The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1910-08-19

Jersey. In 1863, when he was 46 years
of age, he entered upon his duties.
He became a true son of his
declared, he entered heart and soul
into the cause of the colonies.
He was a member of the New Jer>
sey provincial congress-, and a dele
gate to the continental congress-.
Who can ever forget his ringing
words. when, on July 4, 1776, the Dec.
laration of Independence was called
up for final action.
In the course of his memorable
speech he said: There is a tide in
the affairs Of men-a nick of time.
We perceive it now before us. That
noble instrument should be subscribed
this very morning, by every pen in
the house. He who will not respond
to its accents. and strain every nerve
to carry into effect it's provisions. is
unworthy the name Of freeman. For
my own part, of property, | have
some, OF reputation more; that repu.
tation is staked-that property is
pledged, on the issue of this contest
A statue of John Witherspoon
stands on LandsdOwne drive, Fair.
mount park, Philadelphia, and there
is a handsome. modern building bear.
ing his name in the city. His grave
is with those Of the other presidents
Of Princeton, in Princeton cemetery
The Witherspoon Memorial associa.
ton proposes to erect a statue to his
memory at the national capital, on
Connecticut emu in front of the
Church of the Covenant. The Wither-
spoon Family association keeps green
the memory of fOrefatherS. and is
constantly adding data of great value
to its already large and important col.
lection.
An interesting family relic is a 81
Bile, handed down from father to son
the manuscript Bible" it is called.
1t is in Latin. on parchment, and il.
Illuminated. II the work of a monk,
who lived in the ninth century.
Heitman's "Omcers of the American
Revolution" gives the name of Maj.
James WitherspOon, son of Rev. John
of Princeton. He was killed at Ger.
mantown, October 4, 1777. Another
James-Capt. James Of South Caro-.
lina-received his commission from
Gen. Marion, April 4, 1882. Gen. Mari.
on writes: In these times, when our
country calls for men of bravery and
ability, such as you, no good man
ought to shun the service, and it gives
mo pleasure to see you at the head of
a company, which l know will be led
on by a man whose conduct and spirit
| have been an y witness of, whom
| have always had the highest opinion
Of and the greatest regard for"
DR.. John, son of the president OF
Princeton, was in the continental
army, and, before the close of the
war, he was sen to England on a
diplomatic mission. While there he
was placed in prison presumably or
account OF the prominence of his ia
Their. Benjamin Franklin, a friend O.
the family, bailed him out of Jail.
John is also a common name in the
history of the Witherspoons in New
England. One of the officers of the
revolution was David Witherspoon o
Chester, N. II. His wife was Agne:
Linn. York, Me, was another early
home of the W~itherspOons.
Strongholds of the Witherspoons il
South Carolina have been Williams
burg, Kinsstree, Abbeville, Sumter
vile, and in North Carolina, Newbern
among other places. The family have
Tennessee and Florida.
Among marriage connections of thu
WitherspoOns, we may mention thu
families Of Ramsey, Laurens, Price
Williams, White, Fleming, Hollins
head, Anderson and F'rierson. Gavin
=. is a favorite Christian name, ais
David, Robert and James, and Jane
;. or Janette, Unadello and Elizabeth.
Regarding the characteristics of tn
WitherspOons, we cannot do bette
perhaps than give the following G,
tract relative to early fathers, for tn
> noble traits of character are commo
5 to many OF the family: "They wer
i servers of God, they we're we'll al
quainted with the Scriptures, the
were much in prayer, they were strie
Il observers of the Sabbath. In a wore
. they were a stock that studied on
X ward piety and inward purity" g.
bold statesman: nothing could daur
him or break his purpose" has bee
said of one.
r The coat-of-arms illustrated is bl'