The Washington herald., 1907-04-03
Historical Trees in America
BY FREDERIC J. HASKTM

Ever since a fig tree set up as haber-
dasher to Adam and Eve in the Garden Of
Eden. trees have played a more or less
important part in the worlds history. The
first Protestant church service was under
the trees at jamestown, and the first
church bell rung In the West was the one
hat good Father Juniper0 Sierra tied TO an
aTching oak hough at San Diego. The first
agricultural fair in America was held
under giant elm at Pittsfeld. Mass. the
same tree under which the men of that
section formed when they marched away
to the war of 1912. When Conneeueut's
charter was in great danger of seizure it
was hidden by faithful citizens in hol-
low oak.
Because the Scotch had "dool trees or
grief trees" on which they hung their
enemies in reality. or in effigy, early
CoIonists here must needs have something
Of the sort SO they chose 10 set up lib
erty trees in New England. The Scotch
had sycamores, the New England colo
nists chose elms, and they were made TO
serve many purposes. Under them meet
ings were held. frsom their boughs the
bodies of offenders dangled, and in their
shade drunkards, liars, and thieves sat
in the stocks 10 be jibed at by passers-
by. One tree on Boston Common had a
most dark history Ii stood near the
long patti" that DR. Holmes immOrtalized
in his "Autocrat Of the Breakfast Table"
and on 1t We're hanged Margaret Jones
and Anne Hibbns. two witches OF early
days and Mary Dyer, the 0uakeress.
Under il Mrs. oliver was fOgsed for
"TepTOGching magistrates. In 1876 this Old
tree fell in a windstOrm, and a detach-
lnent of police had 10 be called TO keep
the souvenir collectors from cutting il TO
pieces. An offshoot of this tree, about
forty years old, has been elected to take
its place.
The dean Of Americas historic trees is
the Washington elm of Cambridge, a
venerable landmark now IN its dotage.
Under this tree Washington first took
command Of the American army. July g.
1775." reads the inscription compiled by
I.ongfellow and engraved on tablet
Some say that the first evangelist in
America. George Whitefield. preached un-
der this same tree. Twice has the light
ming struck 1t, both times in the same
place, and no doubt its days are now
numbered. though a jealous townspeOple
are guarding it carefully
One OF the famous peace oaks that
stood in front of John Eliot's old meeting
house at Natick is said to be still in
existence 1t was brought TO the mis-
sionary 10y the Indians ne had taught,
and planted by them as an expression of
peace. At Dcdham another oak is pointed
out as the pulpit once used by George
Fox, the Quaker. when a meeting house
was denied him.
Penn's famous treaty tree fell in gale
nearly "a hundred years ago. its promi-
nence being SO marked I'm its early days
that the English soldiers placed a spe-
cial guard around il during the Reyolu-
tion. After it was felied by "a gale IN
1910 a great part Of the tree was sent
10 the old Penn family seat at Stoke,
near Windsor, England. where it is stnl
preserved Jane McCrea HI is an in-
scription that was seen for a long while
ON "a large pine tree near Fort Edward,
on the Hudson. This tree was the silent
witness OF the death OF the brave girl
whose scalp WAS taken by an Indian 10
Burgoyne's camp and sold. whereat her
lover. who recognized il. deserted the
army that would allow such practices.
la New York the mcgaphone men on
the tourist cars viii point out a group of
two or three sour gum trees tn the neigh
bor1ood of l45th street and Fifth avenue.
and tell you that these are all that is
l.-Ft 90 41-. tt.s
Hamilton planted in honor of the original
colonies Near 159th street there are said
10 be some famous cypress trees of the
old JUmel estate still standing. they hav-
ing been "a present to Mr.. Jumei from
Napoleon. who brought them from Egypt
The growth of the metropolis has spared I
the elms in the yard of the Little Church
Around the Corner.
New Haven has been known for many
generations as the City Of Elms. the first
having been brought there from Hamp-
den by William Cooper and given To the
Rev. Mr.. PierpoHt. On the green stands an /
elm known as the Franklin elm. having
been bought by Thaddeus Beecher from
one Jerry Allen for "a pint of rum and
some tri1es. and planted on the day
a mulberry tree stood to mark the place /
where the Calverts and the Indians made /
the treaty that gave Maryland to the /
Catholics, but il fell over fifty years ago /
Church furniture was made of it for use /
in the ancient town Of St. Marys. and
the Bishop OF Maryland has a gavel made /
from bit Of it, The strength of a tree 4
is almost incredible. At jamestown a /
sycamore grew up between the graves of /
Commissary Blair and his wife. It carried !
0ne-third of Mrs Biairs tomb three feet /
above the surface, holding it fast in 1
crotch. while the roots and body OF the /
tree shattered into tiny bits the iron |
stone slab that marked the commissary's |
tomb.
on the eastern bOrderland of Tennessee. |
far up in the mountains. there stood for 1
many years a tree bearing this legend. |
ID. Boon killed a Bar on this tree year /
1860. II was rough record of the /
pTowess Of a twenty-six-year-ol hunter
and was a familiar landmark 10 travellers