down in New Haven, pos
sessed, despite various reverses that he
had suffered, of large fortune for
those times. His joy over the recogni-
ton at last of the independence of Bue-
nos Ayres was given vent to by the don
In notable manner. ION the 25th of
May, 1922" says Major De Forests
work, ''he again celebrated the national
of the Argentine provinces.
The Connecticut Journal predecessor
Of the Journal and Courier) of the peri
ID furnishes us with an appetizing ac-
count of the revelry under the heading
The Independence of Buenos Ayres.'
The Journal says: ON Friday evening
Of the past week the birthday of this
Sister Republic was suitably comment
grated in this city. A large number of
The most respectable citizens of New !
Haven. and gentlemen of both branch
rs of the legislature, assembled by pre- ,
1ious invitation, at the elegant mansion ,
If David G.. De Forest, who was elected I ,
irst consul to the United States by ,
he new government. After the usual {
the company partook
IF sumptuous entertainment and the