ANNUAL MEETING, NOVEMBER, 1913

    THE Annual Meeting of the Society was held at the University Club, No. 270 Beacon Street, Boston, on Friday, 21 November, 1913, at six o’clock in the afternoon, the President, Henry Lefayour, LL.D., in the chair.

    The Records of the last Stated Meeting were read and approved.

    The President announced the death, during the past year, of Thornton Marshall Ware, Francis Blake, Gustayus Arthur Hilton, Francis Henry Lee, Thomas Minns, Thornton Kirkland Lothrop, Resident Members; of John Shaw Billings and Henry Leland Chapman, Corresponding Members; and of John Pierpont Morgan, Honorary Member.

    The name of Mr. Edgar Huidekoper Wells was transferred from the roll of Resident Members to that of Corresponding Members, since he has removed his permanent residence from Massachusetts to New York.

    Mr. Francis Henshaw Dewey of Worcester, and Mr. Alfred Claghorn Potter of Cambridge, were elected Resident Members.

    The Annual Report of the Council was presented and read by the Rev. Charles Edwards Park.

    REPORT OF THE COUNCIL

    The past year has been productive of the usual results in the way of meetings held, and valuable papers presented. Of the five stated meetings, the last one, held in April, was at the residence of the Society’s Treasurer, Mr. Henry H. Edes, in Cambridge. The other four meetings have been held, through the kindness of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, in their most comfortable Society House.

    In addition to sundry communications, papers have been presented by our associates, Mr. Andrew McFarland Davis, Mr. Henry II. Edes, Mr. George E. Littlefield, Mr. Albert Matthews, Mr. Samuel Eliot Morison, and Mr. Julius H. Tuttle; and a portrait in oil by the late William Morris Hunt, of President Wheelwright, was presented to the Society.

    The Society’s loss by death has been, this year, peculiarly heavy. Those who have been taken from our roll of Resident Members are as follows:

    Thornton Marshall Ware, member of an old and famous family, who was keenly sensitive to the obligations of his heritage, and who lived a life of peculiar hardship with touching bravery and cheerfulness.

    Francis Blake, scientist and inventor, whose enthusiasm for life, coupled with intellectual industry and thoroughness, made him one of the most useful men of his times; and whose very amusements were valuable.

    Gustavus Arthur Hilton, an original member of this Society; one who played an active part in its incorporation; in his character, loyalty to his friends, filial devotion, and gentleness of disposition were predominating qualities.

    Francis Henry Lee, who exemplified the highest ideal of citizenship, — soldier, philanthropist, a lover of true culture, simple in all his tastes, undefiled in all his ways, — his heart was full of great sympathies and clean laughter.

    Thomas Minns, a faithful and well-beloved associate, to whose interest the Society is indebted for a large part of its financial endowment; a sagacious man of affairs; himself a descendant from some of the founders of Boston, he found a rare pleasure in our local antiquities.

    Thornton Kirkland Lothrop, for years one of Boston’s leading lawyers, an author and man of affairs, a studious, refined, cultivated gentleman, who in quietness and without ostentation lived a life of rare richness and charm.

    From our roll of Corresponding Members:

    Henry Leland Chapman, for over forty years, Professor of English Literature in Bowdoin College; a learned scholar, a gracious personality, a well-rounded man. He was a lover and instructor of youth, and his best memorial is to be found in the deep affection which he invariably commanded from all who came under his vitalizing influence.

    John Shaw Billings, surgeon-general, author, and Director of the New York Public Library; one of that large class of men who do great things in obscurity, and who are never so sorely missed as when they die. Vigorous and precise, his energies were directed by a rare skill, and were sustained by a heroic perseverance.

    And from our roll of Honorary Members

    John Pierpont Morgan, financier, and lover of art; for whom it may fairly be said that he occupied an exceedingly difficult position with sincerity and self-honesty. He dealt familiarly with tremendous responsibilities, and brought to the task a personality of tremendous power.

    The names of six gentlemen have been added to our roll of resident membership:

    • Allan Forbes,
    • George Emery Littlefield,
    • Edgar Huidekoper Wells,
    • Charles Lemuel Nichols,
    • Samuel Chester Clough,
    • Charles Grenfill Washburn;

    and one to that of our Honorary Members, —

    • William Howard Taft.

    The year has been marked by gratifying activity in the Society’s Publications. This is due, in large measure, to the notable generosity of certain members who have contributed over $6000 for immediate use in getting out the Publications. Of this sum, more than $5000 was given by two of our Resident Members. The Council wishes to express in formal terms its lively sense of gratitude to our associates who have made this work possible.

    As a result of this activity, Volume II, containing the Massachusetts Royal Commissions from 1681 to 1774, which has been many years in preparation, has at last been published and distributed.

    Volume XIV, containing the Transactions of the Society from April, 1911, to February, 1913, inclusive, has also been completed, is now in the hands of the binders, and will be distributed within a few weeks.

    Volumes XV and XVI, containing the Harvard College Records, are now well advanced, and work is being prosecuted upon the index. It is impossible, as yet, to say with certainty just when these two volumes will be ready.

    Volume XVII, another volume of Transactions, has been begun and has been set up and stereotyped to page 142.

    The material for still another volume (or volumes), which will contain the Massachusetts Royal Instructions, is gradually being collected, but since there are many of these Instructions yet to come from London, the work of printing has not yet been begun. Work on the Harvard College Records, contained in Volumes XV and XVI, will be continued just as fast as the funds are forthcoming for its support. It is perhaps needless to remind the Society and their friends that these two volumes promise to be of exceptional interest and value. The Council sincerely hopes that there will be no delay, through lack of means, in getting these volumes ready.

    The Council ventures to recommend a more general attendance on the part of the Society at the stated meetings during the year, and they make this recommendation in the belief that the members would find these meetings exceedingly pleasant and profitable. The surroundings are all that could be asked. In the quiet and comfort of the American Academy’s house there is to be found everything that may conduce to a full enjoyment of the occasion, without distracting noises, or physical discomforts or interruptions. The communications presented are of a high order of interest and value. If a large attendance were to be found at these meetings, it would not only serve as a stimulus to those who are generous enough to offer communications, but the practice might awaken a similar ambition in the minds of those who are not in the habit of making such communications, and so the scope of the whole Society be widened and enriched. Your Council makes this recommendation with the conviction that in letting these stated meetings go by unattended, many of our associates are losing a rare opportunity for rest, relaxation, enjoyment and profit.

    The Treasurer submitted his Annual Report, as follows:

    REPORT OF THE TREASURER

    In compliance with the requirements of the By-Laws, the Treasurer submits his Annual Report for the year ending 17 November, 1913.

    CASH ACCOUNT

    receipts

    Balance, 16 November, 1912

    $530.62

    Admission Fees

    $60.00

    Annual Assessments

    550.00

    Commutation of the Annual Dues

    200.00

    Sales of the Society’s Publications

    66.07

    Sales of the Society’s paper

    8.04

    Contributions from two members

    5,323.16

    Editor’s Salary Fund, subscriptions

    700.00

    Interest

    2,920.71

    Sale of old material

    7.74

    Mortgages discharged or assigned

    12,900.00

    Conveyancers Title Insurance Company, demand loan made to it

    2,000.00

    $24,735.72

    $25,266.34

    disbursements

    The University Press

    $4,872.55

    A. W. Elson & Co., photogravure plates, negatives, and plate printing

    540.70

    Folsom & Sunergren, relief plate

    7.50

    Clerk hire

    91.55

    Boston Storage Warehouse Company

    24.00

    Postage, stationery, and supplies

    75.04

    Andrew Stewart; auditing

    10.00

    C. W. Phillips, distributing Publications

    35.00

    Albert Matthews, Salary as Editor of Publications

    1,000.00

    Mary H. Rollins, indexing

    125.00

    Lucy Drucker, services in London at the Public Record Office

    316.95

    Carnegie Institution, annual subscription towards Bibliography of American Historical Writings

    50.00

    Subscription to International Congress of Historical Studies

    5.02

    Miscellaneous incidentals

    504.26

    Mortgages on improved real estate in Boston

    13,000.00

    Interest in adjustment

    146.07

    Deposited in Provident Institution for Savings

    500.00

    Conveyancers Title Insurance Company, demand loan, with interest

    2,000.00

    $23,303.64

    Balance on deposit in State Street Trust Company, 17 November, 1913

    1,962.70

    $25,206.34

    The Funds of the Society are invested as follows:

    $56,400.00

    in First Mortgages, payable in gold coin, on improved property in Boston, Cambridge, and Brookline

    800.00

    deposited in the Provident Institution for Savings in the Town of Boston

    $57,200.00

    TRIAL BALANCE

    debits

    Cash

    $1,962.70

    Mortgages

    $56,400.00

    Provident Institution for Savings

    800.00

    57,200.00

    $59,162.70

    credits

    Income

    $1,962.70

    Editor’s Salary Fund

    $300.00

    Publication Fund

    6,400.00

    General Fund

    10,500.00

    Benjamin Apthorp Gould Memorial Fund

    10,000.00

    Edward Wheelwright Fund

    10,000,00

    Robert Charles Billings Fund

    10,000.00

    Robert Noxon Toppan Fund

    5,000.00

    Robert Charles Winthrop Jr. Fund

    3,000.00

    Andrew McFarland Davis Fund

    2,000.00

    57,200.00

    $59,162.70

    Henry H. Edes

    Treasurer

    Boston, 17 November, 1913

    REPORT OF THE AUDITING COMMITTEE

    The undersigned, a Committee appointed to examine the Accounts of the Treasurer for the year ending 17 November, 1913, have attended to their duty and report, that they find them correctly kept and properly vouched, and that proper evidence of the Investments and of the balance of Cash on hand has been shown to us. This Report is based on the examination of Andrew Stewart, certified public accountant.

    Allan Forbes

    Charles S. Rackemann

    Committee

    Boston, 21 November, 1913

    The several Reports were accepted and referred to the Committee of Publication.

    On behalf of the Committee appointed to nominate officers for the ensuing year, Mr. George V. Leverett presented the following list of candidates; and, a ballot having been taken, these gentlemen were unanimously elected:

    PRESIDENT

    • HENRY LEFAVOUR

    VICE-PRESIDENTS

    • MARCUS PERRIN KNOWLTON
    • ANDREW McFARLAND DAVIS

    RECORDING SECRETARY

    • HENRY WINCHESTER CUNNINGHAM

    CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

    • CHARLES EDWARDS PARK

    TREASURER

    • HENRY HERBERT EDES

    REGISTRAR

    • FREDERICK LEWIS GAY

    MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL FOR THREE YEARS

    • MARK ANTONY DeWOLFE HOWE

    After the meeting was dissolved, dinner was served. The guests of the Society were the Rev. Dr. James De Normandie, Dr. William Sturgis Bigelow, Dr. Robert Montraville Green, and Messrs. Augustus George Bullock, Livingston Davis, Francis Henshaw Dewey, Charles William Eliot, Charles John McIntire, Edward Kennard Rand, Henry Paul Talbot, and William Roscoe Thayer. The President presided.