Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-07
4 Robertson, the historian. Lord

of Robertson, the historian. Lord
Brougham declared his belief that IL his
mother had been Miss Whelpdale he
would have remained in the state of re-
spectacle mediocrity in which his fore
fathers had lived and died. He traced the
power of achievement which had raised
him from an obscure Scottish advocate
to be great tribune of the English peo-
pie to the energy hereditary to the Scot
fish clans which had come to him from
his mother.
The genealogist In quest of American
family descents finds many difficulties,
from the fact that vital records were not
kept in this country as they are in Eu-
rope and consequently authorities are not
easily located. For this reason the Ma
tional Genealogical Society is heartily in
dorsing the effort of the American Med
ical Association to have uniform compu--
sorry laws throughout the country requir-
ing the public registration of all vital
statistics.
II marriage records could be found
showing the family name OF the mother.
as Is customary in Europe, many tedious
quests might have been saved. For in
stance, Abigail Lee. who claims her de-
scent from John Carver Governor OF
Massachusetts,, cannot complete her fam
lily record because she cannot find the
maiden name of the great-grandmother
upon her mothers side, although the
marriage took place in northern Pennsyl-
satisfactorily established. as are those
since.
One Of the greatest puzzles to Ameri-
can genealogists is contained in the ques-
ton. Gov. Dudley OF
Gov. Dudley's Massachusetts married
-.. Dorothy who?" There
"Ae' are hundreds Of persons
in the United States who trace their an
cestry back to this old governor who
married Dorothy -, In 16S4, but the
blank is always left upon every family
record in which Dorothy's name appears,
although thousands OF dollars have been
spent to I'LL 1t in.
1t is encouraging to know that all omis-
sions Of family names are not hopeless
and that they are likely to be filled at
any time from newly discovered records.
An old genealogist said the other day: L
have spent hours of toll looking for Dor
othy Dud.ey's family name. i shall never
find 1t. but believe 1t will be found. and.
In all probability, by some youngster
who will stumble accidentally upon the
very thing we old folks have been look
ing for for more than half century"
American immigrant lists are now
being made from the old records in the
different European countries and various
other information calculated to help
American genealogists Is being constant
ly added to. The Carnegie Institute of
Historical Research has given much aid
in this direction. and the New England
Historic Genoa. logical Society, under the
title, Genealogical Gleanings in Eng
land" is constantly bringing new light
upon this subject. In this country diligent
search is constantly being made for records
supposed to be lost and they are being dis
covered in large numbers and their contents
fnf int
have been SO many genealogical publica-
tons as at present. 1t Is estimated that
this year there will be at least four times
as many family records published as ten
years ago. Each o,ume published not
only gives the pedigree OF the family
interested directly. but also supplies
many connecting threads helpful In the
weaving Of other family records.