Theodore de T. Truax
1842-1915
Major Compiler of the 'House of Truax'
The following is a facsimile of a letter and "circular" which Theodore de T. Truax sent to Mr Allan Truax in 1907, seeking names from which he could secure funding for his proposed book on the "House of Truax".
(letterhead)
(handwritten letter follows)
TRUAX
COAT-OF-ARMSTRUAX HISTORICAL GENEALOGY Embracing a Period of Thirty-two Decades or Eleven Generations, Classified in Families, from the time of Philippe du Trieux (signature facsimile) (1585 to 1905)
The Progenitor of all wearing this name in the United States and Canada
Printed on extra fine paper, containing Photogravures, Biographies, and Autographs of the makers of Truax or Truex History, in one quarto, substantially bound volume, containing upwards of 800 pages.
(Advance subscriptions at $10.00 per volume now received.)Edited and Compiled by T. de T. Truax (signature) Electros of Coat-of-Arms, with full, printed explanation of armoral bearings and colors, with the original, surname suitable for calling cards, letter heads, and envelopes, ready for Press, may be had--both for $8.00. New York City, 9-24-1907
Mr. Allan L. Truax,
Dear Sir,
A postal card from you in relation to the Truaxes addressed to the "Grafton Press" has been handed to me, and I ask in turn that you send me the latest addresses of all that you think would be interested in the enclosed circular which I trust you will be enabled to honor.
Yours Truly,
T. de T. Truax
2290 7th Ave.
N. Y. City
(circular follows, from Archives/Manuscripts Division of Minnesota Historical Society, original in the FCS House of Truax, T865, Box 1)
THE HOUSE OF TRUAX du Trieux, a Huguenot, and fugitive from France during the persecutions of the French Protestants who landed here in 1623. The Doctor showed me a ponderous volume amid the archives, and called my attention to the autograph of Philippe du Trieux attached to a legal document, bearing date the 7th of October, 1633, of which I was permitted to make several tracings from, and of which I herewith give a facsimile reproduction.
Soon after the close of the Civil War, in 1867, while a resident of Schenectady, N. Y., the theater of action of many generation of the Truaxes for the then past 200 years, I first made research for the direct ancestry of my immediate family name.
My initial step was sidetracked in a quest for the traditional "three brothers who came here from Holland." Failing it, I reluctantly abandoned the search until one day in conversation with the historian, Dr. O'Callaghan, who assured me he could put me on the right trail. I called upon him at an appointed time at the Secretary of State's Department at Albany, N.Y., where I learned that there was only one emigrant ancestor by the name of
Philippe du Trieux, (signature) Fully satisfied that at last I had "struck the right trail," I commenced a new search, considering especially the etymology of the (meaning known (?) -- copy with fold marks difficult to read) to-day, evolved from the original in this country, and which, through the phonetics and mouthing of many generations of various tongues, I traced to that of Truax or Truex.
The name du Trieux (pronounced da Treoo), may have had origin from that of Louis VI., King of France, born about 1078, and known by name as "Dreux," a name descending from an ancient city in Gaul.
At intervals thereafter I continued the research and collating of the descendants of Philippe du Trieux, which opened new and larger fields of labor, until about five years ago; since which time my entire attention has been so claimed by my voluminous correspondence and compilation that I have now determined to give utterance to the world of my life's labor of love, without hope of a pecuniary profit, through the "art preservative of arts."
The House of Truax will be a complete encyclopedia of the family, embellished with seven different Truax coats of Arms, replete with all family data as far as could be learned, embodying biographies of those whose lives should continue fresh in the memory of ages to come, and which posterity will cherish and eternity herself keep guard over; illustrated with half-tone reproduction of photographs, a link which binds the lives that have been to the truly noble ones that may come after us (as well that we may look on that face and pass a just verdict upon it, which we may anticipate from posterity as they turn the pages of the House of Truax, seeking that which may bind the present to the past)--illustrations of old homesteads, in which we may review the scenes of our fathers, or of our childhood; inscriptions from tombstones, deeds, wills, etc., and embodying 12 generations classified under about 500 heads of families, representing 3,000 names descendants.
The book will be printed upon good deckle-edge, all rag paper, and will contain 500 pages. The binding will be substantial cloth, with the most ancient of the family coat of arms printed in colors on the cover.
The manuscript, which has involved at least 15 years of continuous labor and great expense in preparation, has now been placed in the bands of THE GRAFTON PRESS for publication.
Originally figured at $1,000, the cost will be greatly increased by the immense additions to the data received since 1903. At that the late Hon. Chauncey S. Truax proposed a plan for financing the book, "which is here given in facsimile of his writing:
We now need $2,400 to compete the work, and hope that the generosity of the descendants of Philippi (sic) de Trieux will enable us to obtain 25 members of the family who will contribute $100 each, thereby making possible the publication of their honorable family's record. Such contributors will receive the full value of their payments in copies of the book, which will have their names printed in the front of it, and may have their portraits printed in half-tone without further charge.
Your attention is respectfully called to the three blank forms following, with the request that you will kindly recognize them by subscribing to one or more at an early date, and address,
Cordially yours,
T. de T. TRUAX, 2290 Seventh Avenue, New York City.
This website was created by Jennifer Smith and Mike Truax for
The Association of Philippe du Trieux Descendants.
Questions or Comments should be addressed to Jennifer Smith.