The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-26

! that name. by whom she had two sons,
John and Thomas West After the
death Of her first husband Mary West
married Ferdnando Leigh. and had
| William and Mary Leigh. William
Leigh married Miss Watkins. OF
Chesterfield, and was the father Of
BENJAMIN Watkins Leigh, one Of Vir.
ginia's greatest lawyers. II may be-
interesting to note that when Benja-
min Watkins Leigh lived In Richmond,
MS homo was at first at the southeast
corner Of Third and Cary, and his
neighbors were the CANDLES, Cheval-
lies, Gilliats. Robertsons. Gallegoes.
Marx, Munfords, Taylors and Gibbons
Afterwards he moved 10 CLAY and
Tenth, the northeast corner, and his
| neighbors wore Chief Justice Marshall.
John Wickham, Daniel Call, Chapman
Johnson, Philip Norborne Nicholas,
! John Brock en- brough, John Amber.
Jacqueiino B. Harve. John Ruther-
ford and James Lyons
Mr. LeiGh's Eecond wifo was the
daughter OF John Wickham. and per-
maps they were married In the beauti-
full house. now the Valentine Museum.
Tho perspective OF years adds much
CONSEQUENCE to men and things. but 1t
hardly seems possible that three
quarters Of century hence any pres
ent neighborhood in our city could
| convey 50 much Significance
This story of land grants In a fixed
locality reminds ono Of an army set
tins out for conquest, a weak III
ied, but courageous army A man
falls here. there and everywhere, and
the ranks get closer together. and
! with doSged perseverance, fight on.
There are graves, assertions, countless
! wounds, but some sort OF victory at
| last The 'privates'' Of the gigantic
enterprise become high officers Of ag-
riculture and merchandise, heroes Of
endurance and industry and found
families, the individuals OF which
| trace all virtue to this frst source
| 1t would seem that such q heritage
(, were enough. but instead the arch
genealogical craving Is to connect
! over ycnder." not indeed with a yeo-
man Or tradesman. but with some lord
or lady. who by fair means or foul
VIII make safe convoy TO royalty Itself
| What Lord Byron said Of Tom Moore
is applica bic moro or less to US ALL
little Tommy loves lord" And.
therefore. when Mr. Browning wrote
his Americans Of Royal Descent he
gained large audience. Another craze
which has Its own peculiar absurd
lily Is the assumption OF coat arnor
whether or no There are, OF course.
Americans who may. by the laws OF
iterhinIy. use coat OF arms, but
COMPARE lively few. Nevertheless.
there arc many who slap crest on
their paper and their carriages which
perhaps was used by remote grand.
mother. Others find ci--a: once used
by Mr.. Jones, and because Jones hap
pens to be their surname they i'm
nlediately adopt 1t. Might as we'll take
Mr. Catesby- Jones's or Mr.. Buene
Jones's tooth brush or bis ep,broider-
ed pocket handkerchief If a crest or
arms are yours It is a very nice thing;
II not. one who uses 1t Is open to pitI-
full ridiculs. It Is much worse than
painted checks or false hair. and htrd-
- less common.
Mr. William Armstrong Crozier has
after conscientious investiga ton com
piled most useful letter book. which
he calls Virginia Hernldca--A Regis
try Of Virginia Gentry Entitled 10
Coat :trmor.", IL this book are about
c76 names Of Virsinians who used
arms. $ comparatively small mum ber.
We can imagine that shsre are some
very excellent people who did not uss
arms when they might have done So
a young. careless fellow comes over
! because he couldn't conveniently stay
at home, he plunses ahead. makes a
fortune, begets children. and not onco
cares whether he has arms on his
! tombstone or not nor whether no had
4 father But his son's son cares a
great deal, and beEins to look around