West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-06-12

"
Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. X, No
?, 1901.
TO write The history of Colonel Thoma,
Ctesap is to w,i,e the Colonial History OF
Maryland and Virginia and more or less OF
Ohio. To recount the story of ,hes,
colonies. is 10 tell the story of the Revolution
The rehersal of that noble struggle would
involve much OF the history of the erea,
powers of Europe aud you might conciud-,
We were like 'rennyson's brook, and would
so. on forevet.' Therefore, we will give
YOU only snap sho, at the life and times OF
our hero. We viii give you items here and
| there, aud leave you To develop the com.
pOsitc picture.
We believe, that when William the Nor,
man invaded Eng land, he found the famil,
of onr hero on the ground. His character
is'ics were essentially OF The sturdy, faithful,
''Cedfie, the Saxon" type Ills family Wa,
ever loyal to country and flag.
Kings came and went, and the days OF
Edward III and ihe Black Pince arrived
The British Lion was just the same, then q.
now, only at that .ime, il was France, instead
of South Africa he was reaching for. Th,
day Of the famous "Battle OF Cressy" U346
dawned, when Philip Of valois had 100, ,ooc
| soldiers and the victorious English oni,
| 10000. Among these, II IS said, was the
| ancestor of our hero, Col. Cresap; aud for
| great bravery on that renowned field hi,
family name, whatever il may have pre-
viously been, for we cannot now deiin:tel,
learn, WAS changed to ''Cressy.' In due
course of evolution Uhcre is nothing new
under the sun, not even the doctrine oi
evolu,ion) the name became ''Crcsap'
Notice the FIRST characteristics we discern In
the herediiy Of our hero, are loyalty and
bravery. Loyalty 10 his country though
she was reaching for r,e lilies of France
and playing Iandgrab game. The family
have been ready to fight .'pro pa,r;av ever
since, and their coat of arms is a mailed
head, and uplifted right arm Head in
Armor, brains and bravery.
Years rolled on ; the glorious pfo,ectora;c
of Cromwell was over and Charles III came
10 the throne in 1000. This was a Revolu
tionarY epoch. A little boy came To- Manor
house in Yorkshire about I67I, who was
destined 10 outlive that merry monarch, and
several of his successors viz. lanes III,
William and Mary, Qdeen Anne, George l.,
George II and into the reign of George III,
some ~ years. The Yorkshire boy proved
to be sturdy youth. James III oppressed
the people preparing for another Rcvolu-
ton, and many came TO the Colonies to
escape the religious upheaval and the power
of the Vatican. Among these we find our
hero, Thomas Crcsap, in the year IsS6-a,
the aye of IS.
We have said those were stirring times
and Revolutionary epoch Let us leave
our hero, and glance at the times In
Cresap's day Louis XIV "Revoked the
Edici Of Nantes" and scattered the besr
families Of France TO Germany, England
and our colonies! In Cresap's day, Loui,
XIV said, "Al,er us the deluge," aud pro
ceedsd to prepare the way for the French
Revolution, that awful flood which swept
the throne of his great grandson Louis XVI
out of existence In Cresap's day Peter tn.
Great y ent to school in Holland and taught
his people reyoIutcnizing Russia II
Cresap's day Peters widow, Catherine
cypress Of Russia, assisted Frederick to,
Great and the Emperor Of Austria in III,
disuembcrment of Poland, each natior
picking up piece. much as the European.
now are looking for curios--sceking rar,
bits II China Daring his life the gres
Empress, Maria Theresa, settled the R-vo
luton in her empire and secured the thron,
Of her fathers So We might continue viii
the icyoiut.on in Spain aud the var ~ ~,
Spanish suoeessiou aud So on indefinitely.
Dni We reiurn TO oar he %, Col. Cfesap
lie had just arrived ~ he Colonies snI
brough' with bin his bravery, love o.
country aud logaiiy IIc settled in Mary
land, and began - "gfow up with IN.
couniry lie bscituc an Indian trade,
like The Aaors ~nd some other no,abl-s
lie married Vife Ulanoah Johnson) an,
a3tuiely settled 81 llsvre dc Grace. thu
; aving the rich valley If the susquehsnn.
and thc fur-hearing wilderness on the on,
hand aud the Chesapeake Bay ON tho other
ready to hoat his furs TO msrket
Ilc bad a sterling honesty, that made aut
kept ffsnds. Daniel Dulany was lds earl,
and lifelong friend. Col. Cresaps oldes
son was named for Ihis"Danicl'' Dulany, au,
the many Daniels in the Cresap clan teslf,
no, only 20 The Colonels' faculty Of faithful
ness, bu; to The hc'cdiiy Of the quality
Oncc friend always friend Charlie,
Calvert, the FSsf Profrgfa1f Lord Baltimore
but 6fth n The titls was Cressp's earnt,
friend through life and The feeling was re-
cprocaled Col. Cfesap also made friend
with the Indians and Ihcy used frequenil,
TO visit 10 the early days At his house, anc
cilsd him Brother Cressp." lie pres
pefed at llavrc dc Grace and accumulated
n fa.os ottautte. - g.. ...h..l a..