Letter from Thura Truax Hires

This letter was loaned to me by my cousin, Nancy Pinnington. The addressee is apparently Anna Burtchaell, who was married to Richard Truax, one of my great-grandfather's half-brothers. The letter is interesting because it is one of possibly hundreds sent out to Truaxs and Truexs all over North America in the 20s and 30s by the inestimable Thura Hires, and because the information that was apparently sent in return about my branch of the family, eventually came back full circle when someone sent me a copy of the Thura Hires data.

In case you are not aware, Thura Colby Truax Hires was largely responsible for researching the generations of Truaxs since Theodore de T. Truax's "House of Truax" was completed around the turn of the century. Her accomplishment was enormous - she travelled all over the U.S., poring over archives, copying tombstones, and interviewing literally hundreds of Truax cousins. The result was a bridge across the gap between the families documented in "House of Truax" and the current generations of Truaxs, many of whom might never have managed to trace their lineage were it not for "The Thura Truax Hires Manuscripts" she published.

107 Linwood Ave.
Ardmore, Penn.
Feb. 1, 1929

Mrs. R. Truax
Toronto, Ont. Canada

Dear Mrs. Truax;

While there has been so much written regarding the Mayflower and the landing of the Pilgrims in New England in 1620 little has been said regarding the permanent settlement of New York City (then New Amsterdam) in 1624 by a body of Walloons who came that year in the ship New Netherlands. Had the list of those sailing from Holland to this country on that ship not been lost the name of the New Netherlands would be as famous as the Mayflower. It is now quite definitely known that among those who sailed on the Netherlands was Philippe du Trieux with his wife, Susanna du Chesne, and their children. Philippe du Trieux was probably born at Roubaix, France, in 1586, and is the Progenitor of all the Truaxs and Truexs in this country.

During the past fifty years effort has been made to gather data relative to the descendants of Philippe du Trieux, Theodore de T. Truax of the City of New York between the years 1867-1915 having made extensive search throughout this country and Canada, his manuscript history of The House of Truax being now in possession of the New York Geneological and Biographical Society. While this earch was being carried forward, David A. Truax, of Chicago, was also tracing the Truax history. Beginning in 1886 he had at the time of his death in 1901 gathered much valuable data but unfortunately his manuscript has been lost.

That the work done by these two men to save for posterity the history of this old family may not have been done in vain, it has been decided to try and gather all possible additional data and to bring this history up to date for publication in book form. To do this will you please lend your help by filling out the enclosed questionaire.

Should you have any items of interest relative to your immediate family or ancestors, will you kindly note same, giving the source of information regarding the latter as it may lead to other data.

Also will you kindly send any addresses you may have of others of this name or of related families.




Most Sincerely Yours,
Thiera [sic] Colby Truax Hires

(handwritten at bottom)
P.S. The above information was forwarded by Grandmother, Anna Bartohaell Truax. I understand grandfather Truaxes Christian name was Reuben - E Mason

(Note - Anna is listed as Anna Burtchaell in the family record, and was married to Richard, not Reuben, Truax. One of their daughters, Elma Lorraine, married Stuart A. Mason - presumably these are 'E. Mason's' parents)