The following pages were written very recently, under a degree of pressure from some members of my family; and as I possessed no memoranda whatever to aid me in such a work, I have had to rely entirely upon memory; therefore errors in details may reasonably claim excuse, after the lapse of so long a period of time. These papers are written solely for private distribution amongst relatives and special friends; and, as my family is rather numerous and dispersed, the necessity arises of having them