The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-10-26
.HIST1RY'S
MYSTERIES
WHO WAS JAMES oRDr

/ THE public life Of the man whose
= name was contested under The
pslpahls alias Of james Ord. com
menced when this strange character
was sent 10 Georgetown college, In
7 Washington. with the statement by his
guardian, Captain Ord. that ~ you
had your rights IN England you would
be some one the very mention 0f
whose name would cause every head
to bend God forgive those who have
wronged you. my boyl"
/ In order 10 remain close by his
charge. the elder ord secured q posi-
ton In the Washington navy yard but
II was noted that the allowance which
be was able 10 make 10 the boy who
passed az his nephew. was out Of all
proportion TO his salary az 4 master
mechanic. Young Ord remembered lit
tie Of his life abroad-though there
seemed 20 be hazy recollection OF a
tall and stately woman, sad-faced and
dressed in the most expensive OF fab
rics. who had visited him az intervals
during his childhood In later years.
however. he had spent the major por-
ton Of his time travelling with his
uncle" and II was only when they
came 10 Washington that the pair set
tied down for any appreciate period.
Before the youth concluded his
schooling AT Georgetown college Cap
tain Ord was taken III, and. after
sickness as brief as Il was mysterious,
died while trying ~ tell the hoy the
secret OF his parentage. James" he
gasped, II have sworn not 10 do so,
but ] must tell you that your father
was" and here 1T Of coughing
seized him, which prevented his dis
closure OF the mystery.
Upon investigation OF his guardians
papers, Ord discovered that the man
had not been his uncle. but was mere
~ common sailor In the British navy,
who, through the exercise OF some POI
litical influence, had been given the
post OF dockyard inspector under the
supply OF funds continued undated
and he placed himself under the tu-
telage Of a Maryland priest, who, in
addition TO teaching him, assisted in
the search for the truth concerning his
parentage This search led 10 the con-
clusion, unsupported by any direct
documentary evidence, that he was
the son Of George ~ Of England, born
while that monarch was prince OF
Wales, his mother being Marie Anne
Smythe Fltzherbert, whom George had
married in 1885.
When Ord was well on in life, he
wrote to Mrs. Fitzherbert, but was
unable TO obtain reply from her, al
though he died In the firm belief that
she was his mother This contention
was also accepted by the Jesuit fn-
theirs Of Georgetown college, who, in
the centenary history Of the institu-
tion, mentioned the name OF james
Ord, son Of George w. in Its list Of
alumni
After various adventures in Amer
Tea, including a trip TO the far West
in search Of gold and the accumula-
ton Of considerable fortune on the
Pacific coast, ord was appointed to
the bench, and returned 10 Washing
ton, where he built handsome home
on Pennsylvania avenue. Later, how
ever, he moved 10 Omaha, where he /
died at the age OF ninety-seven, still |
strong in the belief that the long /
delayed unsealing Of Mrs. Fitzher- /
bert's private papers would clear up I
the mystery which surrounded his /
birth. These papers formed part OF 4
mysterious packet which Mrs Fitz- I
herbert, upon her deathbed, requested /
might be placed in a vault In Coutts'
hank, London, to remain there until /
such time as the reigning sovereign Of
Great Britain might see m to have
them publicly opened.
The seal was finally broken IN 1905,
by order OF Edward VII, but. while
the marriage certificate OF George,
prince Of Wales, and the pretty widow
was discovered. none Of the other doc
uments contained any reference to
alleged TO have been born Of
the union. James Ord" therefore,
must continue 10 rank with Kaspar
Hauser. the dauphin. the man In the
iron mask and the other unsolrsd
riddles Of history.