The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-07-26
Qua ANCESTORS.
Creation Of a Family Tree Becoming
Popular Industry.

rather interesting tendency Of the
times is emphasized in the amount
Of space which a number Of ncwspa-
pers are devoting to genealogical
articles. In other words, we are be-
ginning TO manifest some concern re-
garding our ancestors.
The creation of family trees has
never been popular industry in this
country. 1t was discouraged by on.
ancestors. who felt that they haa
enough to do in subduing tyranny.
lighting the Indians, and conquerng
the wilderness. without eXpendng
time and thought upon pedigrecs and
heraldic devices. They were a sturdy
ana practical people. those ancestors
OF ours, and very democratic IN all
their tendencies. They judged a man
by what he said and did, and not by
what his rather had said and done be :.
fore him. II there was one thing whlcn
they conscientiously antagonlzed, It
was the idea of inequality Of bidth.
They believed that all men were Great ed
equal. and genalogy was, to them, an
unnecessary science They were not
even careful in the matter of presery-
ing records for future generations
They seemed to argue that If they dill
their whole duty before God and man.
there was no necessity TO look into
the future or trouble themselves about
their descendants.
With the increase OF wealth II
leisure in this country, together with
a desire to initiate the aristocracy OF
Europe. there had come a marked
change in the attitude toward geneal-
oRical research. A great many peo-
pie who resent any question as to
their real Americanism are now *
ploring Burke's Peerage and Fairbanks
Crests or pedigrees and coats-of-arms.
In some degree, this industry is not
20 be condemned II a man or a wo-
man has any pride or self-nespcct
at all, the possession OF an honorable
pedigree will be helpful and stipulat-
ing, IL is worth while TO know the
I names of our great-grandparents and
the work in which they we're engaged,
especially II they were useful ana re-
spected members OF a community.
We like good pedigree in horse or
a dog. and why not in a man? IL
means that close tab has been kept
upon the family. and that its personnel
was OF some importance in the world.
II there is record OF courage and il
dustry and achievement TO emulate.
so much the better The knowledge
that a long line of ancestors has ac-
complished something ip the woEld
/ ought TO make the descendant anxious
10 preserve the record unbroken.
The great trouble with the seekers
after pedigrees and coats-of-arms, now
ever, is that they are generally willing
/ TO rest upon the records OF the dead
and gone, rather than themselves
l struggle for a niche In the hall Of
fame. They build exclusively apoh
/ past glories, and the structure Is Hee-
esarily weak and fimsy. rhey are
content to remain known as a member
/ OF an honored family, instead OF add
! ing to the value OF the family name.
/ When this trait manifests itself. the
result is fatal to all endeavor. There
are too many cases Of this Kina--
enough. in fact, TO throw the man,le
OF suspicion and criticism upon nearly
all who indulge in genealogical re-
searches. The man who is content
with what his father or grandfather did
instead of adding to their glory by
his own EFFORTS, is not a very essential
member OF any community. On me
other hand, a man who labors TO di
10 The prestige attained by his ances-
tors is putting his genealogical re-
searches TO practical good.
IL is very fortunate however. that
in this country coat-of-arms and a
pedigree are not essential TO success.
They may be good things TO POSSESS,
\ but IL Is achievement which establishes
mans place In the world. When a
man has mounted high upon the 2sd-
estal OF success he can afford 10 look
forward 10 the future and see the FAM
ily which will come after him. and he
aeed not grieye because his gensalosi-
cal tree Is as barren az the Sahara
sands.-Washington Post.