Evening star., 1924-09-14


in the army Charles the Elector was
conscripting throughout his crum-
bIng empire to stay off the Magyar
hordes Maria Theresa had hurled
against him from Austria
Daniel Pfrsching died moderately
wealthy in money, as riches were
computed in those early settlement
days, with his argument in the Old
World still open. But in 1917, almost
two centuries later, his great grand
son, John Joseph Pershing. who re-
tired last week as general of the
Army, went back to Alsace with
several millions more Americans and
settled that dispute once and for all
The story of that early flight OF
Dan Phrsching from d war-trodden
lttle town in Alsace to the then tiny
port of Baltimore is part of Alsace's
history 1t was in the hamlet of
Kehl. The Landwehr had seized him
as a most likely young recruit for
Charles legions. Wrenching sud-
denly from their grasp. he leaped
upon his waiting horse and dashed
madly down the street before the
soldiers could collect their senses.
To his bewilderment, and the agony
OF the men and women who had wit
nessedthe incident, second Land
wehr squad suddenly wheeled around
a corner and stood squarely in the
Heeing youths path. But Daniel
Pfersching never hesitated. Digging
his heels vigorously into his horses
TANKS. he swept through the thin
Landwehr column, sending the men
sprawling in the road. Leaping to
their feet. the enraged soldiers were
leveling their muskets. and in an
other instant there was danger that
the family of "PerShing' would never
have been known on this side of the
ably would have exterminated the
youthful rider who was destined to
found it. Firmly believing, however,
that sooner or later he would have the
satisfaction of capturing the young
Alsatian alive. grizzled sergeant
stayed the fire of his men and. pure'y
unconsciously. laid the foundation for
militaristic Germany's downfall then
and there
CrouchinE low over his faithful
stced'S neck. expecting momentarIIy
the volley that might blast out his
life, Daniel PfrSching raced madiy
down the road and finally pulled up
beside bit of a town tavern. mites
distant. whose weather beaten sign
informed the infTequent traveller that
il was The Golden Crown In
minute young Phrsching was sur
rounded by every inhabitant of the
place, from the mayor and the priest
down to toddling babes.
Quickly his story was toId-the
Landwehr forces were at kehl and
would be at THE Golden Crown" on
the morrow Weakly the mayor
urged a respect for the law of the
land that he did not share himself
and the heart of the township sank.
But a few hours later, with a few
gold pieces to help him along, Daniel
Pfrsching bade farewell to his home
forever.
GO came the family of Pfrsching to
America. and out of the melting
pot into which it plunged there |
emerged the now famous family of
Fershing. Soon after he had estab-
lished himself in Baltimore and
worked his way into n small part
nership in the ship chambers busi-
ness he realized that his peculiar
name was handicap and he Angii-
cized it by changing it to Pershlng.
Daniel Pfirsching had in him the
blood of the pioneer, and it was not
many years before he hardened to
the call Of the westward trail. With
his family he moved to Indiana
County in Pennsylvania and became
a successful farmer. There the
much respected family of Pershlng
fourished. 1t had served the land OF
its adoption in the War of lndepend- |
cnce and soon it's second generation
reached young manhood and, with
the inbred spirit of his torebear.
John F. Pershing. a grandson of the
first Daniel, found Indiana County
was becoming too crowded to suit
hia fancies.
The same old call that beckoned
his illustriouS grandfather to the
great, wide West lured John r.
irtp to l,.,f
and hostile country of Tennessee
There he became foreman of sec
tion gang engaged in building a
railroad. Soon he met pretty Ann
Thompson and succeeded in coaxlng
her to share his lot in construction
camp to which he was trekking his
way in far-off Missouri.
1t was while John +. Pershing was
helping build the Hannibal and St |
Joseph Railroad that his wife told
him she was to become mother |
The camp was without any con-
NenIences or even medical help and
it was quickly decided that the young
mother should be hurried to Laclede,
some miles distant short time
later. on a farm several miles out
side of Laclede. John Joseph Pershlng
got his first peep of the great big
world in which he was to become SO
important parsonage.
Once his wife and son were safely
installed in a home of their own at
1,acIede, John Pershing went back to
his job in the construction camp and
followed on through until the termi-
nus of the road was complete at Han
nibal, Mo. Then, instead of following
the footsteps of his pioneer friend to
California, he returned to Lac1ede
himself. and. with the money he had
saved in the camp, opened general
store.
THAT is the early history Of Gen.
Pershing's immediate family. In
him there developed early those same
characteristics that had nerved his
great grandfather to dare the volley
or the Landwehr. that had fired his
own father with the will to push out
ahead of civilizations progress, and
finally that was to give him the
dogged conviction that Germany
could be beaten. Germany must be
beaten. Germany will be beaten"
At the tender age of Jack" Per-
shing had his first lesson in patriot
ism-and a severe lesson it was. The
Civil War was in full swing, and Lac |
lede had become a warmly Confed- !
crate place. John Pershing. on the
other hand, was a staunch Unionist. |
and, while his neighbors proudly dis
played the flags of the South, the |
Pershing home boasted the lone, |
homemade Stars and Stripes. |
Doggedly refusing to heed numer- !
Gus warnings, the Pershing home was |
finally attacked by band of irregu- |
lars. Throughout the night John
Pershing and one or two faithful
|Unionists kept the guerrillas at bay.
Just as dawn broke. when the be-