Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-02-13
SOME FAMOUS
AMERICAN TREES
Charter Oak, washington Elm. Liberty
Tree, ArnoId's WIIIow-Three Noted
Tulip POpIars.

Charter Oak, washington Elm. Liberty
Tree, ArnoId's WiIlow-Three Noted
Tulip POpIars.
| Trees from the earliest ages have
been landmarks of history. They have
recorded the location OF historical
events, and have been venerated by the
people until destroyed by the elements
or some vandal hand. England. fol
instance, had two memorable tress-
the Shelton oak, from whose top Owen
Glendower is said to have witnessed
the battle between Henry Nv. and
Harry Percy in 14O3, and the Kings
Oak, which sheltered Charles III. from
his enemies.
The historical trees of our own cOun
try, though few in number. are yet
numerous enough to deserve special
mention, and we shall content our
selves with those connected with Col
onial and Revolutionary history. The
first to be named is the famous Char
ter Oak, which grew in the city OF
Hartford. 1t obtained it's noteriety
in 1886, when Sir Edmund Andross. the
first Governor General of Connectic ut,
went to Hartford to demand the sur
render of the Colonial charter. The
demand was cunningly debated until
evening, when the charter was pro-
duced; but at once the lights in the
hall were distinguished and Capt.
Henry WadswOrth, of Hartford, seized
the precious document and hid it in an
oak tree which stood in front of the
house of Samuel Wyllys. Magistrate.
Sir Edmund searched in vain for the
charter, but the old oak and the peo-
pie kept the. secret, and it was not re.
covered.
William Penn's treaty tree stood in
Kensington until 1916. when storm
blew it down. During the Revolution
the tree came near falling prey to
British foraging parties In search OF
wood, and If Col. Simmons. Of the
Queen Rangers, had not protected 1t,
the ak would have laid it low. A
monument to Penn and his treaty
stands on the site of the tree.
The Washington elm at Cambridge
is one of the great historical trees OF
our country. On the morning OF July
8, 1875, the Father of His Country left
his headquarters at Cambridge, and,
marching to the elm which stood ma
jestically neal, by, drew his sword and
assumed command of the American
armies. Standing with barred head un
der the old tree, Washington is said
to have looked the picture of resolu-
tion and courage, thus be gave that
day to the elm fame which his own
will not outlast.
The elms of New, Haven are histori-
cal and have conferred upon it the
title of the City of the Elms. The trees
were planted by the Rev. David Aus
tin and the Hon. James Hillhouse two
prominent spirits of the colony.
The Liberty Tree, of Boston, was a
landmark until its ruthless destruc-
tion by the British. 1t, too, was an
elm, and stood at the corner of Wash
ington and Essex Streets. AS early az
1858 it was the rallying point for the
Sons of Liberty, and more than once
effigies of some of the most prominent
advocates of the Stamp Act were sus.
pended from its boughs. 1t continued
to be q Mecca of patriotism until the
coming OF General Gage in 1774. The
| tree and its associations were too OBJ
noxious to the general and his soldiers
and one day they assaulted it witt
axes and leveled it to the ground. The
noble old tree furnished fourteen cords
| of wood, and one of the soldiers who
was engaged In telling it was killed
by a falling branch.
Near the city of Charleston, S. q.
stood Lincoln's council tree, a lordl!
magnolia, so called because beneath
its boughs General Lincoln, of Revolu
tlonary fame, held his councils of wa
Iduring the siege of 1850. One woul'
think that a tree with such a hisror
would have been preserved, but NOR
than sixty years after the war the own
er of the land upon which it stood Gu
lit down for hrewood. when he hat
other timber in abundance. He shOul
lhave been imbued with the sentimen
of Morris immortal lines:
Woodman. spare that tree
Touch not single bough!
| 1t is we'll known that the captor Q
Major Andre waited for him under
giant whitewood. and there seized bill
and frustrated Arnold's treason. lry
ling, in bis "Sketch Book, says tt
tree ''towered like giant above a
other trees in the neighdorhood an
formed a kind of landmark" IT
trunk was twenty.six feet in circun
ference and forty.one feet in lengt
lit continued to mark the scene I
lAndee's capture for many years.
was struck by lightning and PARTIAL
lshivered on the very day that news
lArnold's death reached the neighbo
Ihood-a very singular circumstan'
lin the minds of many people.
If Andre had tree connected vii
his brief career, Arnold had two
them. .'Arnold's Willows" In tt
vicinity of West Point, were for mar
years objects of great interest. The
trees stood along the path taken
the traitor In his flight to the Britt
boat, which conveyed him to the sh