The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-07-04
Copyright, 1909,
John Elfreth Watkins

books, ,u TO this progeny Of Roger sher-
mar man also belonged Senator George F. Hoar
and Secretary OF State William NJ Evarts
Inc spirit of leadership which imbued
Conecticuts s!anch slgner. Oliver WoY-
cott lives again in the breast Of his lin
cal descendant James Wolcott Wadsworth
Jr, the aole young politician, who lately
served as speaker OF the New York as
sembly, Ills father, OF the same name,
was for ten years In the house. where he
was chairman OF the committee on agri-
culture when he became involved with
/ troversy, which resulted In his defeat for
reelection. And in this connection men
name is borne by two of oliver Wolcott's
descendants. Lorraine and Oliver Wolcott
Roosevelt. This Wolcott blood was good
and red. The sgner's son. Oliver was
ten times elected governor of Connecticut
and succeeded Hamilton as secretary OF
| the treasury.
Present Robert Treat Paine.
One of the few instances where living
Slgner ancestor Is that of the distinguished
Boston philanthropist. vino Is a great
grandson OF Robert Treat Paine. the Mas
sachusetts s!ener: The present Robert
Treat Paine, ex-legislator and one time
candidate for congress. has for thirty
one years been president Of the Associated
Charities OF Boston for the workinsmen
Of which city ne has organized an insti-
tute. cooperative bank n building as
the late Mrs. Paine endowed with $780,
900, trust for other charitable purposes
Elbridge Gerry OF Today.
Only small. handful Of grandchildren
of signers survive and one OF the most
distinguished of these is Elbridge Thomas
Gerry. the New York humanitarian. who
is The grandson OF Eibrdge Gerry. the
Massachusetts 5igner. who became Vice
tcr's son. Thomas X. Gerry entered the
navy and married Hannah G. Goelet. the
Youngest daughter of Peter p. Goelet.
These were the parents of the present
! .nStS20 l0linC
away his time on the fortune left him.
studied law and dedicated his life to saw
ing bis less fortunate fellow creatures
from palm He led the movement for
the abolition Of hanging In New York
man Of the commission which substituted
elcctrocution For many years he was
Vice president OF the American Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
is best known for his work, for quarter
of a century. as president OF the Society
for the Prevention OF Cruelty to- Children.
society," which has co-operated with the
courts In saving thousands OF children,
of their elders and tho Vice OF the neither
world At the same time Mr.. Gerry has
taken an interest in clean sports. especial
~ yachting. HH was commodore Of the
New York Yacht club for twelve con-
secutivc terms His private law library
containing. 10000 volumes; is said To be
the largest OF lJS class In the world.
signers' Granada ghters.
WO OlHsl it..uE EEiliiuClil.uTeu y! sign
crs are Miss Henrietta Charming Ellery
of Newport, granddaughter Of Rhode
Islands signer, William Ellery: and Miss
Margaret j, Woods OF Lewiston. Pa..
granddaughter of John Witherspoon. And
speaking of women descendants Of sign
crs, there is Mrs. John Sharp Williams
wife OF the wit OF the house of represen-
tatives, who is Il great granddaughter Of
John Witherspoon. and VINO before her
marriage was Elizabeth Dial Webb of
Alabama. Mrs. Joseph Forncy Johnston
wife OF the United States senator from
Alabama, is a descendant OF William
Hooper, one OF the North Carolina declar-
ants, while Mrs. Thomas F. Bayard, Wild
ow OF the late secretary of state, is a
great-great- granddaughter OF George ely
mer who signed for Pennsylvania.
TIE signer survived by the most numer-
Gus known poster!ty is Porter Braxton OF
Virginia
The oldest living descendant OF a signer
appears 10 be Scudder Hart Darragh, e.
retired iron manufacturer OF Beaver. Pa.
who IS u great-srandson OF John Hart,
who signed the Declaration as one or the
New Jersey delegates, He Is ninety-two
years old.
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS.