Proceedings of the Rhode Island Historical Society
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* ^ N .^' \ 4.^ -i- ./-^% -f "^--0^ Hq, K^ /•3 ^. ;>, < O .^<^ ''^^'-.Cr.-^ -, ^- ^^ O .^^ .^' .^^ ^^0^ :^^ ^'^' -^q. ri- N^-n,, A^ -\^%i/k: ^*^ .0' ^o^ ^^-n^ .<^ ' .r <J>, • o « o O,* /% to oo ^0--^, .0^ •\^ .*^X7»«^*^ ^ V / PROCEEDINGS OF THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY I 893 -I 894 PROVIDENCE PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY 1894 COMPANY • pp;oviciENcCj R. r. INDEX. Page. Adams, Charles Francis • 15, 24-29 Address of the President 17-29 Annual Meeting 13 Beckwith, Henry T., death of 11 Bowen, Clarence W 8, 9 Burdick, James, paper read by 7 By-Laws changed 9, 10 Cabinet, renovation of 9, 17, 31, 40 Carmichael, George 12 Carpenter, George M 11 Clark, Rev. Dr. George H., paper read by 12, 13 Corresponding institutions 40-42 Davis, William T., address by 12 Drop-Scene of 1812 49 Dyer, Charles, 3d, portrait of 11 Gardiner, Asa Bird, paper read by 7 Genealogical department and its wants 46-48 Greene, Maj.-Gen. Nathanael, original papers of 10, ii, 15 Hall, Mrs. Emily A., thanks to 11 Individuals, gifts from 105, 106 Institutions, etc., gifts from 103, 104 Local History 52 Massachusetts : Its Historians and Its History. By Charles Francis Adams 15, 24-29 Massasoit Monument Association 8 Members, Corresponding, deaths of 23 " " elected 10, 23 " " list of 112 Member, Honorary 112 Member, Life, death of 11 " " elected 13 Members, Life, list of iii " Resident, deaths of 12, 22, 23 " " elected 8, 10, 11, 13 " " list of 107-110 Miscellaneous articles 48, 49 Munro, Wilfred H., elected assistant editor 8 Museum 43 Necrology 68, 97 Beckwith, Henry Truman 72-75 Buttrd, John Chester ici, 102 Campbell, Daniel Gordon 78, 79 . 11 INDEX. Page. Carpenter, Miss Esther Bernon 90-95 Day, Daniel Eugene 75^77 Fisher, Charles Harris 87-89 Goddard, Thomas Poynton Ives 68-72 Jones, Charles C, Jr 100, loi Jones, Horatio Gates 97-100 Knight, William 89, 90 Littlefield, Alfred Henry 95-97 Nicholson, William Thomas 84-87 Parsons, Charles William 80-83 Staples, William 97 Tillinghast, Charles Elisha 79, 80 Newport of ye Olden Times. By George C. Mason 53 Newspaper-room 44 Noteworthy books 51 Ofificers of the Society 5, 6 Papers read, list of 21, 22 Parsons, Charles W., bequest of 12 Proceedings 7-16 Public records, preservation and perpetuation of 17-21 Quarterly meetings 8, 9, 1 Quarterly publication 8, 14, 24 Record Commissioners 18, 19 Report of Committee on Genealogical Researches 38, 39 " " " on Grounds and Buildings 30 " " Librarian and Cabinet Keeper 40-53 " " Library Committee 31-37 " " Publication Committee 54) 55 " " Treasurer 56-60 Rhode Island men in the Revolution 45 Rhode Island Society of Sons of the American Revolution. 15 Sheffield, William P., paper read by 7 Stiness, John H., paper read by 7 Stone, Alfred, illustrated lecture 12 Tooker, William Wallace, communication from 13, 61-67 Town records 32 Treasurer's report 14, 56-60 Votes of thanks 10, 1 Weeden, William B., paper read by 7 Williams, Alfred M., paper read by 12 Woodbury, Rev. Dr., paper read by 9 Young, Edward R., portrait of 9 Young, George T., thanks to 10 Young, Nicholas B., thanks to 10 OFFICERS OF THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Elected Jan. 9, 1894. President. HORATIO ROGERS. Vice-Presidents. George M. Carpenter, E. Benjamin Andrews. Secretary and Librarian. Amos Perry. Treasurer. Richmond P. Everett. standing committees. Nominating Committee. Albert V. Jencks, James E. Cranston, Edward I. Nickerson. Library Committee. William D. Ely, Howard W. Preston, Amos Perry. 6 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY. Lecture Committee. Amos Perry, Reuben A. Guild, William B. Weeden. Publication Committee. James G. Vose, Amasa M. Eaton, Wilfred H. Munro. Committee o?i Groicnds and Buildings. Isaac C. Bates, Isaac H. Southwick, Jr., Edwin Barrows. Committee ott Genealogical Researches. Henry E. Turner, John O. Austin, George T. Hart. Committee on Necrology. Wilfred H. Munro, Samuel H. Webb, Amos Perry, Finance Committee. Robert H. I. Goddard, Charles H. Smith, Richmond P. Everett. Audit Committee. Lewis J. Chace, James Burdick, Ferdinand A. Lincoln. Procurators. For Newport, George C. Mason. Woonsocket, Latimer W. Ballou. Pawtucket, Samuel M. Conant, North Kingstown, David S. Baker, Jr. Hopkinton, George H. Olney. PROCEEDINGS OF THE Rhode Island Historical Society, 1893-94. At a meeting held Jan. 24, 1893, Mr. James Burdick read a paper entitled, " Foot-prints of the California Argonauts." February 7th, Hon. Asa Bird Gardiner, LL. D., read a paper entitled, " Remarkable Providences in Crises of the Revolutionary War for American Independ- ence." February 21st, Hon. William P. Sheffield, LL. D., read a paper on " Samuel Gorton, one of the original settlers of Warwick." March 7th, Mr. William B. Weeden read a paper entitled, " The World's Commerce in 1492." March 21st, Hon. John H. Stiness read a paper entitled, "A Century of Lotteries in Rhode Island." At each of the above-mentioned meetings the thanks of the Society were extended to the speaker of the evening. 8 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY. The first quarterly meeting of the year was held April 4th. After reading the record of the last annual meeting, the secretary presented a letter from Mr. Clarence W. Bowen, expressing thanks to the Society for the honor of his election as a corresponding mem- ber. A letter was also read announcing the formation at Warren of a Massasoit Monument Association. Reports from different committees were then read and received. The librarian reported additions to the library, and on recommendation of the nominating committee the following persons were elected active members: Messrs. John Byron Diman and Joseph C. W. Cole of Providence, and Mr. Henry Whitman Greene of Warwick. Rev. E. B. Andrews, in behalf of the publication committee, read a report in regard to the advisability of the Society's issuing a quarterly publication. By recommendation of this report it was finally Resolved, That the publication committee is hereby instructed to pub- lish the quarterly proceedings of the Rhode Island Historical Society for the year 1893, at a total cost not to exceed $500 (five hundred dollars), the first number of which shall consist of the usual annual transactions, the other three numbers to consist of such matter as they may select; a pros- pectus in the first number to set forth the purpose of the Society in under- taking this publication, and soliciting subscriptions at one dollar per an- num, or fifty cents per number. A copy of No. i shall be delivered to each member of the Society, and 300 copies of each number issued during the year shall be set aside for exchange with, or as gifts to, other societies or public institutions. On motion of Dr. Andrews, Prof. W. H. Munro was elected assistant editor. Ex.-Gov. Taft, in behalf of the committee on grounds and buildings, submitted plans and an estimate of the PROCEEDINGS. 9 cost for renovating the old part of the Cabinet, together with certain other needed changes. After much dis- cussion this committee was authorized to make the proposed improvements and draw on the treasury to the amount of $1000 (one thousand dollars). A com- mittee consisting of Messrs. Charles H. Smith, James Burdick and the secretary, was also appointed to raise the funds necessary for this object. At a meeting held April i8th. Rev. Dr. Woodbury read a paper entitled: "Journalism and Journalists," receiving the thanks of the Society for his scholarly essay. The second quarterly meeting of the Society was held July 3d. Reports were read from the secretary and the librarian. Mention was made of gifts to the Society, notably an admirable portrait of the late Edward R. Young, presented by the sons of Mr. Young, and the " History of the Centennial of the Inauguration of Washington," presented by Mr. Bowen. In response to a call for unfinished business, Prof. Wilfred H. Munro brought forward a proposed change of Sections 12, 16 and 20 of the by-laws of the Society, notice of which change was duly given at the annual meeting, Jan. 10, 1893. The Sections as revised read as follows: Sec. 12. The officers shall be chosen at the annual meeting in each year, and shall serve until the next annual meeting, and until others shall be chosen in their places ; but in case the Society fails to elect at the annual meeting, it may do so at any other regular meeting, and it may fill any vacancy in any office at any regular meeting. When an officer receives a salary the amount of the salary shall be determined by the Society. 10 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY. Sec. i6. The Librarian and Cabinet Keeper shall be a member of the Library Committee. He shall have imme- diate charge of the cabinet and its contents and shall safely keep, under the direction of the Library Committee, in the cabinet of the Society, all books, manuscripts, papers, docu- ments and other articles committed to his charge. Sec. 20. The Library Committee shall have the general charge of the books, manuscripts and other collections, and of the property of the Society within the cabinet building, and shall make all needful rules and regulations for the use of the library. They shall expend all moneys received from the State of Rhode Island, in accordance with the acts of the General Assembly applicable^ thereto. They shall aid and direct the Librarian in his duties and shall have power to appoint and employ proper persons to assist him, and espec- ially for copying records, documents, manuscripts, or other similar work, and shall fix their compensation. They may expend for the library itself from the general funds of the Society, without further authority, a sum not exceeding three hundred dollars in each year.