Evening journal., 1912-02-05
NEW MEMS OF YESTERDAY
The Family History in
which Bret harte wasn't
Interested
By Holland.

When Bret Harte, after making
worldwide name for himself as a
writer of stories of the days of Forty
nine, started east from California, IN
1871, to continue his literary career
in New York city, his trip across the
continent was an ovation. His arrival
at various towns between San Fran
cisco and the metropolis occasioned
almost as much interest as did the
American travels Of Charles Dickens
One of the men who met Harte
shortly after his arrival in the east
was Charles F., Briggs-a name now
forgotten by many of the older gem
Grafton and unknown to the younger
Al that time, Mr.. Briggs was still en-
joying the high reputation which he
had gained years before as one Of the
most popular American writer's He
was an intimate friend of Fitz Greene
Halleck, the poet; he also had a warm
friendship with James Russell Lowell,
and on the New York Broadway Jour
nal, which he founded in 1874, Edgar
Allan Poe had worked as associate ed
ltor.
In centennial year, year before
Mr.. Briggs death, l met him fire.
qnently, and during one of our chats
he fell to talking about Bret Harte.
Il had at one time touching evidence
of the sentimental side Of Harte's ma
ture," Mr.. Briggs said to me. He and
were talking one day, when chanc-
ed to say to him:
Mr. Harte, | suppose you know
that you are very closely allied in kin
to two Connecticut families which, in
some respects, have a career unmatch-
ed in American history
I suppose you mean the Girls
void family he replied
Yes, and | mean the Wolcott fam
lily, also, / said. Don't you know that
your family is very closely allied by
blood with Matthew Griswold, who
was a governor of Connecticut in colo
nial times"
That was a good while ago. Mr.
Harte replied. He did not seem espe-
cially interested
Don't you know. I went on
that Matthew Griswold's son Roger
was also governor of Connecticut and
was furthermore the son-in-law Of an
other governor Of Connecticut, Roger
Wolcott?"
Is that so?' Mr. Harte said.
81 thought | would try to interest
him by tracing this history, so said
again:
Have you never heard that Gov
ernor Roger Griswold was a brother
in-law Of another Connecticut COVER
nor. Oliver Wolcott, who was a signsr
of the Declaration of independence?
Nobody every told me that, said
Mr. Harte; is it SOP
II assured him that it was, and shen
added that there was something llrre
namely. that Governor Roger Girls
void was an uncle by marriage of an
other Governor Oliver Wolcott, q
grandson of the first Governor Vol
colt. who was also the second 5pc~e
tary Of the Treasury under Presiden
Washington.
g." I thought Hamilton was Secretar.
Of the Treasury under Washington
Mr.. Harte said-
True; but after Hamilton n
signed Oliver Wolcott was appointed
/ replied SO. you see, that upon m
side Of your family are three go 5er
uors of Connecticut one Of whom wa
a siener and another Secretary Of tn
Treasury. and upon the other sid
were two governors of Connecticut
and your family is allied by blood wit
all hut the first Governor Wolcott
oucnt to say to you that Mr.. Hart
had married a descendant of the frs
Roger Gr'swold
"Harte looked at me whimsically 20
q, moment, and then said: All tha
doesn't count with me in compariso
with the labor and struggle an
thwarted literary ambition of my dea
old father. who was a school teache
at Albany and was barely able TO elk
out a living But he was true TO hi
training and inspiration. for he woul
not give up a vocation which enable
him to cultivate literary graces eve
though by so doing he could hai
earned a little more money il seen
to me that is more worthy of my el
TEEN than the fact that five governor
of Connecticut, including a Secretai
of the Treasury, are of blood relatic
to my own family. I had rather hay
my family cherish the memory The
grandfather Harte than the tradition
associated with five governors
Connecticut
Copyright, 1912, by e ]. Edward
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell
zone Of Artemus Wards Little Jokes