The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-10
SAYS BLUEBLOODS HANE
LITTLE TO SWELL OVER
Mr. Thomas Jefferson Wertenbak in College Thesis Declares that
Virginia Arisocracy Mostly Sprung from Humble Origin
Find Traces of Graft Even in Colonial Days---

That but few men OF rank ever
came TO the wilderness of Virgins"
and that the planters were In most
cases descendants of merchant ances-
tors is the general conclusion reached
by Mr.. Thomas Jefferson Werten ba-
ker, of Charlottesville, In a treatise
entitled "Partrician and Plebeian in
Virginia" written as part OF the re-
quirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy which will be conferred
upon him at the approaching univer-
sity of Virginia finals.
The aristocratic character OF Viz
ginia society" says Mr.. Wertenbaker.
was the result of development with
In the colony and proceeded from eco
nonic, political and social causes"
1T is true. however" he admits.
that the proportion OF those official
ly termed gentlemen that sailed with
the early expeditions to jamestown Ia
surprisingly large. Out OF los set
tiers that came over In 1907, thirty
five were called gentlemen. and of
those that came over q year later
thirty-three were honored with the
title of gentleman. These men. how
ever, were declared by Captain John
Smith to be worthless in character
and more fitted to "spoyle q COM
loHweaAtH tHan 10 pcSih or HldaHtaiu
one
I'm England" continues the author.
stories of the rapid advance OF pso-
pie OF humble origin in Virginia gave
rise 20 reports that the most infiuen-
tial families in the colony were chief
ly composed OF former criminals, De-
foe giving voice to this opinion In
two OF his popular novels"
Not Sprung From Crooks.
In this connection the author says:
1T 10 certain that the Virginia aris-
tocracy was not descended from fell
ona, but this belief that found voice
in works Of action OF the seventeenth
century must have had some slight
foundation in truth. At any rate, 1t
tends to strengthen the evidence that
men OF humble origin did attain
places of honor and profit In the col
ony. and 1t shows that In England in
this period people were far from i'm
agfning that many artstocrats had
come to Virginia to settle. Although
II 10 impossible to determine with
accuracy the lineage Of all the lead
ing families of Virginia during the
seventeenth century, 1t Is definitely
known that many of the most wealthy
and influential houses were founded
by men that could boast OF no social
prominence In England.
Some writer's have pointed to the
number of families In Virginia that
were entitled to the use Of coats of
arms as convincing proof that the
aristocracy OF the colony was found
ed by men of high social rank. 1t IL
true that In numerous instances vir-
ginians had the right to coats of
arms. but this does not prove that
their blood was noble. for In most
cases these emblems of gentility came
to them through ancestors that were
mercantile In occupation and instinct.
Uncarths Graft Evidence.
In his research work, the author
evidently discovered that there WEE
such thing az graft even in CO.
lonial days. In this connection he
says: I'm their political capacity the
leading men of the colony were fire.
ducntly guilty Of inexcusable and open
fraud. Again ana again they made
use of their great influence and pow
or to appropriate public funds to their
private use, to escape payment Of
taxes and to obtain false pretenses
vast tracts of land
Mr.. Wertenbaker. who will shortly
bear the title Of DR.. tried his hand