The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-04
" Ia MAnou1sE DE roNTENoY.
ORD EusTAcE PERCY, who has

II ORD EuSTACE PERCY, who has
just been appointed 10 the Eng
Il llsh embassy at Washington, in
the capacity OF an attaehe. is
the youngest son and third heir of the
Duke of Northumberland, his two elder
brothers being both unmarried, one OF
them soldier, the other member
OF the bar. The only two members
Of his family who may be said 70
have spent any time in this country
since the present dukedom of Nortllum
berland cAmc into existence in 1855
have been James Smlthson. and the
second duke of the present creation.
who took a prominent part in the
American War OF independence, after
having previously distinguished him-
self in the. Seven Years War under
Frederick the Grcat. In between times
he invented the first velocipede. the
forerunner of The present bicycle. and
1T is preserved TO this day AT the Castle
of Alnwick. In northumberland. James
Smithson WAS the illegltimate elder
brother of this duke: made his home
in the United states. and founded the
Smithsonian institution, in Washing
ton. 10 which ne beaueathed his entire
fortune at his death in 1929.
The present Dukes of Northunlber
land come by their name of Percy, and
by the Percy arms and vast estates. in
a somewhat Indirect fashion. and therl
arc people now living in Virginia who
have claim TO the name of Percy SUI
perlor to thai of the newly appointed
attache of the British embassy. The
last Percy Earl of northumberland
died in 1870, leaving an only daughter,
Elizabeth, who inherited her fathers
estates. as well as the barony of Percy.
Meanwhile, Charles II. four years later
created George Fitzroy. the third of
his illesitimate sons b. the Duchess of
Cleveland, first Earl. and then Duke. Of
northumberland. But this duke died
without issue in 1T16.
Lady Elizabeth Percy, Baroness Per-
cy in her own right owner of Alnwick
Castle, of Syon House. and of the
all. at the age of fourteen, Henry Cav
endish, Earl OF Ogle. heir TO the Duke
of Newcastle. He died without issue
in 1850. Then she married Tom Thyme.
of Longleat---1om OF Ten thousand
who was murdered in Pail Mall by a
rival and unsuccessful sutton for her
hand. Count Ilonigsmarck. as described
in these letters the other day. Her
third marriage was to Charles Sey-
mour. sixth Duke of Somerset. by
eldest Of these was AlEernon Selmour.
seventh Duke of Somerset, and
nrst Earl OF northumberland, who
during the lifetime Of his father. but
to the upper house as the inheritor
of her barony OF Percy. He had an
only daughter, Elizabeth, and on his
death his daughter became Lady Per-
cy IN her own rlSnt. lnnerltinS All the
Percy estates, while the dukedom of
Somerset went to a distant cousin. She
married Hugh Smithson, who. on the
strength Of his wife's estates and of
the tremendous political influence
which their possession involved, was
permitted to assume the surname and
arms of Percy. and was created Earl
of Percy. and eventually Duke of Nor
tlumberland. 1t is from this Smithson
Duke of northumberland that the
present duke is descended in the male
line direct.
American Percys.
Now. If the Percy earldom of Nor
thumberland became extinct in 1870
with the death of the eleventh earl, 1t
was in the belief that there We're no
nther heirs to the earldom in the male