Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-05-10
THE LITTLE MAYOR.
Pretty Service Of Baptism at The Home Of
Mayor John dep. Douw.

About two months ago little
Mayor came To town. He made his
bow to the world in the home OF
Mayor John dePeyster and Mrs.
Douw at "Leuwarden, I" Murray Hill.
and is the first son and heir. Mayor
Douw was the last OF his lice before
the new baby came, and but for the
little Mayors advent the name OF
Douw would have become extinct
with the death of the present Mayor
of Annapolis. It was. therefore. an
important event in the Douw family
when the son arrived aud there was
great rejoicing amongst relatives of
the little heir. The young man. who
is to perpetuate the name of Douw.
was given that name yesterday after
noon by the sacred rites OF baptism
when very pretty home christening
was celebrated and sacrament of the
church was administered. The child
was baptized Volckert Petrus Douw,
the sacrament being administered by
the Rev. Joseph p. McComas, rector
Of ST. Anne's Protestant Episcopal
Church. assisted by the Rev. James
l.. Smiley. the rector's assistant. The
name given the baby is an old fam
lily name, every other son being chris
tened Volckert Petrus, an old Dutch
name in the Douw family. Tho boy
is the NN Douw bearing the name
of Nolckert, name coming 10 this
country from Holland in 1888.
The cEild's sponsors at the baptism
were Charles G. Douw, of Poughkeep-
sic, (Mr. j. dep. Douw. proxy
paternal godfather; Mr.. Robert Tate,
maternal godfather: Mrs. George Doug
lass Miller, .of ALBANY, n. ". and
Mrs. J. c. Cresap, godmothers.
The baptismal service of the Epis-
copal> Church is very solemn and inn
pressive, the sponsors taking upon
themselves certain obligations for
the child. The service was witnessed
by the family and few personal
friends and relatives of the family.
The baptismal bowl used was the
same used at the baptism of the
| child's father and the little fellow
wore the christening robe worn py
| his grandmother at her baptism and
| also worn by his father. Another in
teresting feature of the ceremony was
| the silk blanket, white brocade
hand design, used To-
wrap the child i'm during the cere-
mony' is traditional. IL has been | N
the Douw family for many, many
years, having come down TO them
from the Beekman's, one of whom
| married a Douw. The blanket was
used at the baptism of the child's
gTeat-gTeat tgreat grandfather Volckert
Petrus, and at each successive bRp-
tism of male heir since that time.
The ehild's father is Mayor John
| dePeyster Douw, of Annapolis, and
his great grandfather was John dep.
Douw, Surrogate, of Albany county,
1882, and alderman OF Albany In
1888. The ehild's great-great-grand-
father, Volkert Petrus Douw, was
Mayor of Albany in 176l-64, and his
great-great- t-great-grandfather Volkert
Petrus Douw was Burgher of Albany
in 1868, so that he is indeed and In
truth the Little Mayor"
| After the baptismal service refresh
ents were served, and the health and
bright future of the little one was
toasted. A very pleasing toast happily
expressed, was offered by Mr.. Sam
uel Brooke. Tiny little cards bearing
the baby's name and home Of his par
ents were given the guests as souve-
Mrs. The cards had been sent by the
boys uncle, MI. Charles G.. Douw, of
Pougbkeepsie, n. Y, as a present.
After the ceremony the baby was
photographed in his christening
clothes. The Little Mayor, with his
old-fashioned Dutch name, has started
out on life's journey under the mosi
auspicious conditions. The sun shons
out brightly just as the service wai
being performed and the springtims
seemed to make its advent with tho
baptism of the little sunbeam thai
has come to brighten the life of Mayor
Douw's home at "Leuwarden.