The Washington herald., 1915-12-12

date. Of whom $50 are Whites. Descend
| ants of this branch Of the family were
among the chief founders Of the republic.
| and have occupied positions of honor and
| trust.
Elder Johns son, Capt. Nathaniel. one
was a representative from his town
eishty-fiv times, and It Is down in the
records that he was past four-score when
last chosen.
Another Pilgrim ancestor was Col.
Thomas White, who came over from
London. 17.o settling in Maryland. He
was the father OF tho first Episcopal
Bishop of Pennsylvanis-wiIliam White.
whose fttest epitaph Is Wordsworth's 8
line: SANITY White. patriarch of a
wide-spreadng family Bishop White
to his country.
Whenever there has been a call to
arms. in defense of country and home,
the Whites have nobly responded. All
colonial wars have had their Representa-
tives. the war for independence: the sec
ond war with Great Britain. and the
Mexican war. Among the names given
in Revolutionary rosters are those of
John. Samuel. Abijah. Asa and Jonathan.
Characteristics OF the Whites are said
to be lofty purity Of character. with utter
HONESTY of opinions, with fearlessness in
stating them
The coat OF arms reproduced displays
a chevron between three lions rampant,
or. in dexter chief. hand apaumee.
Crest. out OF a ducal coronet. argent.
a demi-eagle with wings expanded sable.
Answers to Correspondents.
To I. T. s. who asks: rs 1t true that
the Stephens family of America Is de-
scended from an illustrious Norman of
which the English branch Is extinct?'
Yes, this seems to be the case of one
OF the Stephens families in America.
II is said that the family came from
Normandy to England with William the
Conqueror. and settled in Gloucestershire.
where II held a high position.
The family. before II became extinct
In England. won great renown. In the
reign Of Henry ii Ralph Fitz Stephen,
baron OF Wapley. and his brother Will
iam-later chief Justice of the circuit
court of England-were joint sheriffs of
the shire of Gloucester.
In the days Of William the Conqueror
the Fitz Stephens were indeed great per- !
Airard Fitz Stephen. a Norman |
nobleman. was placed by William in |
Of the Mora. the ship which |.
his wife had given him as a surprise |
for a gift-a parting gift-when he sail !
ed from Normandy to conquer England. !
when she wove the Bayeaux
tapestry, took pains to represent Airard :
Fitx Stephen in command of his ship.
Airard's son was connected with one
Of the most tragic episodes of Williams
conquest Of England. This son. Thomas
Fitz Stephen. commanded the White Ship
which was to carry Williams son to
England. The ship went down on the
way to England and all save one of its
pa ssengers and crew went down with it.
John Fitz Stephen rose to t'D surface
IF the sea and clung to a f60oS spar:
but when he realized the extent of the
he jumped. maddened. into the
YEA again
The first American member of this
'amily was John Stephens. Esquire. of
Lypiatt Park and the manor of Little
,odbury, Gloucestershire. and later of
iuilford. New Hampshire (now Connecti-
.uO.
John was a son of Sir Edward Ste
,hens and Anne. his wife, sister Of the
irst Lord Crewe Of Stene. Sir Edwards
louise at Lypiatt Park was besieged and
aptured by the Royalist party in the
ime Of Cromwell and. as the family
ortunes were low. John came to America
With his family.
John settled at Guilford. then in New
Hampshire. He was q lawyer and be-
anne a Judge in his new home. He was
ot admitted a freeman for some time
ecause Of the fact that he was a men,
er Of the Church Of England. but In
sss this privilege was extended to him
nd he obtained the right to vote. when
e and his sons conformed to the Puri-
an form Of worship.
Z the American Beal family and their !
Dat Of arms" r
There were two first settlers Of the !
ame Beal or Beale In this country q
oAp and William.
John Beal. or Beale. as he Is some I
mes called. came from bingham. In I.
orehoe Hundred. County Norfolk. Eng n
nd. He sailed to the new world in the Z
enerable old ship Dilieent. John Martin
aster, and arrived In Boston In 1858. In
,e early records Of that city he is de-
.rfbed as q shoemaker who. with
d wife and Ave sons and three daush- 4
rs and two servants. came from old u
inRham and settled in New bingham"
nd II 10 in the settlement called Hing 81
I'm In Massachusetts, that he made his IL
st residence. r
John Bears wife was Nazareth. the "
Iughter Of Edmund Hobart and sister v
the Rev. Peter Hobart. the first min In
ter Of Hingh6m. The names Of the le
lildren who came to this country In the te
ip Diligsnl. ars - : follows: Martin. &