The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-04-12
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ham: nephew, Thomas Osbourn Taylor.
Dated 1893"
Deed. October 90. 1866. from Ed
ward Osbournc and Elizabeth, convey
ing land where Thomas Branch. of
Kingsland, lived. also deed from
Thomas Osbourne to Thomas Cole"
How hard 1t Is to be understood. Tho
Editor of this column has gone into
these F. +. VS. almost rcverently, and
yet is accused in the following letter
of treating the subject lightly. If our
readers only knew how hard the
search has been. However. tho letter
is excellent, and we are glad to print
ii.
5o2 Marshall Street. Milwaukee. Wis.
March 81, 1914.
Editor The Times Dispatch. Richmond.
Va:
Dear Editor.-Some months ago. a
friend sent to the WISCONSIN woman"
some Of your first articles of the First
Families OF Virginia.
Previous to my receiving these clip
pirys. a number had written to inquire
about the order, having seen II men,
toned in the papers, so they said. l
thought they all referred to notices
that were sent broadcast from Rich
mond by some enterprisinG newspaper
reporter of the Incorporation IL was
from the local papers that received
my first notice that the charter had
been granted. This was the case with
members all over the country.
When my friend sent ne the clip
pings. / supposed had all OF the ar
ticles that had been or were likely to
be published in connection with the
order. From what I have heard re-
Gently. however. | Judge that they arc
still appearing, or have been until late
~. II YOU feel called upon or even
privileged TO exploit in your columns
an historical order that has neither
tisement l feel it incumbent upon
me to set YOU right concerning the
order.
In the first place, 1t Is not society
organized in Wisconsin. The wis
consin woman" Is the only officer re-
siding in this State. It's membership p.
although not large. extends from the
Atlantic TO the Pacific coasts.
Apparently, you think the purposes
of tho order are as superficial as the
tone of your articles. Perhaps | can
hest correct this erroneous impression
by telling YOU how I happened to sug
gcSt the founding OF the +. T. V.
am the only member of the Wisconsin
Society Of the Colonial Danes who
Joined through Virginia. Most OF the
Danes in this state are OF Mayhowei
STOCK. The retiring president of the
Danes is secretary OF tho Maynowci'
Descendants: and the governor OF the
Mayf!owers was president OF the Danes
just preceding the retiring president
In this part OF the country, the May
Hover stands for everything as rep
rescEting our earliest period includ
ing the founding OF the first pcrna .
nent English settlement. Those VINO
know differently are tho exception to
the rule I got so tired of being ask ed
II were not a Mayfiowcr, that | began
answering thar came before That
ship landed This always caused sur-
Prise, and would bc asked how mat
was possible. for those who G'd not
think that there was no permanent set
Element before 1924, thought that ONLY
conVictS and indcntcd servants came TO
Virginia prior to the time ihat the
colony reverted to the crown. to worl,
the lands owned in England. When !
succeeded in convincing these ucoplc
That there were reputable permanent
settlers among even the 1907 ana 1909
cnIi@rautS who have left representa-
i've members OF society TODAY: that
there were any number Of such anlou.
later cmiSrantS coming before the
Mayfowcr, and that | was a descend! :
ant Of onc-inrariahly the enllchtcncd
ones would cXclaim. why. then YOU
must be an i. L. "" 1t was because
OF the Frequency of this experience,
that the idea came 10 me OF for:nin.: a
society devoted exclusively to the no
riod when Virginia was the only Eng
liSh colony: and OF adopting tn" title
that seemed To be most distinctly Viz
gilman. and one that most arouscs in
tercst outside OF Virginia: the organi-
Zation to be- for research and educa-
iional purposes
] had not expected that there would
be much. If any interest in tn order
In Virginia; and did not think there
would be any need for any such or
sanizatiou there. find was mis-
taken in both respects. There we're
Virginia Colonial Danes among tho
charter members OF the order: ANA I
Judge from certain remarks OF yours,
that interest in the order called cortn
your articles. IL this last is the case,
l am very sorry, indeed. that the tone
OF your articles was not such as 10
convey the information that the OBJ
joct of the order is MOI IL try ID SET
up any claim - distinction on the part
OF members or superficial social
standing. although. only hose who are
valued members OF society are accent.
atlc In the order fhiS does not mean
merely those vino are conspicuous so
cial'y. politically. or for thtir wealth
That there ~ need OF such an orEani-
Zation--or somcthiu;;---to teach some
Virginians about their origin as IL PEG.
rle, is very evident IRON. yu; state
ment that when we began this in
vestiGation of n hackneyed subject, we
really feared that this late +. +. v.