The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-11

To T. E. Digges. who asks for the de- soription and symbolism of the coat of arms and crest of the Virginia Digges family:
 The coat Of arms of the Digges or Digga family is bazoned Sules, on a cross argent, five double headed eagles heads, erased, sable.
 Crests: G) An eagles leg, couped at the thick, sable, issuant therefrom, three ostrich feathers, argent; @ a doube- headed eagles head. erased, sable. Motto: Che Sara Sara-what will be, will be.
 Regarding the symbolism of this coat armour. gules red), denotes military courage and magnanimity argent tsil- ver), sincerity; sable (blaclO, constancy. | An eagle, or any part of an eagle, means | one occupied in high pursuits; ostrich
 feathers, any feathers, willing obedi- erce and serenity. King Stephens crest | had a plume of feathers and the legend, No force alters their fashion" 1 Coat of arms, in the middle ages, were signs of the gentleman in England, and the rigid etiquette. observed in county records of it Virginia, during the seven- teenth century. shows that these distinc- tions prevailed here as we'll No one as- sumed the name of gentleman without a | claim to arms. and the bearer of arms was a ''gentleman, according to usage of the time.
 To r. Staples. who asks whether the Staples family is of French or English
 origin:
 All the traditions of the Staples fam fly point to French ancestry, although
 records begin in England. Estaples is the name of town In
 France; it is a seaport. and not far from l Boulogne. The more familiar form now l Is Etaples.
 The family may have taken their name l from this town, and gone over to Eng 1 land in the train of the Conqueror, and | possibly given their name to town Tn l Devon. now called Staple. There are
 pa rshes in both Kent and Somerset called taples De Staples is said to have 1 been one form of the name. | One meaning of Staple, as every one | knows. is a fastening stake, and Staple 1 ton Is a town inclosed by stakes. ] A staple, again, means a mart or em- | porium, and in old times a merchant
 of the staple was trader Of impor- | tarce One of the chief staples was wool | and staple inn was also called the | Hall of the Merchants of the Staple" l. e. wool.
 Variations of the name Staples are 1 Staple. Stapil Stapel, Stapol, Staplers also Stapleton, Stapledon, Staplefold Stapleherst, Staplehill and Stapey. | To L. P. NJ, who asks for the record 1 of the Pennsylvania family of May: | The Pennsylvania family of the name l was founded. it Is said, by one of three ] brothers from England One or them 1 went to Bermuda, one to the District ol Columbia and the third to Elleton, Cecil | county Maryland. From the last of the
 three the Pennsylvania family is descend- | ed Several members of this branch have made fame and wealth as ironmasters | of Chester county.
 1 To R. Bacon. who asks for the coat oi
 arms of the family of Bacon; tH l The coat of arms is blazoned griles 1 on a chief argent, two mullets, sable
 pierced of the second d. C., the second 1 color named above, regent). 1 Crest, a boar peasant, ermine, armed
 and hoofed, or
 Motto: Mediocria Firma-mediocrity is
 stable.
 This coat armor was borne by Sir Nich-
 olas Bacon, and by the pilgrim father Nathaniel son of William Bacon of Stret-
 ton England.
 Nathaniers name appears upon tho
 records of Middletown, Conn.,, 1853, and o1
 New Haven. 1861.
 l To G. M: l have been unable to fint any trace of the McCarn family in gen 1 ealogical records.
 To Mrs. T. w. G.: No information O. the Gibsons of North Carolina can bt found.