COMMENTS, NOTES AND REVIEWS. |
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OTHER STATE SOCIETIES. During the month of August last the Editor of the Quarterly enjoyed a tour of visitation to many of the State Historical Societies of the Eastern and Middle states. A stop of two or three days was made at Washington, D. C., where arrangements were perfected with the Pub- lication Department, securing for our Library all government docu- ments pertinent to the purposes and work of our Society. We were greatly delighted with repeated visits to the Archaeological Department of the Smithsonian Institution and the new Congressional Library. The Congressional Library building, upon first view, is little less than over- whelming in its magnitude and magnificence. The building was erected at a cost to the Government of nearly $7,000,000, and we do not hesi- tate to say, from personal observation, that there is no Library edifice in architectural splendor, grandeur, size or adaptibility, in any of the European countries at all comparable to it. Surely the effete dynas- ties of the old world, time honored and lore decorated as they are, can no longer charge the young American Republic with being behind in the display of material and intellectual forces that make for the literary and scholarly advancement of the Nation. This triumphal temple of litera- ture covers, within its walls, nearly four acres of ground, just twice the space occupied by the stately capitol building in Columbus. It has a present stack (shelf) provision for 2,000,000 books and an additional ca- pacity for 2,500,000 more; 4,500,0000 in all. Its capacity is therefore twice that of the great library of France in Paris, and also of the library of the British Museum in London. We were flattered to learn from one of the Assistant Librarians that several more sets of the pub- lications of our Society were required to meet the demands of the pat- rons of the Library; especially were they sought for and consulted by the Ohio members of Congress. At Baltimore we became acquainted with the Maryland Historical So- ciety, which occupies a large but inadequate building of its own. Its very extensive library is especially rich in the historical literature of the Southern and Colonial states. The Society issues each year a volume of historical data. The Society has no official relationship with the State government, though the latter each year makes an appropriation towards (243) |
244 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
the expense of the publications of the
Society. Mr. Bernard C Steiner
is the Librarian and moving spirit of
the Society; he is also Librarian
of the Enoch Pratt Free Library of
Baltimore.
Philadelphia, the city of
"Brotherly Love," is a veritable center of
historical, literary and scientific
societies. There are some twenty of
these which, to a greater or less
extent, have the advantage of venerable
age, large wealth, wide influence and
national reputation. Prominent among
these may be mentioned the American
Philosophical Society, founded by
Benjamin Franklin; the American Catholic
Society, devoted to the ac-
cumulation of all material relative to
the history of the Catholic Church
in America; the Geographical Society;
the American Academy of Po-
litical and Social Science; the
Numismatic and Antiquarian Society;
Scotch-Irish Society of America, and
others, as the poet says, "too nu-
merous to mention." Our interest,
of course, was chiefly in the Penn-
sylvania Historical Society, possessing
very valuable, but crowded quar-
ters at 1300 Locust street. It boasts
probably the most extensive histori-
cal Library of any of the state
societies. The Library is specially
rich in the literature of the early
states, and in the department of American
Geneaology and Biography. It also has
accumulated a most extensive
collection of autograph letters and
unpublished manuscripts. It issues
annually a volume of historical material
under the editorship of Mr. J.
W. Jordan, the Assistant Librarian.
Though bearing the title of the
State Society, and being recognized as
such, it has no connection with
the state government and receives no aid
whatever therefrom. It is amply
provided for by the membership fees and
large income from the in-
vested bequests which it has from time
to time received.
Were it pertinent to our subject we
should like to dwell for a time
upon the Libraries of Philadelphia. We
were particularly interested in
the "Library Company of
Philadelphia," founded by Benjamin Franklin
in 1731, and interesting not only
because of its vast size and great age,
but for the fact that it was the first
circulating library in the United
States. The Company is a private stock
corporation, having two com-
modious buildings in different parts of
the city, in which to the members
and subscribers several hundred thousand
books are accessible.
We were indebted to Prof. Stewart Culin
for a few profitable hours
in the Museum of Archaeology and
Paleontology, of which he is the
Curator, and which, though occupying a
costly and spacious separate
building of its own, is a department of
the University of Pennsylvania,
upon the grounds of which it is located.
Mr. Culin is a most enthusi-
astic and experienced archaeologist, and
has won merited renown in his
department.
The State Historical Society of Delaware
has its headquarters at
Wilmington, and is probably the youngest
of the Eastern state socie-
ties. It was founded in 1864. It has a
library of some 30,000 books,
housed in one of the historical old
church buildings of the city. It is
a private corporation and entirely
independent of state authority, except
Comments, Notes and Reviews. 245
that each year the Legislature
appropriates a few hundred dollars toward
the expense of its publications.
The New Jersey Historical Society,
located at Newark, N. J., has
its abode in the second story of a
business block, but expects in a short
time to have ample and appropriate
quarters of its own. It has ac-
quired a library of some 70,000 volumes
and is particularly well
provided with files of the colonial and
early state newspapers. This
Society is also, though recognized as a
state society, an independent or-
ganization, having no official
connection with the state government, but
it also receives each year, through the
general assembly, appropriations
in aid of its publications.
The New York Historical Society, 170
Second avenue, New York,
like everything else of the Empire
State, is a most prosperous and
pretentious institution. It has the
largest building of any state society,
which it owns. The society is rich in
the way of endowments and be-
quests, which yield it large income. It
is, however, a private concern,
having no connection with the state
government and receiving no aid
therefrom. The Library numbers 150,000
volumes. Like the Pennsyl-
vania Historical Society, the New York
Historical Society has a val-
uable museum of historical souvenirs,
manuscripts, portraits, autograph
letters, etc.
The metropolis of New York, like
Philadelphia, is well provided
with societies of historical and
literary character; the Genealogical and
Biographical Society being one
particularly worthy of note. We re-
luctantly omit notices of the great city
and college libraries.
The Massachusetts Historical Society
occupies, in Boston, the most
palatial home of any of the state
societies, a recently erected, fire-proof,
costly-constructed building, beautiful
in external architecture and ad-
mirably arranged with every modern
convenience and appliance for the
care of the Society's property and the
furtherance of its purposes. The
Society is an independent organization,
its membership being limited by
its charter to the number of one
hundred. It bears no relation to the
state authorities and receives no aid
from them. It does not require
this, for the Society is wealthy in
property and resources. It has a very
extensive and elegantly kept library,
accessible only to members of the
Society, or others who are admitted by
card to the reading rooms.
We can not leave the literary
attractions of the Hub, numerous as
they are, without making mention of the
Boston Public Library, now
established in its new spacious and
splendid building, second only in
architecture and area to the
Congressional Library at Washington. This
Library contains 600,000 books, and in
its branches and stations in various
parts of the city has some 200,000 more. The
value of their buildings,
equipments and books is more than
$5,000,000. The annual income of the
Library, derived from private donations
and municipal appropriations,
amounts to some $300,000.
At the Harvard University we were
heartily welcomed by the good
246 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
friend of our Society, Prof. F. W.
Putnam, the distinguished Profes-
sor of Ethnology and Archaeology, and
Curator of the Peabody Museum.
It will be recalled that it was Prof.
Putnam who was, so to speak, the
modern discoverer of the Serpent Mound,
he being the first one to take
an interest in its restoration and
preservation, and to whose friendly in-
fluence we are indebted for the prospective
possession of the same.
Prof. Putnam complimented the work of
our Society in the line of
archaeology under the direction of Mr.
W. C. Mills.
While in Boston we permitted ourselves
to indulge in the customary
and pardonable (there) New England pride
of ancestry, paying our
reverential respects to Old South
Meeting-House, in the pulpit of which,
in the eventful days of our forefathers,
our direct ancestor, as the
geneaologists say, "on our paternal
side," the Rev. Ebenezer Pember-
ton expounded the good old theology and
stirring patriotism of the times.
The picturesque, hilly city of
Providence harbors the Rhode Island
Historical Society. It occupies a
building well suited to its purpose
immediately facing the campus of Brown
University, and located in
close proximity to the College Library
building. Like nearly all the
others heretofore mentioned, the Society
is a distinct organization with
no affiliation with the state
authorities, except at times it receives a small
appropriation towards the expense of its
historical publications. It has
a large Library and an interesting
Museum of Antiquities. It is a pop-
ular adjunct to the university, and in
its valuable and sympathetic co-
operation with that institution of
learning strongly argues the propriety
of such relationship.
Providence also presents a new and
elegant Library, completed but
a few months ago. The Providence Public
Library, perhaps ranking next
to the one in Boston in the completeness
of its appointments, present-
ing all the latest modern features of a
Public Library, such as juvenile,
music, map, reference, standard
literature, and special study rooms.
The Connecticut Historical Society, at
Hartford, has quarters in
spacious rooms connecting with the City
Public Library building. Indeed,
in its work this Society is really an
annex of the Hartford City Library.
They co-operate in expense and in their
service to the public. This
society is also independent and
practically self-supporting through mem-
bership fees and an income from
bequests. It also at times receives slight
assistance from the state in issuing its
publications. Mr. Albert C. Bates
is the courteous and experienced
librarian.
We were not surprised to find that the
Chicago Historical Society,
which is really, and as such is
acknowledged, the Illinois State Historical
Society, to be second to none of the
eastern societies which we had in-
spected. The Chicago Historical Society
has a very extensive, fire-proof,
stone building, costing in the
neighborhood of $200,000. Mr. Charles
Evans, the Secretary and Librarian, is
an accomplished scholar, espe-
cially in the history of the Northwest
Territory, and through his in-
defatigable efforts the Society has
reached an enviable degree of pros-
Comments, Notes and Reviews. 247
perity. The Society is entirely
independent and receives no State aid,
but is wealthy and through private
beneficence is enabled to continue
its valuable work, its function being,
not as its name might imply, to
merely collect and preserve the
historical data of Chicago, but to com-
prise in its collections all that
pertains to the history and growth of
Illinois and the states of the Northwest
Territory. It has a Library of
150,000 books and a gallery of rare
paintings and historical relics.
The Historical Society of Wisconsin,
located at Madison, is the ideal
and model institution of its kind. The
state of Wisconsin is abreast
of all other states, certainly in the
west, in its generous and wise pat-
ronage of the educational and
intellectual interests of its people. Rec-
ognizing the broad and efficient work of
the Wisconsin Historical So-
ciety, the state government placed its
state library under the control
of the state society, making Mr. Reuben
Gold Thwaites State Librarian
and Chief of the united library
interests. It then appropriated some
$600,000 for the erection of a library
building, situated very appropriately
on the College Campus of the University
of Wisconsin. At the time
of our visit the books were being
transferred from the State House, in
the center of the city, to the new
building. This building, it is unnec-
essary to say, is a most imposing
structure, comprising library, read-
ing, lecture, museum, reference,
photograph rooms, and rooms for spe-
cial students and library societies. Mr.
Thwaites, in the work which he
has accomplished for the society and for
the state of Wisconsin, and
indeed in the interest of American
history and literature and library
advancement, has attained an
international reputation. The work which
he has persuaded his state government to
perform presents an admir-
able object lesson for our good friends
in the Ohio legislature.
If we were called upon for any summary
conclusion resulting from
our most profitable and pleasurable
trip, we would say that all of the state
societies which we visited surpass ours
in the extent and value of their
libraries, and most of them far exceed
ours in the quarters and facilities
afforded for their work, though these
facilities, as we have separately
designated, are more often the result of
private benefactions than of
state aid. Our society is certainly superior
to these we have seen, and
probably to all others in the country,
in the line of its archaeological
pursuits, this being due mainly, we must
admit, to the very great re-
sources which Ohio presents in this
subject. Our archaeological museum
is a unique feature in state society
work. Again, with the exception
of Wisconsin, our state government has
been perhaps the most generous
in its assistance given annually to our
society, and through this means our
publications have reached a larger field
and exerted a wider influence
among special students and the general
reading public, than the publica-
tions of any of the State Historical
Societies.
We believe we have reached the proper
stage of our growth when
our state government must see the
propriety, indeed the necessity, of
our having a building devoted
exclusively to our use. This we trust is
248 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
not far off. Indeed, is not the time ripe at the present moment for the erection of such a building on the part of the legislature, as a memorial edifice to mark the centennial anniversary of the establishment of our state. This would come now with all the more opportune appropriateness, as the centennial celebration, which was to have been held at Toledo, has been abandoned.
PERRY'S WILLOW. It is our duty to record that the Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society has been deprived of the glory of an achievement which it had in contemplation. We refer to the anticipated erection of a monument over the grave of the heroes of Perry's Victory on the Island of Put- in-Bay. It will be recalled that a few days after the surrender of Com- modore Barkley's fleet (September 10, 1813) a vessel hailing from the |
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settlement upon which is now located the town of Vermillion, arrived laden with supplies for the American squadron. While anchored off shore the master of the vessel visited the island where were interred the slain officers of both fleets.* In his hand, it is said, he carried a walking stick cut from a green Willow. The earth which formed the mound over the lowly grave was still fresh, and into the yielding sur- *See Sketches and Story of the Lake Erie Islands, by Theresa Thorn- dale. |
Comments, Notes and Reviews. 249
face he imbedded the shoot. It took root
and grew unto the stately tree
which, until lately, marked the historic
place. Some years ago the United
States government presented to the
citizens of the island and shipped
to its shores, several large cannon
which had seen service in the Amer-
ican Rebellion or earlier wars. These
for many years lay upon the
beach, and naught marked the grave but
the venerable and massive wil-
low, upon which the ravages of age and
decay were rapidly making
their mark. In the summer of a year ago
(1899) the editor of the Quar-
terly, in company with Judge James H.
Anderson, Col. J. T. Holmes
and Hon. D. J. Ryan, all members of our
Society, were visitors upon
the island in attendance upon the annual
meeting of the Ohio Bar As-
sociation. The sight of the neglected
grave and the cannon half buried
in the sand, lead to the suggestion that
our Society might fittingly visit
the island the succeeding year (1900),
upon the anniversary of Perry's
Victory, and erect with the cannon a
fitting memorial to the resting place
of the famous heroes. With that view the
editor held conferences with
several of the leading citizens of the
island, particularly Mr. G. H.
Beebe and Mr. V. Doller, the latter one
of the town trustees, whose
duty it was to care for and preserve
this grave. They expressed
hearty sympathy with our idea and
earnest willingness to co-operate.
We had in view in furtherance of this
plan, the obtaining of financial
aid from the state, but the matter was
allowed to go in abeyance until
too late to formulate any program for
this summer (1900).
In the month of July past, the editor
again, as a member of the
Ohio Bar Association, paid a visit to
the island, and was surprised,
though no less pleased, to find that the
plan had been carried out, and
that the old naval guns had been raised
from their watery lodging
place and mounted upon stone embrasures,
in a line in front of the grave,
and covering at intervals a space of
several hundred feet along the
water's edge, giving the effect of a
war-like defense to the sepulchre
of the British and American sailors.
Upon that spot was located a
monument consisting of a stone base
supporting a pyramid of cannon
balls, but sad to relate the old willow
tree was gone. It had been cut
down and removed. As we stood
contemplating the innovation, and
to a certain extent improvement, we
accidentally met an old weather-
beaten tar serving on one of the boats
temporarily moored at the dock.
As we spoke of the change and the lost
opportunity to our society to
participate in the commemoration of the
great victory, he related that
he was one Jacob Merkley, that he
formerly lived in Kentucky, and that
in 1860 there were gathered at this
grave several of the surviving sailors
who particpated in Perry's Victory. He
was with them at that strange
and noteworthy reunion and they clearly
and unmistakably identified the
old willow as marking the spot where
their compatriots and foes who
lost their lives in that battle, were
buried. So that the chain of evidence
seems conclusive that the old willow
stood faithful sentry nearly a cen-
tury over the heroes whose very bones
nourished her protecting branches.
250 Ohio Arch. and His. Society Publications.
But it is to be regretted that the old
willow was not permitted to stand
and shed her shade, feeble as it might
be, over the grave of the brave
until the elements should also relegate
her noble form to the same
mother earth.
But the brave heroes lie in peaceful
rest
"Near the lake where drooped the
willow,
Long time ago."
WE HAVE received and read with great
pleasure "AN HISTORICAL AC-
COUNT OF THE SETTLEMENT OF SCOTCH
HIGHLANDERS IN AMERICA PRIOR
TO THE
PEACE OF 1872, together with notice of
Highland Regiments and
Biographical Sketches, by J. P. MacLean,
Ph. D." Mr. MacLean is the
Librarian of the Western Reserve
Historical Society, of Cleveland, Ohio,
and the author of several books upon
historical and archaeological sub-
jects. He is a most entertaining and
scholarly writer, in ardent sym-
pathy with his subject. The book
contains some 500 pages with il-
lustrations. Dr. MacLean saw that the
illustrious doings of other na-
tionalities engaged in the American
Revolution had been duly exploited
by other authors, and he naturally felt
that the Gael who early sought
the shores of the new world and
struggled with the pioneer patriot, should
also have an historian and memorialist.
He graphically describes the
chivalrous and sturdy Highlanders of
Scotland, their characteristics, their
clans, their traditions and history. He
deals at some length with the
Scotch settlement in Ireland and the
latter Scotch-Irish emigration to
America. He does full justice to the
place which these noble and
valiant people had in the American
Revolution. He makes the re-
markable statement that at the outbreak
of the Revolution, the thirteen
colonies numbered among their
inhabitants not less than 800,000 Scotch
and Scotch-Irish, or a little more than
one-fourth of the entire popu-
lation. Certainly no other foreign
nation was so largely represented,
or so potent in the American ranks, as
the people of which Dr. MacLean
is the proud descendant. The book is a
most valuable addition to Amer-
ican history, and peculiarly attractive
to all readers who delight in the
story of the struggle of the young American
Republic for independence.
"THE OLD NORTHWEST,"
Genealogical Quarterly, Columbus, Ohio,
published by the Old Northwest
Genealogical Society of this city, is al-
ways a welcome guest at our desk, as it
is our nearest literary neighbor,
and in some sense a co-operator in the
historical and biographical work
which our Society and Quarterly is
attempting to do. The western
man, until recently, has insisted that
he was too busy to look after his
ancestry, and too materialistic in his
pursuits to find and profit in the pos-
session of a family chart. He left that
to his New England relations,
Cbmments, Notes and Reviews. 251
who have more leisure for and greater
pride in, such matters. But even
the western man is beginning to look
after his origin and take notes
thereon, if not for the benefit of
himself, then for his inquisitive posterity.
The growth of genealogical, patriotic,
and especially American Revolu-
tion Societies, has given a great
impulse to the study of family heredity.
The Old Northwest Genealogical Society
has for its main purpose the
promotion of this study and the
dissemination of knowledge in that de-
partment. The editor of the Old
Northwest Quarterly is Dr. Lucius
Carroll Herrick. He is an enthusiast in
this work and the Quarterly,
under his direction, is admirably
conducted.
OF THE numerous publications devoted to
the interests of the So-
cieties of the American Revolution,
sons, daughters, children, etc., and
to the historical period of the War for
Independence, "THE AMERICAN
MONTHLY MAGAZINE," published by the
National Society of the Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution,
Washington, D. C., deserves large
patronage. The editor is Mrs. Elroy M.
Avery, of Cleveland, Ohio, wife
of the Hon. Elroy M. Avery, Trustee of
the Ohio Archaeological and
Historical Society. The AMERICAN MONTHLY MAGA INE
may be ob-
tained for a subscription price of $1.00
by addressing Miss Lillian Lock-
wood, Business Manager, 902 F St.,
Washington, D. C.
IN THESE days of stirring events for our
country, and when his-
tory is being rapidly made in divers
quarters of the world, the monthly
known as "CURRENT HISTORY"
(Boston, Mass.), has become almost a ne-
cessity to the reader who wishes to keep
abreast of the times in reliable
information. In a concise and
comprehensive manner it is a record of
the important daily doings of the world.
The progress of the wars in
China, Africa and the Philippine
Islands, are closely and satisfactorily
followed. The numbers for August and
September, 1900, are particu-
larly entertaining.
HON. O. T. CORSON, formerly State School
Commissioner for Ohio,
is exerting a widespread and salutary
influence among the teachers of
our public schools through the
"OHIO EDUCATIONAL MONTHLY,"
Of
which he is the editor and proprietor.
He was honored the past year
with the Presidency of the National
Educational Association, which held
its annual meeting in July at
Charleston, S. C. One of the interesting
features of the MONTHLY for the current
year is the series of articles
by Prof. Frank B. Pearson on the
geography and history of Ohio.
AMONG the many publications for the
benefit of Bible students and
teachers, "OUR BIBLE TEACHER FOR
SUNDAY SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES,"
252 Ohio
Arch. and His. Soeiety Publications.
especially commends itself. It is
published monthly at Dayton, Ohio, by
the United Brethren Publishing House,
and it is edited by H. A. Thomp-
son, D.D, LL. D., and Robert Cowden,
Lit. D.
SEVERAL of the leading magazines, as
well as many of our exchanges,
have noted in a complimentary way the
progress of our Quarterly, and
especially the establishment of the
editorial department.
COMMENTS, NOTES AND REVIEWS. |
|
OTHER STATE SOCIETIES. During the month of August last the Editor of the Quarterly enjoyed a tour of visitation to many of the State Historical Societies of the Eastern and Middle states. A stop of two or three days was made at Washington, D. C., where arrangements were perfected with the Pub- lication Department, securing for our Library all government docu- ments pertinent to the purposes and work of our Society. We were greatly delighted with repeated visits to the Archaeological Department of the Smithsonian Institution and the new Congressional Library. The Congressional Library building, upon first view, is little less than over- whelming in its magnitude and magnificence. The building was erected at a cost to the Government of nearly $7,000,000, and we do not hesi- tate to say, from personal observation, that there is no Library edifice in architectural splendor, grandeur, size or adaptibility, in any of the European countries at all comparable to it. Surely the effete dynas- ties of the old world, time honored and lore decorated as they are, can no longer charge the young American Republic with being behind in the display of material and intellectual forces that make for the literary and scholarly advancement of the Nation. This triumphal temple of litera- ture covers, within its walls, nearly four acres of ground, just twice the space occupied by the stately capitol building in Columbus. It has a present stack (shelf) provision for 2,000,000 books and an additional ca- pacity for 2,500,000 more; 4,500,0000 in all. Its capacity is therefore twice that of the great library of France in Paris, and also of the library of the British Museum in London. We were flattered to learn from one of the Assistant Librarians that several more sets of the pub- lications of our Society were required to meet the demands of the pat- rons of the Library; especially were they sought for and consulted by the Ohio members of Congress. At Baltimore we became acquainted with the Maryland Historical So- ciety, which occupies a large but inadequate building of its own. Its very extensive library is especially rich in the historical literature of the Southern and Colonial states. The Society issues each year a volume of historical data. The Society has no official relationship with the State government, though the latter each year makes an appropriation towards (243) |