Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-02-05
Trinkle's Ancestors Were
Early. Prominent Citizens
in Southwest Virginia.
"Ap GREAT ,pvE OF THE SOIL
ihi< mud Their deeply Religious Ten
hrn"y Arc srNo Characteristic.
which Have Always stood out
tohspIcuousl.i I'm the Family.
by DIR. I<nr waller barrett.

tr Governor TtNklc's birthplace. tha
beautiful town pf Wytheviilc. where
the heights OF he Alicghanies stand
rentlnel. and iclow stretches the
rniet beauty ofHappy Valley. Few
towns Of It's EIz, have played n more
important part than Wythcvi,ie in
the development of the country
From Colonin! e,ys It was the stop
ping place for the eRrlies. settlers
rs they passed On into Tennessee /,
was then knows us "Evansham" for
IL was not Until 1898 that itS name
was changed to Wytheviiie. In honor
of that great constructive mind.
George Wythc
Trlnkie's FOrlehrs Arrived Early.
Long before either Evansham or
Wytheville wrc dreamed Of. for
bears OF Governor TrInkle had al
ready arrived ind taken root In the
fertile soil Of Southeastern Virginia
ana were counted among it's most
representative and public-spirited
citizens. Indfd. they were tho soul
and directing Epiri, OF it's being. and
~ II had not been for their Interest,
in civic mat'nrs. there would never
nave Keen Wythevil!c. and Virginia
might havGbcen robbed OF tho many
Industrious men and women WHO have
claimed Vytheviilc az their birth
place.
Early f., 1872, there came to the
vicinit" OF what Is now wythevil!e.
famiiyby the namo Of Zimmerman n.
LAKE all the forbears OF Governor
Trinkle. ne Iinmerman's had "A great
land hunger and purchased large
tracts. Tut theirs was no selfish
thought personal acknowledgements
alone. Eom the first. the thought
~ development was foremost In their
minds. Christopher Zimmerman. the
great grandfather OF Governor
Trinkle q. his mothers side. In 1890,
donated rnety acres nf land for 4
cour'hons' and town site for Wythe
county. he --Ssions OF the court
we're hel.,.. tho big Room" Of the
H!mmernD housN until the court
house coul' be built. only the hitch-
cn'and ban were reserved for family
use. The rot was laid m into town
lots by young Welsh surveyor.
John Evans for whom the town was
named. Evatsham. From this court,
house the Movement WAS launched
for "a revision OF the Code to extend
the right o! sinrage to land owners.
Thus the progressive spirit displayed
by Governor Trinklc IN his inaugural
address foundtts foundation head in
TIC ideals ara accomplishments Of
Iis ancestors
Even Moe Ancient Origin.
But Governor Trinkle's ancestors
on the Trinkl. side are OF even NOR .
hnsicnt origin than tho Ilmmermans.
They came this country In 1888
on the Cha ming Nancy settling
nrst in I.snastcr County. Pa. and.
later moving TO Pulaski County. they
Immediately associated themselves
with forward movements. founding
tho Presbyterian Church at New
Dublin, mIny Gears before the Rcvo-
luton. These families, who all
came fron tho Palatine in common
with may Of the German and Swiss
families Of those days. removed
South mil settled in Virginia.
Govcribr TriaHle's family on the
:natcrnal side goes back ever Jar
ther. /; American history tho Sex
tons wrc loyal supporters OF tho
crown II the time Of Henry VIII, aad
were psen. ~ him. n large estate
ir Limerick. Ireland. Several OF Tho
family served az Mayors of Lime
rick. George Sexton. the Governors
n>tcrnil ancestor. came to America
H. 1867, and settled In Connecticut.
His eliest son, Charles. purchased n
farm OF so acres on Long Island.
and his son. Joseph. moyou to Eir-
Eint and became the ancestor OF
Govrnor Tr.nkle. Two character
istic stand out consplcuously In
the ancestors OF NirGinla's Cover.
religious tendency. Wherever one
Of tie name appears you always
read OF their religious beliefs and
their Efforts TO further tho Interests
OF IN, church. Their land hunger is
also y characteristic, II being a
traditin that ono OF them added a
farm year TO his holdings. We.
in Vlrinis. are found OF family his
tory, ad when we are so fortunate
ms TO hive as Governor Trinkle. one
who rarcscnts In himself the traits
md chraCtcr!stcs that We love to
honor. | Is OF no small moment to
ho an;a TO trace these characters
us bat to an ancestry which Jus
ilAes IL fruition I'm man who is
80 outstanding an example OF the
hest OF he present generation. For
$50 yars and more. Governor
Trinkle'. forbenrs have helped TO
develop he civilization which we to-
day inheit. and Is II too much for
us to nope that the frightening
shadow OF his administration as
Governor OF the whole Common
wealth. VIII reach to unborn gener-
atoms 25 years hence?
Man hadhouse For Ancestors.
spirits oihls ancestors stop to rest
while II their way to being his
descendants. No truer definition OF
heredity han this could be given.
Methink no old Sections. thinner
mans. Trtlingers and Trinkles will
he strengthened and encouraged to
even greaer efforts in future gen.
eratlons b.. their soJourn In the Gov
crnor's NI6sion,
The GoVrnor's Mansion Is n de-
lightful afi historic building. but.
from tho pint of comfort and ele-
Gance Is iferior to tho home the
Trinkle's oYn In wytheville, situat-
cd across he alley from the home
OF Mrs. Woodrow Wilson. But
Wytheville' loss will be Richmond's
gain. for Frs. Trlnkle will prove
distinct addition to the cultured and
social life Of Richmond Reared In
the delightful surroundings OF the
far South. IN accomplished musician,
II devoted mother, she stands as All
Interpretation Of the Southern ideals.
For many cars she has been n ID. a.
r., tracing her ancestry to Colono'
James Bal OF Revolutionary ia,
Glorious VrRlniat lie moe, ,..