New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-28
GRANT FAMILY DIMES.
MEMBERS REUNITED.
Come from al Parts of Union to
Honor Memory of Founders.

The Grant fanlI-- observed the birthday OF Pris-
ella Grant last night by a dinner at the St Denis
Abou; sixty Grants were present but the leader OF
them an. Major General Frederick Dent Grant, was
unable 10 be present because Of military duties.
II was the ninth annual reunion Of the Grant
Family Associations and also the three hundred and
sixth birthday Of Priscilla Grant. Priscilla and
Matthew Grant were the founders Of the American
branch Of the family.
The attendance AZ any Of the reunions thus far
has not varied all, there being always abolF
sixty members Of the family present. Last night
about twenty Of those who ttended the reunion
last year were not present l. their places
taken by twenty more who had not been at the
previous dinner.
General Frederick Dent Grant, wno not only was
expected 10 be AT the dinner, but was down for
speech, sent this telegram:
Grant family reunion tonight is impossible Mill
tary duties prevent Greetings TO you all
Regrets we're also sent by Charles E. Tobey.
superintendent OF the Delaware, Lackawanna &
Western Railroad Q. II. Hopkins. superintendent
of the Ontario & Western Railroad. and Mrs Nir-
Einia P Corbin, sister of President Grant. who
heretofore has regularly attended the reunions.
Theodore P. shonts. who had been invited as
guest. also sent his regrets that he could not be
present.
Elijah r. Kennedy. Of Brooklyn. was the toast
master. The other speakers were Arthur H. Grant
the Rev Walter Laidlaw. and the Rev. Dr. George
Thomas Bowling. rector of St Jamess Church,
Brooklyn.
Arthur H Grant spoke about the original mem
bers Of the family in this country, Priscilla Grant
and her husband Matthew
he said that they unusual ancestors them
selves. and that they had proved it by their de-
scendants. Then he told about Matthew Grant and
his Offices and OF how he had always stood for
religious liberty and the separation Of Church and
State.
He said that he thought it eminenty appropriate
TO select as a memorial for Matthew Grant fell
-sr IN Of in vVbin
the whole family takes a deep interest. He ended
by saying
regard it as a privilege TO be permitted to con-
tribute to such memorial TO such man. and
is true light before the thousands Of his living de-
scendants v no are worthy Of such an ancestor the
response viii be instant and generous and that 70.
The hist ume perhaps in this country there shall
a m nan whose gTeatgess is measured not by the
STANDARDS OF spiritual accomplishment.
The Rev. George Thomas Bowling. rector of St.
James's Protestant Episcopal Church, Brooklyn,
spoke about The training man ought. 10 have to
be an ancestor Of the right kind. He told the
story Of the Irishmau who said he ancestor
of the distinguished men he had been talking about
He had a lot to say about heredity. and cited. as
an instance Of physical transmittance of ancestral
traits The case Of red headed boy he saw once.
After he saw the boy he met the father, who had
red hair. TOO and the mother, who differed only in
that her hair was redder. That. he said was
heredity- Though" he added. in that case
heredity proved to be red-headity." He said:
At the annual ! banquet Of the Chamber OF Com
ancestor Genea Tsae gears ago your famous IN
sPeSkeTs He .9gan his address in this way. He
Der Of 6mmerce sr aga Ie 9enteen o; the Cham
10 your president for calling upon ne first be
10y the ,I misery Of the speakers who follow,
iE ss my agony tonight in being called upon
! assure you that I nave felt very much like
Thomas Carlyle when complaining TO a neighbor Of
Irl Igl peac9ek Eacn that neghbor kept upon his
cant hear myself -niHk.' and the neghbor was
what If it doesn't soIIavJz MOI 7 & 53
long waiting for that squawk,' Tonight I found
myselc surrounded by delishtf9 cCm1aniors bI,t
think OF my misery waiting ali the evening long
I'M now what snail ! talk to you about?
better perhaps. than seek 10 ask and answer
me question. What kind Of ancestors are we max
back upon US. what Viii they have to say?
good T74e EI+ J1 5 5 10 3e a father but to be
irs IS Ike bookkeepng-it has to be learned. When
ne ne drectlons DO not come on the package. And
49, m'y %l-l-t 10 speak 10 you upon The
Genera-ion Which Is To Re"
boy must first be sure that he has the the right
KIND OF father for only character impart
Laying aside testing this tendency to Inheritance
vital fact. Francis Bird once found DR. Ho owe
with his feet sHathed in hannels and extended
FgP S% enaG oaf a he said WhSt is the natter
MSkf} th9ug ag g0q nsyer drank any
Cd; and have 10 foot the bill That was hered-
just the external features. the shape
mouth the color OF the haIr OF OF The eyes. are
passed down from parent 10 offspring. so thus men
tai and spiritual characteristics, which part
OF Us, are impressed upon our children. That
what Oliver Wendell Holmes meant when he said
he could make anything he chose of boy. pro-
Vided he began with his gr@at-grandfather- Hered-
Try is 10 the species what memory - 10 the in
dividual-t recalls I'D facts.
MI DARWIN tells US that even the handwriting
has sometimes passed from father TO son. though
The child may have learned 70 write entirely under
another tutor. We see II illustrated IN mental and
moral characteristics Thus. Charles Sturgeon was
the flower of four generations OF preachers Ralph
Waldo Emerson Of nine they blooded stock;
wisdom in the selection Of their parents. fact
which all the more remarkable because at the
was Lyman Beecher revised and improved and
I viii ten YOU what has pleased me most OF all
! have been listening TO the speeches or TINS
evening and that is 10 learn that that which this
Grant clan seems most 10 be proud OF is not the
reputation OF their ancestors though they may well
- T-o7,d ~ that hut their Character Character
IS what z is: reputation is simply what The
world thinks he is You have made II very clear
than be famous: and I have been reminded OF
remarkable passage in the life OF Moses where
he says 10 God. = beseech Thee show Thy
Erea and JehoNah answered. i VIII mako
al Ny goodness 10 pass before thee.
The keynote which has been struck this evening
has been the thought that real greatness IS moral
goodness: that II man is man, he is for
al that, and Il he isn't a man, then for a that he
isn't man. Realizing this. you will learn the
children shall be proud. you are justly proud Of
yours And in this spirit I anticipate that in those
desire for the emulation Of those who are gone /
trust the time may never come when your genoa