The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-12-14
EMINENT ALABAMIANS DESCENDED
 FROMs GIANTS OF OLD THE NORTH STATEl

tons; his life constantly threatened, and life generally so unbearable that It al- most became burden. So constantly was his mind worked upon by the dark threats of the Indians that he sold his interests to Thomas Pollock for eight hundred pounds and returned to Switz- erland. There is no doubt that the his- torians of North Carolina have accorded but scant justice to this scholarly man. He was possessed of all the intrepidity of spirit that characterized the pioneers Of that day, but he also seems to have been possessed of more wisdom than many of the reckless spirits who cared more for adventure than the grand and noble purpose which actuated such men as the Baron. Baron de Graaffenreidt was a gentleman of unusual attachments. He was scholarly and unusually interest ing. He wrote a history of his experi- ences in North Carolina after his re- turn to Switzerland;-the original of which being still preserved under a glass case in the archives of history and lit- erature of that noble little republic. This sketch of Baron de Graaffenreidt's lively experiences In North Carolina is to be found in the first volume of Colonial Records of North Carolina" and, as 1t affects a leading Alabama family, much matter of interest will be found in its pages He died in Switzerland in 1785. He was the progenitor of our Alabama family of that name. A letter from him dated 1735, while living on the family es- tate at Woeb, near Berne, is now in their possession. His oldest son Chris topher or EmanueD moved to America and lived and diedin Virginia He married in Virginia a daughter of Sir Arthur Needham, of Wimondly, Hertfordshire
 England, and they had one son, named | Tscharner. Tscharner deGraaffenreidt
 married four times. One of his wives was
 an Allen of the notable Virginia family of that name, and from that marriage de- | scended our distinguished Alabama de | Graaffenreidts. Tscharner de Graaffen- | reidt lived and died in Virginia. One of | his sons,-Christopher or Emanuel, l moved to Chester s. C.. He marrier Hannah Salter, whose name figures in revolutionary annals. They had son, Trezevant-the grandfather of Hon. Ed ward D. de Gra.ffenreid of Hale, He married Rebecca Hill of Abbeville, S. C., "a daughter of Moses and Sevilla Hill. Their son, Emanuel T'scharner, or Chris topher T'scharner, was born in Alabama He married Sue Howard Seay a sister of ex- Governor Seay-one of the brightest jewels In the political and literary crown of Alabama. From them Is descended a noble progeny that stand today in the front rank of patriotic citizenship
 Emanuel Tscharner de Graffenreid was at the front during our civil war, com manding battalion of sharpshooters, and distinguished himself on the bloodi- est fields of our struggle against north ern aggression and oppression. One of his sons is Howard D. de Graffenreid of Hale, who Is esteemed as one of the best citizens of Hale county, and figures among the ablest and strongest of our patriotic citizens in all matters that per tain to the welfare of his state. He Is a profund lawyer, and has that elegant bearing and demeanor which character izes southern gentlemen of breeding the world over, wherever found. He belongs to the ever glorious black-belt section, and, with his brothers, hold sacred the fair name and fame handed down to them through long line of chiwalrous and honorable ancestors.
 The Eraggs.
 He had not the wisdom and virtue of Macon-a master of argument he was not like Graham, a model of dignity and learning; he had not the superb speech and grand passion of Mangum; he want ed the tenacious and memorable logic of