Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-03-17
ANCESTRY AND ELSE.
BY ]. O. Knott.


ton. with facile pen and alert mind 1
writes we'll and justly on ancestry. |
While on the one hand | know nothing !
which yields such barren results as at |
tempting to build UP an artificial pres |
tige on the basis OF ancestral proIli-
hence or mere length of family line. az
the same time il every family would |
take some pains 10 know persons OF
their own kiln an6 kin and TO trace out
Interesting Incidents which have punct-
uaied that family history in its winding
way down through time, We might have
more family pride Of the right sort A
country is no better than the families
which make UP thar country. Each
family owes to the country at large 10
make OF itself the very best posi- bile.
This is not clannishneSs. but building
up your own in order TO help the gen.
eral average.
AS this attempt to trace family his
tory easily leads 20 misconceptron Of
motive, and creates suspicion Of try
ing TO make ones self better than his
fellows, make haste TO say: The fact
that the Knott family has been in this
country since the year that Pocohontas
died tl6l7). and has become so wide
ly scattered as TO be found in every
State and large city. and yet has done
so little comparatively Of an outstand-
ing character in helping TO shape the
country's destiny, is an occasion for
shame rather than pride. The Notts
OF New England were scholars, Con-
gregational preachers and educators
They were factors in influencing that
entire section in religious and cultural
ways. James Proctor Knott, late
Governor of Kentucky, died without
children, but kept in his home and as
sisted in educating his nephew, lanes
Proctor Knott. now instructor in North
western University; and the Kentucky
Governor at his death willed that his
old home, at Lebanon, KY. should be
made the center of Chautauqua AS
ISOLATION which meets there annually
and Bears the name OF the donor.
have been kindly invited 10 visit the
place and shall take great pleasure in
doing so. | glory in the work of any
member OF my family that takes the
course which Proctor Knott took And
when we open who's Who?", or our
late Webster's international, and look
over the long list Of Biographical names
there given, We find Proctor Knott the
only one OF the Knott" family thought
worthy Of place in that list. Out of
a family so numerous and so broadly
scattered in the country, why so few to
reach real distinction? II is this which
prompted me TO call attention to the
age of the family in this country. in
England, and in Denmark A family
that can 90 back so far and trace itself
TO the best Danish blood should wish
to measure up 10 high standards in life
and labor. have neither fine nor in
clinatIon TO waste space on some OF
my Jefferson county relatives, who ac-
cept nothing which they themselves do
not originate. and who insist that Knot,
is Scotch-lrish. II is about as Scotch
irish as 1t is Russian or Chinese Un-
fortunately for my relatives, we can
not control who our ancestors should
be. The Scotch-lrish are of our best
people; so are the Hugenots; so are
the Dutch; so are the better Italians
VINO gave the world Cicero, Da Vinci
Angelo, Raphael. Dante Napoleon Bon
aparte, and Caribaldi. | would be glad
10 trace my ancestors TO such natpn
out, unfortunately. ! have no voice in
that. We are English Danish. and thar
IS both historically and philologicallv
demonstrated. II is Just as clearly
~~'''N' ''ASI hlltlA INllblG anu N1lfIt are
rot the same names nor are they va
Rants of the same. Knode has itc
English equivalent, Node, and came
from the Danish through the German
II IS Danish in its origin. but not the
same name as Knott. nor has il the
same coat OF arms. These matters of
th- transmutation Of vowcls and con-
SoHants in names Is the names pass
fTDrl
another, are not the results G.. mere
accident, bur are fixed as the laws OF
tn Modes and PC.5ians.
do, however. wish 10 take occasion
to say in connection with building II
family usefulness and efficiency. that
there is but one way to be WORTH
OF q worthwhile anccstry-that is. r.
make ones self worthy. At the risk o.
offending, | shall he yerv plain-spckep
and say: when a mere boy | was az.
soclaied with two Young bows about II.
own age in my community who had I'M
usual ambition. One ii them was
accustomed % 81; with M On MS faith
e. straw stack near his home and tel
OF hts dreams OF rising above the mere
mass. That boy had intellect and
character. But no one touched his
.'- p, the proper time to lead him on
L afterwards showed his intellectual
over nv late in lfe qualifying him.
sell for professional work and is now IN
honored man in mis- profession in our
native town. But that boy was ovoIi.
he'd by spirit and mind to lead his
country in the profession in which nc
now IS but one of several in a Limited
sphere
another boy OF the same community
mating me misia.c (which | myself
male) of building MS professional
education on an insufficient academic
training, graduated from one OF the
NEST renowned professional schools in
our country. He showed By his az.
quiSitlve powers and will TO work tina.
nc had in him the making II . leadinn