Annual Meeting

    November, 1942

    THE Annual Meeting of the Society was held at the Algonquin Club, No. 217 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, on Monday, November 23, 1942, at a quarter after seven o’clock in the evening, the President, Kenneth Ballard Murdock, in the chair.

    In the absence of the Recording Secretary, the Editor was designated as Recording Secretary pro tempore.

    With the consent of those present, the reading of the records of the last Stated Meeting was omitted.

    The Corresponding Secretary reported the death on October 31, 1942, of Kenneth Grant Tremayne Webster, a Resident Member.

    The Corresponding Secretary reported the receipt of letters from Mr. Richard LeBaron Bowen and Mr. George Norton Northrop accepting election to Resident Membership and from Mr. Daniel Joseph Boorstin and Mr. George LaPiana accepting election to Associate Membership in the Society.

    Mr. Arthur Harrison Cole, of Cambridge, and Mr. Arthur Meier Schlesinger, Jr., of Cambridge, were elected Resident Members of the Society.

    Dr. James L. Huntington read the Annual Report of the Council.

    Report of the Council

    DURING the past year the Colonial Society of Massachusetts held three stated meetings. Last December we were entertained at the home of Mr. Augustus P. Loring, Jr. Mr. George L. Haskins read a paper on “Gavelkind and the Charter of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.” Mr. George Parker Winship presented a communication entitled “William Ames, ’45:—a Postscript to Sibley.” In February the meeting was held at the Club of Odd Volumes. Mr. Edmund Sears Morgan read a paper on “Puritan Tribalism.” In April the Society entertained as guests the members of the Massachusetts Historical Society. The meeting was held at the Tavern Club at the invitation of Mr. Zechariah Chafee, Jr. Dr. Ernest Caulfield of Hartford, Connecticut, read a paper on “Some Diseases of Colonial Children.”

    Several members of the Society took a trip to Hadley, Massachusetts, in May, and were shown the Farm Museum, the First Church of Christ in Hadley, and the Porter-Phelps-Huntington house, as guests of the Corresponding Secretary.

    The Society has elected the following members:

    Resident:

    • Charles Cortez Abbott
    • Robert Peabody Bellows
    • Richard LeBaron Bowen
    • George Norton Northrop

    Associate:

    • George LaPiana
    • Daniel Joseph Boorstin

    The Society has lost by death two members:

    Howard Judson Hall, a Corresponding Member since 1928, died December 14, 1941. A native of New York state, he spent the greater part of his active life in the West. A teacher of English in Arizona and finally Professor of English at Leland Stanford, he wrote many books, chiefly related to poetry. He also edited Nathaniel Morton’s New England’s Memorial.

    Kenneth Grant Tremayne Webster, a Resident Member since 1932, died October 31, 1942. A Nova Scotian by birth and a graduate of Dalhousie University, he spent five years of study at Harvard, and taught there for nearly forty years. Interested in camping and fishing, he often returned to Nova Scotia for these pursuits. An authority on the castles of southern France, many of which he sketched, he was a student and collector of medieval weapons, adding to his collection models made by his deft fingers. Although he never presented a paper, he was a faithful member of this Society, rarely missing a meeting.

    As usual the Society has been the chief supporter of the New England Quarterly.

    The Treasurer submitted his Annual Report as follows:

    Report of the Treasurer

    In accordance with the requirements of the By-laws, the Treasurer submits his Annual Report for the year ending November 14, 1942.

    Statement of Assets and Funds, November 14, 1942

    ASSETS

    Cash:

       

    Income

    $11,573.87

     

    Loan to Principal

    9,516.47

    $2,057.40

    Investments at Book Value:

       

    Bonds (Market Value $98,143.50)

    $94,746.64

     

    Stocks (Market Value $44,788.00)

    50,271.19

     

    Mortgages

    3,500.00

     

    Savings Bank Deposit

    3,060.30

    151,578.13

    Total Assets

     

    $153,635.53

    FUNDS

    Funds

     

    $141,265.36

    Unexpended Income

     

    12,370.17

    Total Funds

     

    $153,635.53

    Investments as of November 14, 1942

    BONDS Book Value  

    $5,000 Bell Telephone Company of Canada First 5’s, Series B, 1957

    $4,062.50

     

    5,000 Canadian Pacific Railway Equipment Trust 5’s, 1944

    3,872.50

     

    4,000 Columbia Gas and Electric Corporation Debenture 5’s, 1952

    3,810.62

     

    5,000 Community Public Service Company First 4’s, 1964

    5,137.50

     

    5,000 Consolidated Oil Corporation Convertible Debenture 3½’s, 1951

    5,169.62

     

    5,000 Continental Gas and Electric Corporation Debenture 5’s, Series A, 1958

    4,663.28

     

    5,000 Iowa Southern Utilities Company S. F. Debenture 4½’s, 1966

    5,000.00

     

    5,000 Montana Power Company First and Refunding 3¾’s, 1966

    5,125.87

     

    5,000 Northwestern Public Service Company First 4’s, 1970

    5,168.75

     

    5,000 Public Service Company of Indiana First 4’s, Series A, 1969

    5,325.00

     

    5,000 Public Service Company of New Hampshire First 3¼’s, Series F, 1966

    5,148.75

     

    5,000 Scranton Gas and Water Company First 4½’s, 1958

    5,068.75

     

    5,000 Texas Electric Service Company First 5’s, 1960

    4,437.50

     

    8,000 United States of America Savings Bonds, Series D, October 1, 1949

    6,320.00

     

    2,000 United States of America Savings Bonds, Series D, November 1, 1949

    1,580.00

     

    5,000 United States of America Savings Bonds, Series D, January 1, 1950

    3,900.00

     

    5,000 United States of America Savings Bonds, Series D, March 1, 1950

    3,900.00

     

    10,000 United States of America Defense Savings Bonds, Series F, July 1, 1953

    7,420.00

     

    8,000 United States of America Defense Savings Bonds, Series F, September 1, 1953

    5,936.00

     

    5,000 United States of America Defense Savings Bonds, Series F, May 1, 1954

    3,700.00

     

    Total Bonds

     

    $94,746.64

    STOCKS Book Value  

    50 shares American Telephone and Telegraph Company

    $8,534.13

     

    3 shares Christiana Securities Company

    8,295.00

     

    50 shares First National Bank of Boston

    1,750.00

     

    1 share First National Bank of the City of New York

    1,544.81

     

    240 shares General Electric Company

    5,179.50

     

    50 shares Insurance Company of North America

    1,963.75

     

    40 shares Radio Corporation of America Common

    0.

     

    200 shares State Street Investment Corporation

    13,489.00

     

    5 shares Travelers Insurance Company

    2,225.00

     

    100 shares United States Cold Storage Corporation Prior Reference Participating

     

    50 shares United States Cold Storage Corporation Junior Preference

     

    100 shares United States Cold Storage Corporation Common

     

    Total Stocks

     

    $50,271.19

    First Mortgages on improved property in Boston

    $3,500.00

     

    Deposit in Warren Institution for Savings

    3,060.30

    6,560.30

    Total Investments

     

    $151,578.13

    Composition of Funds, November 14, 1942

    Publication Fund, established in 1893 by gift of $100 from Quincy Adams Shaw: composed of sundry small gifts and portions of the Income which were added from year to year. Income only to be used for Publications

    $ 10,000.00

    General Fund, established in 1893: composed of Admission Fees added to Principal, Gains on Sale of Securities, etc. Income only to be used for Current Expense

    14,536.61

    Benjamin Apthorp Gould Memorial Fund, established in 1897 and 1898 by subscriptions in his memory. Income only to be used

    10,000.00

    Edward Wheelwright Fund, established in 1900 under his will without restriction as to use

    20,000.00

    Robert Charles Billings Fund, established in 1903 under his will. Income only to be used for Publications

    10,000.00

    Robert Noxon Toppan Fund, established in 1904 by a gift in his memory from his widow. Income only to be used

    5,000.00

    Robert Charles Winthrop, Jr., Fund, established in 1905 under his will. Increased by $2,000 in 1924 under the will of Elizabeth Winthrop. Income only to be used

    5,000.00

    Andrew McFarland Davis Fund, established in 1908 by a gift from him to be added to the permanent publication funds. Income only to be used

    2,000.00

    William Watson Fund, established in 1916 under his will without restriction as to use

    1,000.00

    George Vasmer Leverett Fund, established in 1920 under his will. Income only to be used for Publications

    30,000.00

    Martha Rebecca Hunt Fund, established in 1923 under the will of Henry H. Edes as the “Henry H. Edes Bequest” to accumulate until it reached the sum of $3,000 when it would become a permanent fund to be known as the Martha Rebecca Hunt Fund. Income only to be used for special purposes

    3,000.00

    Henry H. Edes Memorial Fund, established by sundry subscriptions from 1923–1925. To accumulate until it reaches the sum of $10,000. Income only to be used for Publications

    7,428.75

    George Nixon Black Fund, established in 1929 under his will without restrictions as to use

    10,000.00

    Commutation Fund, established by crediting all commutations received from 1893 to date. Income to be used for Current Expense

    8,300.00

    Samuel Henshaw Fund, established in 1942 under his will without restriction as to use

    5,000.00

    Total Funds

    $141,265.36

    Changes in Principal of Funds

    Total Funds, November 14, 1941

     

    $141,583.65

    Add—Additions to Special Funds:

       

    Henry H. Edes Memorial Fund

    $258.14

     

    Samuel Henshaw Fund

    5,000.00

     

    Add—Additions to General Fund:

       

    Admission Fees

    60.00

     

    Profit from Sale of Securities:

       

    $5,000 Iowa Southern Utilities Company General Mortgage 4½’s, 1950

    175.00

     

    5,000 Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway Company First and Refunding 6’s, Series A, 1946

    15.87

    5,509.01

       

    $147,092.66

    Deduct—Charges to General Fund:

       

    Loss from Sale of Securities:

       

    100 shares Electric Bond and Share Company $6.00 Preferred

     

    5,827.30

    Total Funds, November 14, 1942

     

    $141,265.36

    Income Cash Receipts and Disbursements

    Balance, November 14, 1941

     

    $12,021.87

    RECEIPTS:

    Interest

    $2,759.81

     

    Dividends

    2,551.45

     

    Annual Assessments

    820.00

     

    Sale of the Society’s Publications

    94.00

    6,225.26

    Total Receipts of Income

     

    $18,247.13

    DISBURSEMENTS:

    Publications, Volume 34

    $2,668.32

     

    New England Quarterly

    1,000.00

     

    Editor’s Salary

    1,000.00

     

    Annual Dinner

    488.59

     

    Secretarial Expense

    450.00

     

    Storage on Stock

    300.76

     

    Postage, Office Supplies, and Miscellaneous

    175.61

     

    Notices and Expenses of Meetings

    166.64

     

    Auditing Services

    125.00

     

    Rent of Safe Deposit Box

    24.00

     

    Insurance

    16.20

     

    Interest on Henry H. Edes Memorial Fund added to Principal

    258.14

     

    Total Disbursements of Income

     

    6,673.26

    Balance of Income, November 14, 1942

     

    $11,573.87

    Principal Cash Receipts and Disbursements

    Loan to Principal, November 14, 1941

     

    $10,809.18

    RECEIPTS:

    $5,000 Iowa Southern Utilities Company General Mortgage 4½’s, 1950, called at 104½

    $5,225.00

     

    5,000 Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway Company First and Refunding 6’s, Series A, 1946

    265.87

     

    100 shares Electric Bond and Share Company $6.00 Preferred

    4,772.70

     

    Estate of Samuel Henshaw

    5,000.00

     

    Admission Fees

    60.00

     

    Transferred from Income to Principal:

       

    Henry H. Edes Memorial Fund Income

    258.14

     

    Total Receipts of Principal

     

    $15,581.71

       

    $4,772.53

    DISBURSEMENTS:

    $5,000 Iowa Southern Utilities Company S. F. Debenture 4½’s, 1966

    $5,000.00

     

    5,000 United States of America Defense Savings Bonds, Series F, May 1, 1954

    3,700.00

     

    100 shares State Street Investment Corporation

    5,589.00

     

    Total Disbursements of Principal

     

    $14,289.00

    Loan to Principal, November 14, 1942

     

    $9,516.47

    James M. Hunnewell

    Treasurer

    Report of the Auditing Committee

    The undersigned, a committee appointed to examine the accounts of the Treasurer for the year ended November 14, 1942, have attended to their duty by employing Messrs. Stewart, Watts and Bollong, Public Accountants and Auditors, who have made an audit of the accounts and examined the securities on deposit in Box 91 in the New England Trust Company.

    We herewith submit their report, which has been examined and accepted by the Committee.

    Allston Burr

    Hermann F. Clarke

    Auditing Committee

    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 the following list was presented; and a ballot having been taken, these gentlemen were unanimously elected:

    • President Kenneth Ballard Murdock
    • Vice-Presidents Hon. Fred Tarbell Field
    • Hon. Robert Walcott
    • Recording Secretary Augustus Peabody Loring, Jr.
    • Corresponding Secretary Dr. James Lincoln Huntington
    • Treasurer James Melville Hunnewell
    • Registrar Robert Dickson Weston
    • Member of Council for Three Years Richard Mott Gummere

    After the meeting was dissolved, dinner was served. The guests of the Society were Professor Clarence H. Haring, the Right Reverend Edward G. Murray, the Reverend John J. Wright and Mr. Theodore Spencer. The Reverend Henry Wilder Foote said grace.

    After the dinner, Professor Haring addressed the Society and its guests, and Mr. Theodore Spencer read several of his poems. Professor Fred Norris Robinson, a former President, proposed a toast to the Colonial Society of Massachusetts in honor of its fiftieth anniversary.