Pueblo chieftain., 1921-05-28

Washington, D. c., May 2S.-An ord
er which has been issued by the Unit
ed States Army requiring every reS1-
ment to have coat of arms is orlciai
recognition of the Importance of such
insignia and gives new emphasis to
form of research which particularly
cnaracterizes the national capital
For years there has been developing
in Washington a group of professional
experts in the study of coats of arms,
family history and lines of descent. to
meet the demands of people in all parts
of the country. Some of the app
cants for information desire to trace
their descent from those who We're fac
tors in the colonial history of America.
Others wish to go back across the
water to prominent old world families.
Some of the houses of noble blood in
Europe sest their younger sons as
settlers to America, while the older
sons inherited the titles and estates.
These family links may often be sup
piled by careful study of the old rec
ords that are to be found in the Con-
gressional Library and other sources OF
information in the District of Colum-
ha.
Many of those who seek this infor-
nation from the experts al the capital
wish to provide foundation for MEM
hersttp in the patriotic societies ike
the Daughters and Sons of the Ameri-
and Society of the Cincinnati. 9th
crs merely want to preserve the rec
ords of their particular families or to
establish the right to coats of arms.
The order from the War Department
creates new branch of research
which emphasizes the military history
of the United States. Recognizing the
Importance and value of preserving the
traditions of each unit in appropriate
symbols. the army officers require each
20 of u
badge with the emblems of the United
States as a basis and then any dis
ringuishnE features that can be IN
corporated. AS an example, the reGi-
ment that distinguished itself at
Chickamauga bears on its coat of arms
the rock of Chicamauga with appro-
pirate inscriptions. Other regiments
have won recognition in France or
other parts of the world and thereby
have acquired the foundations for GER
lain special insignia.
MANY of the members of the famous
regiments for which this work is be-
ing done have been impelled to revive
their own coats of arms, derived from
the old country, and so this family
work, going on side by side with the
army designing, has added to the vol
umc of genealogical demands in Wash
inSton.
American democracy does not cx-
olude from its interests certain de-
actcrizcs the old world. The foreign
systems of hereditary titles, of course
arc quite apart from the American idea
of equal opportunity for all. Even in
the republic OF France the old titles
still survive. In America, however.
the plain Mfr" accompanies even the
highest achievements of the leaders OF
the nation. with the exception of those
who bear military titles Won in tho
service. Nevertheless there is evidence
I'm the record offices of various sorts
that the pcoplt of the United states
arc not immune TO that feeling of fam
ily pride which induces largo numbers
OF them to employ searchers and gene
illogical writer's to work out their fam
lily trees.
Accurate pedicrees must bc found in
order that those OF tho present genera
tion may qualify AZ members of the
pstriotic 'orEaniza tions. Some are sue
ccssful in their quest and others are
disappointed. The task of hunting an
ccstors in publ. records, however.
gives employment to substantial
number of persons who in many IN
stances arc regularly employed and
receive commissions for their work.
Tho National Capital furnishes facil-
itics for the old-world well as the
ncw-world research, for in tho Lab
rary of Congress there arc copies,
rome OF them musty with age. Of tho
,isitations of the various. British coun-
tics the parish records OF births and
marriages and the numerous EcncaloE-
teal works that have been prepared by
English. German. French. Scotch.
Irish or Welsh ritcrs, based upon coll
lcctions of facts which have dcvclopcd