Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-08-06

the Golfers of her mobiles, fearing the
acquisition of too much wealth woulC
increase their influence, thus giving
them too much power in her realm
The long procession of London's poo,
who followed Sir Thomas to the toni
attest to the generosity of his nature.
Much of his fortune was left TO amel.
iorate their condition.
Clannishness is n marked character.
istic of this family. for whenever one
OF the name meets with another in the
Mother Country he is recognized as
Cousin" no matter how distant the
kinship. This spirit has always swayed
them, for in 1884 when several of the
Greshams fled to America and settled
in Maryland, they clung to their family
names and traditions, even calling their
new homes after the old ones left in
England.
A few years ago the original Manor
house. called Gresham Hail., in Kent
County. Md. was visited by Mr., Peter
Haas Gresham, who said that he found
the ancient buildings and tomb-stones
near by in remarkable preservation,
when the lapse of time is taken into
consideration. One of the sons from
this home moved to Annapolis, was a
member of the Assembly and a warm
friend of Governor Calvert-who was
named as executor In this Thomas
Gresham's will. The Greshams at one
time owned much land in proximity to
the town of Annapolis. Edward Gresham
came in 1886 to Virginia, settling on the
Mattaponi in 1853 A John Gresham
represented Kent Island from I64l to
l64S, as per archives. Another John
came in 1886. and took land near Heaths-
vile. Northumberland County, Virginia,
in 1852, for which he got patent in 1864.
This tract of land was called the
Gresham College Tract" and no one
of the present day can form any idea
from the county records of where it is
situated. or can find any trace of the
Gresham Creek" which ran through
the estate, as recorded. The land
marks are all obliterated. The two
children of this John Gresham were
sent to England after his death to their
uncle, the Earl of Essex, to be educated.
They were placed under the charge of
one Waddell, probably an ancestor of
the famous blind preacher. The John
Gresham We are alluding to was a near
kinsman to Governor Berkley's wife.
as Lady Berkley's grandmother was the
daughter of Sir John Gresham of the
time of Henry VIII. This family should
feel indebted to Mr.. Peter Haas Gresh-
am for his laborious researches among
the dusty old records of the several
counties settled by the Gresham pro-
genitors. Both time and patience are
requisite and only persons of leisure can
gather satisfactory results from these
ancient records. History repeats itself,
and the family in America has allied
itself to many of the old families of the
ancestral line: the Temples, Howards,
Harvies, Gilberts, Nevilles, Grays, Har-
risons. Dews. Hallidays, and others too
numerous to mention.
The grandfather of Genl. Walter O.
Gresham moved to Indiana from King
and Queen, Va. From an old number
of the Illustrated American we copy
the following: Though the actual
head of the Cabinet and titular premier,
Walter Quintin Gresham will be best
known to history as the just Judge He
was among the last of the elder school
of statesmen, illustrated by Abraham
Lincoln. Lyman Trumball. David Davis,
and Charles Sumner" This eulogy
at the time of Secretary Gresham s
death is long. but closes thus: "His
selection to the Cabinet was however a
surprise. but it was congenial place
10 jurist, and it will be recorded OF
him that no man who ever held the
place confronted more troublesome prob
lens or secured more lasting benefits
as a diplomat than he has achieved
since the seals of Office fell into his
hands. He was in all personal rela-
tions of winning nature. He had the
generous simplicity in speech and man