Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-11-23
PEDIGREE HUNTING.
Has Strange Surprises and illustrates
Dramatic Possibilities Of Life.

~ ~
Tid-Bits: Il really do not think there
can be a more fascinating pursuit than
pedigree hunting" said n well known
heraldic agent, 'for II is full Of such
strange surprises, and illustrates as per-
haps no other pursuit can the dramatic
possibilities of life from the f~arcical to
the traBical.
"If I were to publish all I know there
would be a great iutter OF alarm and
indignation il many a highly placed So
ciety doyecote, and many a humble and
despised toiier would find that he had an
ancestry OF which the highest noble might
be proud,
why, / know 4 man who earns rs shil-
lings q week In n city warehouse who has
better blood In his veins than almost any
member OK the peerage; but he has no
idea OF It, and II he had It would be
rather q curse than q benefit TO him.
you may take Il for granted that many
a poor man or woman who cnviously
watches the coroneted carriages dash
past them boasts a lineage many centur-
les older and immeasurably better than.
the lords and ladies who sit In them. In
fact, only q few weeks ago I made the
discovery that tho coacnman of a certain
noble lord, whose great-grandfather was
a laborer, has a direct descent from King
Ethelred, through the Barons Lumly. and
is connected both by blood and alliance
with our royal family.
"'This is nothing remarkable, either, for
as you may know, the last of the Planta-
senets died as a farm laborer; and the
granddaughter OF Margaret Pla~ntagenet,
niece of Kings Edward w. and Richard
III. married q village joiner, and had a
SOL who lived and died a cobbler at New
port, in Shropshire, in the seventeenth
century.
Very many Of the ancient and power
full family of Burgh, which traces its de-
scent from Charles, duke OF Ingeheim,
fifth son of the Emperor Charlemagne,
are today earning their livings in all kinds
Of mental and humble capacities.
"Of course, to people In such positions
their ancient lineage Is absolutely use
less, and q knowledge of 1t could only
unfit them for the lowly roles they are
destined to play In life; but their masters
would gladly pay many thousands of
pounds. to boast such a descent.
Many Of my clients are people Of this
class-people who almost insist that l
shall provide them with a family tree,
and are terribly indignant, and even
abusive, when / fail, as In most cases is
almost inevitable. No doubt by much
searching you may find a man who will
invent genealogies for these parvenues,
but ! never knew a man OF this sort my
self.
"Only last year a mar commissioned me
to trace his descent. which, after infinite
labor and searching In two continents. I
carried back to the middle Of the eigh-
teenth century, when / found his progen-
itor was of very humble rank in life,
who had narrowly escaped transporta-
ton.
"When ] told him the result Of my re-
searches he was furious and vowed that
he would not pay mo a penny for my
labor. He has since revised his decision
under pressure.
In another case I found that my client
was directly descended from a farm la
borer In Yorkshire, who as far as l have
been able to discover, does not seem to
have had n father.
MANY people are quite content, on the
strength Of some similarity Of name, TO
annex the pedigree and armorial achieve
ments OF some OF our noblest families.
one man l know whose name resembles
that of a certain well known duke. has
! calmly appropriated the coat OF arms,
crest, motto and even supporters, and has
had them painted or engraved on his
crockery and silver-in fact, all over the
house.
And yet I have the best reasons for
KNOWING that this man Is no more con-
nected with the ducal family OF which he
boasts thar with the man In the moon.
Il do not think 1t is exaggerating to say
that In nineteen cases out of twenty "a
; very moderate estimate. indeed) the
claims made by people TO a coat Of arms
or connection with noble families are abb
solutely worthless. / dare say you have
rarely met a 4 a or woman who did not
profess TO have a coat OF arms, although
OF course, they do not use st. or to be
connected with some great family, and
this entirely on the strength Of a SIMILAR
ity In name"