historic relics of every kind. Already its collections exceed those of any other one institution in historic value. This building serves as a meeting place for the annual congress, and also houses the genealogical library of the society; for the D. A. R. is credited with having had a greater influence in promoting the study of genealogy in this country than all others combined. Some persons claim that their records are faulty, and it is urged that, judging by their accredited ancestors, the Revolutionary army contained only officers, as no member of the society claims descent from a private soldier. But such criticisms as these would be difficult to sustain. Owing to the limited records and the lack of experienced genealogists, some of the earlier lines of descent may have been faulty, but each year the scrutiny becomes more rigid and only the most absolute proof of descent from a revolutionary soldier will gain admittance. The published records of the descent of the members of the society has in itself been a valuable contribution to the genealogical literature of the country. The D. A. R. has stimulated local patriotism in remote places in all parts of the country by seeking out historic spots and marking the neglected graves in a manner that has been widely influential in securing interest in their preservation. The society honors the mothers of heroes by accepting the descent of members to the female side of the family as well as to the male, thus recognizing a genealogical principle that the feminine ancestor has as great an influence upon the character of the descendant as the male. The Daughters of the Revolution is the name of a society organized a little later than the society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, having slight difference in the requirements for membership and a smaller line of activities. It is generally believed that the two organizations will eventually unite their forces. The Colonial Dames of America is an organization to which future historians will owe much because of its valuable published works. The organization is composed of members who can trace their descent from an ancestor who settled in America before 1750. Its work is more social than active, although through its different branches it has done much towards the preservation of historic documents. There are branch organizations in the different states whose total membership approximates 7,000. The Daughters of the Confederacy is composed of the descendants of Confederate officers and soldiers of the civil war. The organization was founded in 1894, at Nashville, Tenn. and now has about twelve hundred chapters, including nearly a hundred thousand members. Organizations based upon noble lineage are not popular with the great mass of Americans, who do not consider it patriotic to revert to class distinctions supposedly contrary to the Constitution of their own nation. Lately, however, this feeling is lessening, and with the renewed interest in genealogy comes the desire to register the pedigree back even to royalty. An American organization effected in Philadelphia a number of years ago, which is still popular although its membership must be limited, is the Order of Runnymede. Its members must be proved descendants of some one of the barons who forced King John to grant the famous Magna Charta. An organization known as the Order of Washington claims to be the most chivalrous organization in the United States. It was founded in Washington in 1908 and has now a large and influential membership. The qualifications for membership require an ancestor who arrived in America prior to 1750, and was a land owner or the founder of a town, held some official, military, naval or ministerial position in one of the colonies, and had a descendant who assisted the colonies to secure their independence. The object of the order is similar to the orders of chivalry in Europe and it is named for General Washington. The insignia consists of an oval shaped medal on which is a likeness of Washington. It is suspended from a red, white and blue ribbon. The motto is "Verite sans peur" (truth without fear), and there is a full coat of arms of historic derivation. Librarians and the custodians of public records bear record of this great movement. The libraries have become wonderfully popular, thronged by multitudes who have enrolled themselves in the army of amateur genealogists. In Other Countries. This awakening is not confined to the United States. In every nation where the blood of Israel has been found more abundantly, the hearts of the children have been turned to their fathers. Germany, Holland, Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries have become interested in gathering and preserving the records of the past, though not much, as yet, has been published. In Great Britain, Germany and Scandinavia the interest is as keen and as widespread as in the United States. EUROPEAN LIBRARIES AND SOCIETIES Society of Genealogists of London, 5 Bloomsbury Square, W. C., London, England. Incorporated 1911. The function of the society is to collect, index and arrange historical, genealogical and heraldic evidence for the use of its members and associates, and to notify to its Fellows, as it accrues, material of special interest personal to themselves. Small general collection. with many MSS. copies of English wills and deeds. For members only. Courteous attendants and scholarly officials. Guildhall Library, Guildhall, E. C., London, England. This is the most up to date genealogical repository in London. Has a fine collection of English and American books. Courteous and helpful attendants, with good index facilities. British Museum, London, England. Has a wealth of genealogical matter which is so poorly indexed and arranged that only experts can profit from books there. The number of books on all subjects in the library is believed to be about three million. The following are societies in name only. They publish books which are subscribed for by members. The Harleian Society, Registered office and council room No. 4 Trafalgar Square, London, W. C., No. 2., England. Although not functioning as to meetings and general activity this society is still the oldest association of its kind in modern times. It was organized in 1859, and has a large membership of antiquarians in Great Britain who pay one Guinea a year for the publication of rare manuscripts and parish records, already nearly destroyed by age and such agencies as rats, poor ink or rotting parchment. Huguenot Genealogical Society, Col. D. G. Pitcher, 3 Buckingham Gate, S. W. London, England. Surrey Parish Register Society, W. Bruce Bennerman, Esq., F. S. A. The Lindens, Sydenham Road, Craydon, or 140 Wardour St., London, W., England. Jewish Historical Society of England, Frank Haas, 28 Bassett Road, W., London, England. Scottish Historical Society, A. F. Stewart, Esq., 79 Great Genealogiska Byran, Upsala, Sweden. Gauthier-Villars et cie, Paris, France. Walter de Gryter and Co., Berlin, Germany. CHAPTER 10 GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH IN GREAT BRITAIN English Residents or Visitors. Those who deire to secure their own pedigrees, whether living in Great Britain or going there as visitors, will find no royal road to success in their difficult undertaking. Such a searcher should be neither hasty nor impatient. He will find both helps and handicaps. He will need to take many train trips and trips where trains do not run. The following list of places where he may find information should be noted and searched in the order given: 1. Town or city. Register offices in either town or city will have directories, marriage licenses, wills, rolls and probably printed copies thereof. District or Provincial Registries were established in Great Britain in 1837 for recording births, marriages and deaths; and are all indexed from that year to the present time. 2. Friends, relatives, aged inhabitants. This usually is traditional evidence, and therefore not always reliable. 3. Parish churches with their registers and other parish records, tombstones and cemeteries. Clerks are not always present when searcher applies at these places. Therefore appointments should be made with the clerk or rector beforehand. 4. Probate court in all capital and many borough towns for wills. 5. Bishop's registries in cathedral cities, for register, bills, or transcript and marriage licenses. 6. Libraries, such as the British Museum and Guildhall and district libraries in London. These libraries contain books of reference, directories, maps and indexes. 7. Somerset House, other London and government reg |