FAMOUS TREES 



FROM Mrs. Elizabeth Stephenson Bentley, of the 

 ( alhoun County Historical Society, comes the in- 

 formation about and a picture of the sycamore which 

 was a baby during the War of 1812. (See page 608.) Un- 

 der this tree some time in 1831 or 1832, General Isaac E. 

 Crary and Rev. John D. Pierce planned and worked out 

 the present school system of the state: It was on a 

 Sunday afternoon the men sat 

 beneath the tree on a hill near 

 the Calhoun County Court 

 House. This hill is now occu- 

 pied by the home of C. E. 

 Gorham and the tree stands 

 near the house. It has a spread 

 of sixty feet and is in a good 

 state of preservation. Crary 

 afterward became the first 

 Congressman from Michigan 

 and Pierce the first superin- 

 tendent of public instruction. 

 The Witenagemot (meaning 

 assemblage of the wise) Oak 

 (page 608), was planted in the 

 spring of 1676 by Governor 

 Andros as an emblem of peace 

 between the Colonial govern- 

 ment and several neighboring 

 tribes of Indians, the Schaghti- 

 cokes, among the rest. One 

 thousand warriors were pres- 

 ent at the ceremonies and many 

 prominent representatives of 

 the Colonial government added 

 to the impressiveness of the 

 occasion. This venerable oak 

 stands a short distance in the 

 rear of the old Knickerbacker 

 mansion, on the south bank of 

 the Hoosac River at the place 

 where it is joined by the 

 Tomhannac Creek, and the flats 

 which prevail here were called 

 "The Vale of Peace," or 

 Schaghticoke Meadows. Wash- 

 ington Irving was entertained in the Knickerbacker man- 

 sion at different times, and it was here that he obtained 

 his idea of the character, Diedrich Knickerbacker, which 

 figures in his "History of New York." 



A fine lesson is taught in such an act as that of A. E. 

 Wiltse when a tract can be set aside for one oak tree in 

 a State like California, famous for trees. (See page 609.) 

 Some claim this tree rivals the famous Sir Joseph Hooker 

 Oak at Chico, California, which was pictured in Ameri- 

 can Forestry some time ago. The circumference of 



WAR MEMORIALS 



A tree, a stone, 

 A church, a bridge, 

 A star, a cross 

 And flags 

 O valiant ones 

 Who seek today- 

 Adventure still and far 

 What is there now 

 More fitting than a tree 

 A strong young tree 

 To keep your memory green? 

 A tree that sings 

 Of home and youth, 

 Of love 

 And loyalty; 

 A tree that has its roots 

 In cherished soil 

 A tree whose branches 

 Wrestle with the storms; 

 A tree that makes an altar 

 For the sun, and knows, dear lads, 

 Even as you must know, 

 The thrill of life, 

 The urge of growth 

 And struggle, 



The peace of jeweled night 

 And the wonder of awakening 

 To find the Morning Star. 



Abigail F. Taylor. 



this oak is 31 feet and the spread of its branches is 130 

 feet while the age is estimated at between six and seven 

 hundred years. 



The Red Oak at Chesterfield is one of the most historic 

 trees in the State of South Carolina (see page 609), and 

 takes its place beside the famous BlufftqnOak under which 

 the "Bluffton Movement" was born, which had a direct 



bearing on the Civil War. Of 

 the oak at Chesterfield, Mr. 

 Craig says he can see no dif- 

 ference in the tree now and the 

 way it looked in 1852. He con- 

 tinues : 



"My father's house was just 

 across the street from this tree 

 and the open court around it 

 a well of good water almost 

 under its long limbs. The weary 

 traveler could hardly resist the 

 refreshing shade of this old tree 

 and I have many pleasant and 

 sad memories connected with it 

 besides many handed down by 

 tradition. The last tribe of 

 Indians in this county, for 

 whom the stream just under 

 the hill was named, found this 

 a place after their own hearts 

 after trading their pelts for a 

 jug of grog. For a long time 

 you could find around this spot 

 evidence of their stay such as 

 arrowheads, pipes, etc. The 

 slaves found this a favorite 

 place to spend their Sunday 

 evenings ; when passing the oak 

 I can yet hear their carefree 

 songs and laughter. And oh! 

 the frolics and fights I have 

 witnessed under this old oak 

 in antebellum times we had 

 "rooster day" every three 

 months ; there were always bar- 

 rels of home-made cider for sale 

 on this spot, and such cider is not known in these days- 

 it had the sparkle of champagne and the kick of esqua- 

 laugh. It first cheered the men up to all kinds of fun for 

 the drill, then settled into the opposite direction and 

 made them fight. If there were no old grudge to be 

 settled, some bully would make a mark across this court 

 and dare any one to cross the line ; some other bully 

 would soon accept the challenge and at it they would, go. 

 No weapons were used in these fights, so there was 

 rarely ever any serious injury inflicted." 



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BIO 



