The Washington herald., 1915-04-18
WeoSmsrsh

named Worth. But these are only sup
positions. Whatever the truth of the
matter be, the American Woodworths
of today bear coat OF arms orig
inally belonging to the Woodwards
of Kent.
In Scituate Walter Woodwork was
assigned the first lot on Kent street,
which runs along the ocean front at
the corner of Meeting House Lane.
Here he built house. At about the
same time he bought a tract Of land
on the First Herring brook, where
later stood the residence of Samuel
Woodwork, the famous author of
The Old Oaken Bucket" In 1866 Wal
ter bought sixty acres in Weymouth,
Mass.
The Woodworths served valiantiy
in the revolutionary war. There were
thirty-seven of them from Connecticut
and twenty-eight from New York
State. They have intermarried with
the Ashton. Avery. Bradley, Burdick,
Cox, Eaton, Cummings. Goodrich, Full
Ter. Southwick. and Wilbur families
The arms of the woodworths are
hlazoned: Argent a chevron sable be- |
tween three grasshoppers sable. The
crest is demi woodsman couped at
the knees. vested gules, hair dishev- |
eled. or. in his dexter hand a honey |
suckle of the proper stalled and Ieaved |
vert. |
This little Grasshopper is an inter-
csting emblem in heraldry. According |
10 Solomon. il is one of the four small |
rhings OF the earth that are full OF |
wisdom. II has always been a special |
emblem OF nobility, and was looked
upon with great respect even IN the
days of the Athenians.
To William Austin who asks for an
account OF tho Austin coat-of-arms
with the symbolism.
The arms reproduced is that of the
family of Surrey, England. 1t is en-
hlazoned follows:
GuleS, chevron argent between
three ducal crowns. or. as many
crosses pattee of the field.
'rcst. a ducal coronet or. thereon a
pascal lamb. proper
Motto-CruX Nostra Corona-the
'roSS our crown
This arms only differs slightly from
mat granted to the Austns in 1911, |;
winch is argent. on chevron, be-
tween two chevronels sable, three
crosses or
Crest. Il passion cross. or. between
TWO wings erect sable. There is no
motto.
different branches of the family
have different arms. but the chcyron
and cross are common to all :
degrading the symbolism. the chew
ron denotes protection; the crown au-
'hoTi'N: The cross crusader ances-
tor the lamb or cross. heroic devotion. A.:
As to the colors-gules signifies mil :
nary iortltud" and magnanimity: ar !:
gent, peace and sincerity, or generos- 6:
ny and elevation of mind.
To J. r X. who asks for a short !:
account of the origin OF heraldry and {:
INC significance of the coat of arms &:
IIeraIdry, as such, rs of medieval ::
"ilSin. and was introduced into Eng :
Land from Germany. through France ::
u WAS necessary, in the days when ):
"iI men were soldiers and all the world ::
~ war. Tor men TO know one another !:
IT. A'Sht. AS mail was worn, and the ::
lace Concealed. IL was well to have ::
on me shield some device which indi- !:
'"t"d the Individuality of the warrior );
plherMlsc men could NOT know friends ::
from foes. ::
IL was In this way coats-of-arms ::
became III general use in the eleventh !:
century: Noblemen invented their !:
'oats-ol arms. and their descendants ::
hanged then with much freedom, (:
placing on their shields symbols indi, &:
eating marriage into another family !:
or celebrating some achievement ~ ! :.
or in war " ::
In Time this matter of arms bec,m. ! ::
SO important that in England a col ::
ieee OF heraldry was formed and II :.
became serious matter for any on. ::
TO use arms to which he was not an s:
titled. ::
To T. Fox who asks for the ORIGIN ::
of the name Fox. ::
II rather takes your breath away- To ::
have 1t suggested that Fox, as a sur !:
name, was. or may have been first ::
Val. or Vaux. and. therefore. Of French ::
derivation. Z:
Some one who was the owner Of, ::
valleys or dales became desiRnatsd !:
as such. and from Vaux to Foxes or !:
Fox. is not impossible. In medieval ::
records we often find the name with !:
The prefix 'le"-le Fox-which helps 10 ::
prop Up this theory Of q French ORR !:
gin About the only variation of the !:
photography Is Foxe. In colonial rec !:
ords. with its free and easy spelling. ::
the name often appears without even !:
the distinction which the capital let. !:
ter affords-"Sam'H fox. - "a" "nox."
is also of frequent occurrence. $
Names which have the same root, !:
are Foxell, Foxall. Foxhall. Foxley, ::
Foxlee, and Foxton. g: