The Elbert County tribune., 1904-06-30

without a rival in the annals of the
world. 1t is not. however. so gener-
ally allowed that as a military genius
he transcends all others. Americans
and his admirers the world over
might well rest content with behold
Ing their ideal citizen acclaimed with
universal consent the unique figure
In the annals of human veal. industry
and peace. Yet do not think II would
| be bard to show that even in military
genius he is stin without peer.
But the arts of peace. not war. is
our theme. and we shall therefore
leave the question OF military genius
to more convenient season and I'D.
dress ourselves to the subject In
hand; Washington and the American
flag This naturally falls under the
threefold -Washington's Ances-
try. the Evolution of the Flag. and the
Symbolism of the Flag"
First. washington's Ancestry. As
far as historical research has yet
reached back. Washington's ancestry
has been located in Durham. In the
north Of England. From Durham some
Of the Washingtons migrated TO Lancn-
shire, Then we find them settling in
Nortbamptonshire. in the reign of
Henry VII. From Northampton the
great-grandfather of Washington emf
grated to America in or about the year
1867. The pursuits followed by the
Washingtons may be summed up
under the church. the army, the law
and the farm. II is around this last
that the most interesting and roman
tic Incidents of the family gather. and
Northampton is the scene of the vary
ing vicissitudes that eliminated in the
emigration of Lawrence Washington
to Virginia
For three generations the Washing
tons lived in Northampton. taking
rank with the gentry of the county,
and there they made more than one
alliance WITH the nobility. Lawrence
appears to have been family name
among the Washingtons. The uncle
OF the first historical Lawrence was
Sir Thomas Kitson. one of the great
merchants who in the reigns of Henry
VII and Henry VIII. developed the
wool trade of England.
Althorp. in Brlngton parish. was
the scat of the spencers, and the
/ Spencers were connected by marriage
with the Kitsons. and therefore with
the Washinetons. Lady Spencer OF
/ that day was a Kitson. a daughter OF
Washington's uncle, and therefore
first cousin to Lawrence. But the rec
/ tor of Brington. the Rev. DIR. Legion
became. through the Spencers a friend
OF Lawrence. and as DR.. Legion was
Cromwell's prime commissioner for
| the dissolution OF the monasteries. he
4 had It in his power to help his friends.
| And he did help Lawrence Washing
ton by the grant of Sulgrave in North
ampton. where the Washingtons lived
! for three generations. Lawrence was
/ Interested in civic matters as well as
/ rural. and became for time the
mayor of Northampton. At the end OF
| the third generation the Washingtons
failed, so they sold Sulgrave and went
to live In Brlngton. Here the eldest
son married half sister OF George
/ Villiers, Duke of Buckingham.
The Washingtons sided with the
King (Charles ~ in the civil war, and
one of them, Sir Henry. attained great
distinction for his dash and bravery
| in his operations against the Cromwell
4 ians. He led the storming party at
Bristol and II was he who so CALAMITY
defended Worcester. His bravery was
such that an expression Of his became
proverbial In the army. When any
great difficulty arose Il was customary
Ia q A nit IL No In
ton"
The emigrant. who was knighted by
James l.. spent his younger days in
Brington. In the parish church there
arc two sepulchral stones of absorbing
interest to every American. One with
the date 1916 is over the grave OF the
emigrant's father. On II appears his
arms "impaled" with those OF his wife.
The second covers the grave Of an
uncle, and has on a brass a simple
family shield with the extraneous
crescent appropriate to a younger son.
But that which is OF transcendant in
/ terest TO very American citizen is that
here on the tombstone of the dead
are emblazoned emblems sacred to a
great nation and which thrill the soul
Of mighty people; the embryo Of the
National Flag-the Stars and Stripes.
The stars on the shield have this
popularity, they are five pointed.
whereas six points are the general
Characteristic OF heraldic stars. On
the coat of arms are three stars and
two horizontal bars or zones with
alternate Tules and white"-gules
q =
vertical position. Here we discover
the nucleus. the fons ct origo, OF the
american Flag.
Three years ago. when spending a
lengthened vacation In England. I had
charge OF a parish not far from Bring
ton. II was a source OF never failing