New-York tribune., 1907-12-09
AMERICAN BENTINCKS.
Branch of the Duke of Portland,s
Fdmily Settled Here.

ytical cadet of the noble house in question whom,
ne declares TO have ennigrated TO America in t,e
Ut eighteenth century. 1t wds there
lore only to be expected that the Dy1,ce Portland
O""Se ceieore In London, which is attracting SO
hnch attention throughout the civilized world
eoUiu nave leu 10 the appearance of an American
Ni04I4dht 10 ule dukedom of Portland and TO the
es'ateS IN 'he person of individual of the name
OF Calkins, of MllviIlc, n J. who insists thar he
u the first Duke of
Fortiaud, and that he himself is more ,rnedia te
"e0oehueo from the eldest of the third Duke
Va 'idllu VINO came 10 this country at the be
ginning OF The nineteenth century, under the as
sulned name of John Barker. and married here
II Is hardly necessary state that the most rsor,
examination OF the genealogy of the ducal house
VI NaFehulSh henunck will show that the eldest
son VI Iie lhlro duke succeeded him as fourth duke
and was the father the fifth duke whose aIlAgel
douhle existence forms the basis of the Drce law
suit in London Nor is there anv other son either
OF 'he third or fourth Duke OF Portland who would
answer le description of the New Jersey claimant
Ills pretensions, devoid of all serious considera-
non or Importance, may however serve to call at
tenuon TO the fact that there is established in this
country, not in New Jersey, but at St Louis and
IN the vicinity branch of the iustrious house of
berunck' winch can claim descent in the male line
not from the first Duke Portland bur from the
Iatters father the first Earl of Portland the de-
voted retainer, adherent and most Trusted condd.r,
of King William and who fought BY his side as
general commanding the cavalry at the battle of
the Boyne. This Earl Portland was married txyics
His son Henry, by his first marriage. succeeded TO
ms English honors and estates, and became first
Duke Of Portland BY the earVs second marriage
he had son, William. who inherited his extensive
Dutch estates was created a count of the Holy
hoTlan Empire by Emperor Charles VI the title
peng heritable by all his descendants and married
the only daughter and heiress of Anthony II SOW
ereign Count Of Knyphausen and of vareL Their
eldest son, Christian, succeeded TO his maternal
sIadiathers sovereignty which passed at his death
TO his own eldest son. Count William Gusave Ben
tincE The latter married as his first wife q Bar
oness Lynden, who died in 1899. A year later he
contracted union with d woman of the name of
Sarah Gerdes the daughter Of one of his farmers
ana who bore him couple OF BOYS William and
Gustave- The union was not ratified by the Church
uHti 1916, that Is TO when William and Gus
taVe We're already in their teens But their father
claimed that his marriage his wife prior 10 that
GATE had been 'gewissensehe" Cnarriage of con4
sclencet- and that his were therefore legiti-
mate and entitled 10 succeed TO his sovereignty OF
hnypEauseu.
Ihls view was contested AT his death by his
younger brother Count John Charles Bentinck
general or the British army. the great Beutinc
succession lawsuit. which lasted for more than
quarter OF century, ensued, the decision being u-
ely given against the sons of the sovereign Count
William Gustave Bentinck by his peasant wife on
t1e ground that though not actually illegitimate as
asserted IN the English ''Peerages,' notably By
Burke they were, at any rate. the offspring of
10 the sovereignty Of knyphauseu The eldest Of
fhese sons. William. eigrated with his mother to
inIS country settled down in St Louis, where he
married relative Of lis mother, bearing the same
name Of Gerdes. lie had several children one of
whom bears the name OF William and lives at
St Louis. and died in 1861 At Martasville. near ST
Louis The other brother, Gustave, remained in Iu-
rope married Countess Clara Wedel and has left
two daughters. both OF whom married into the old
house of the German aristocracy- They as well as
the children Of that William Bentnck who en-
grated 10 America, ngure Counts and Countesses
Bentinck in ali German official lists OF the nobil-
lty and standard works of reference. notably in
the ''Graflcher Taschenbuch." issued by the edi-
tors of the Alrnanach de Gotha and. in conjunc-
ton with the latter. sharing fits authority.
The successful claimants in the great lawsuit.
sons OF General Count John Charles Bentinck
younger brother Of the Count Bentinck who mar
ried Sarah Gerdesb. sold their sovereignty oc Knyp
hausen and Of Farel 10 the Grand Duke OF Olden-
burg and figure members of the mcdatized
formerly sovereign houses in Part II OF the Al
manach dc GotIs.
Therefore. while lending no Credence to the pre-
tensions OF Mr.. Calkins. of MIlville y. J.. to be
descended from alleged eldest son Of the third
Duke OF Portland. who preferred the name OF John
Barker that Of Marquis of TitcAdeld. borne by
The eldest sors OF the Dukes Of Portland. and
modest residence in America TO ducal home in
England k is perfectly that there in
Count William Beuunck, ,n his children and his
sisters St Louis bona iidc American descend
ants in the male line direct OF the first Earl OF
Portland founder cf the English branch Of the Ben
tinck family. According 20 the English 'Pecrages
they are barred from the line Of succession to
the English earldom of Portland and OF the Port
land estates as offspring Of a father born out OF
weGlock. According German law and standard
works Of reference, however, the American Counts
and Couptcsses Bentinck are legitimate, and seeing
that their grandfather was q German petty soFeF--
oia., when he welded his peasant wife and that the
conscience marriage has been regarded as legal
by the law OF Germany. where it took place, 1t Is
doubtful whether the view entertained by Burke
and other English standard works as 10 the alleged
jueeitnacy Of the origin of the American Bentfncks
would be upheld by the English courts.
KING EDWARDS NEW GOLD STICK
Field Marshal Sir Evelyn Wood has just been
apnointed to the Office Of Gold Stick and to the
coioneIcy Of the Royal Horse Guards in succession
10 Lord Wolseley. who has requested the King 5
,,isson TO resign these Offices, owing to the fact
that i'll health and old age render 1t difficult ieT
hin, "a fulfill the duties OF Gold Stick 1t may be
well therefore TO explain just what these duties
~ ,a.,icn the veteran Lord woseey. former gen
eraIfssirno OF the army, finds too onerous- 4he
diguitary known the Gold STICK is nowadays
required TO be in close attendance upon the hihs
al every court and state Junction. no ihdl'ei
,be.,e- !. he a state ball state banquet a court,
Ieyee a review or the grant OF an audience 10
.or,c foreign mission or some civic deputation.
These ceremonial affairs have become very hu-
,nerous indeed since the accession OF hihB Eu-
ward and entail a great deal ol "oih upon 'ii0
members Of his court. Lord Wolseiey Is between
seventy and eighty years of age and, inasmuch rs
~ these court functions the officers of state are
r.orjred 10 remain standing sometimes for hours
together he ands himself no longer strong enough
10 bear the fatigue
r., rd,rard has three Gold Sticks and three
si,,er sticks whose Office dates from the reign o.
charles II Ia the year 1861 when negotiations
were IN rr EreSs 1t The Hague for the restord-
tion Of the monarchy in England NHafieS "a pe
-. - = =. tor,n an efficient hodyguard previous