New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-10-06
PEDIGREE HUNTING.
IT HAS STRANGE SURPRISES AND ILLUS.
TRATES THE DRAMATIC Pos
SIBILITIES OF LIFE.
From Tit-BitS.

From Tit-Bits.
Il really do not think there can be more
well known heraldic agent, for it is full OF such
strange surprises. and illustrates as perhaps no
other pursuit the dramatic possibilities OF life
from the farcical 70 the tragicaL
great iutter of alarm and Indignation in many
highly placed society doveeote and many humble
ancestry of which the highest noble might be
Why. I know a man who earns % shillings
week in city warehouse who has better blood in
but ne has no idea of IT, and if he had it would be
rather r, curse , than a benefit t,, q him .a
man or woman who enviously watches the cor
many centuries older and iTnmeasnrabir bettsr
than the lords and ladies who sit in them In fact.
the coachman OF a certain noble lord whose great
grandfather was labOrer. has direct descent
and is connected both by blood and alliance with
This is nothing remarkable either. for, as you
may know. the last of the Plantagenets died as
I BAR aoorer and the granddaqghtsr Of Margars,
and Ill married village joiner, and had a son
Shropshire in the seventeenth century
Very many of the ancient and powerful family
Duke of Ingeheim. fifth of the Emperor Charlie
magne are to-day earning their ivings in all kinds
OF mental and humble capacities
ancient lineage is absoteV useless and Know
they are destined 20 play in life; but their mas
tiers would gladly pay many thousands Of pounds
Many of my clients people OF this class
people who almost insist that shall provide them
with family tree. and terribly indignant. and
even abusive. when / fail in most cases Is al
you may ind man who will invent genealOgieS
for these parvenus, but never knew a OF this
myself.
Only last year a man commissioned TO trace
his descent, which, after infinite labor and search
ing in two continents / carried back to the middle
of the eighteenth century. when found his pro-
genitor was of very humble rank in life, who had
narrowly escaped transportation.
when told him the result OF my researches ne
a penny for my labor. He has since revised this
decisOn-under pressure
In another case found that my client was d.
rectly descended from farm iaborer in Yorkshire.
who, as far as l have been able to discover, does
not seem TO have had father
Many people are quite content. the strength
OF some similarity or name, to annex the peCl-
gree and armoriai achievements of OF our
ncblest families. One man I know. whose name
resembles that of certain We'll known duke. has
calmly appropriated the coat of crest. motto
and even supporters. and has had them painted or
engraved on his CrOckery and Silvcr-in fact, all
the house.
that this man is no connected with the ducal
family of which he boasts than with the in
the
II do think IL is eXaggeration say that
in nineteen cases out of twenty "a very moderate
estimate. indeed the claims made by people 20 a
coat of arms connection with noble families are
absolutely worthless. / dare say you have rarely
a coat OF arms although, of course. they do not
it,, or 10 be connected with some great family,
and this entir"y the strength of similarity
In name.