The Nevada County picayune., 1909-02-18


 of pedigree tracing depends upon the dol lar If the price be paid genealogical tree will be drawn up, which finally will strike its roots into some royal tomb
 There is one famous which can be traced back for more than TOO years. The family boasts of no royal ancestor, and 1t never held any hered tary title, but all through this long time it's mem bers were people of position
 In 11S3-before surnames were thought of-a Norman knight named William of Hertburn bought the manor of Wessyngton from the bishop of Dur ham in England. He paid four pounds in good cash for it, and also agreed to attend the bishop with two greyhounds on occasions of state hunt ings and to furnish a man-at-arms when the lord bishop had any fighting on hand. This William. hereafter known Sir William of Wessyngton, was the first man to bear the name. and was the direct ancestor of George Washington. The Is pure Saxon, meaning the town the marshy meadow and the village known Washing ton Is in the coal mining district about ten miles from Durham. The Washingtons soon spread all over the north of England, where the still is common, and branch of the family settled in the county of Lancashire.
 From Lancashire one Lawrence Washington went up to London, to study law in Gray's inn. He made his mark, and, leaving London for Northampton, successful there that he twice became may of that city This in the days of King Henry the Eighth-bluff King Ha-the man who could not make his marriage ideas fit in with the ideas of the church, and quarreled with it. Church property confiscated on all hands, and hmong other fertile spots the mayor of Solgrave fell into his clutches. It was bestowed upon Law renee Washington, who thus became lord of the manor of Solgrave in Northamptonshire and was revered by the community.
 The manor house still stands. Lawrence Wash ington altered it to suit his tastes. and in the carvings of both stone and woodwork and the decorations of the windows he his arms of Stars and Stripes
 foIly q that property taken from the church never could prosper. However that may be- the family only held Sograve for three generations. The first Lawrence had large family of four sons and seven daughters. and his family twice intermarried with the noble Spencer family-direct ancestors of tho present Earl Spencer. So when trouble came the family the earl built home for his kinsman fin the little village of Bringon in the county. Here in the old village church Lawrence Washing. ton grandson of the first Lawrence, is buried, cording to tradition
 Though reduced" the family was not impover- ished did it's members lose their worthy stand ing This Lawrence exceeded his grandfather in the number of his children, for l6 were born to him Two of his became knights some of his daughters married knights other men of dis tinction, and hls fourth also named Lawrence, became a fellow of Brazenose college Oxford, and a clergyman
 ] Times changed quickly in those old days. Henry the Eighth and his children long in their graves, and Charles the First was on his troubled throne. As became old country family the Washngtons one and all were for their king, and several fought bravely against Cromwell and his parliamentary troops. While the knights fought the clergyman preached and it is evident that he did not mince words. The paramentarans wrthed under his home thrusts, and when they got the up per hand they did not forget him. His church was taken from him. and not content with that they published his iniquities in a book of "Maiignants a sort of rogues gallery of those who stanch- est in the support of their king. The politicians of those days were worse than those of today. In the quaint language of the time they said that the Rev Lawrence lis a frequenter of ale houses not only himself sitting daily tipping there. but also encouraging others in that beastly vice and hath often been drunk. He hath said that the parliament have more papists belonging to them in their armies than the king had about .iim or in his armie, and that the parliaments armie did more hurt than the cavaliers and that they did at all and hath published them to be traitors that lend to assist the parliament"
 The reverend gentleman never again made his