Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-12-08

Ire LITERARY AsSuALMEErISG-NIo oAoLooY OF I'll Z
YEAR-ADDREss BY HON. ISAAC d. JosEs-PRE-
sENrArIoS OF GEN KIRKwooD's SASH, DC.
The literary annual meeting of the Historical
Society OF Delaware was held in the rooms,
Masonic Temple, last evening. Owing probably
to the rain the audience was email, but apprecia-
ton was written in every countenance.
Jos. II. Walter, the secretary, called the meet
ing to order, and after prayer by Rev. Jno. Viii
son, read the list OF officers elected at the late
annual meeting, and introduced the President,
Hon. d. NJ. Bates. In taking the chair, Mr..
Bates simply expressed his thanks for the conf.
dence and honor repoeed in him, and prom
ised to serve not only in this but in whatever
station he was called to fill, to the best Of his
ability
Mr., Walter then read the neurology OF the
year, briefly sketching the lives of eight mem
bers, all honorable and useful. These we're
Judge Willard Hall, Ziba Ferris, Hon. Jno. Nj.
Read OF Philadelphia, Jno. Stockton Lttell of
Philadelphia, Samuel Gardiner Drake of Boston.
James G. Douglass Of Delaware, Samuel Wollas.
ton, and Samuel Candy.
Hon. Isaac ID. Jones, Of Maryland, was then
introduced and read paper which was an 'Hls.
torcal Sketch of Delaware, i'll connection with
Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey aud Pennsylva-
mia in Colonial Times, under Royal and other
Grants The paper was very lengthy one,
and occupied more than two hours in it's read
ing. 1t began with tho discovery OF America,
recited the law Of prior discovery, aud then
briefly reviewed the leading facts in the settle
ment of the several colonies i'll the territories
now known as Virginia. Maryland, Delaware,
New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The boundary
disputes between Maryland and Virginia. and
between Penn and Lord Baltimore, with the
troubles between Lord Baltimore and Caib borue
were detailed i'll their several stages, and the
contemporaneous history of the Provinces was
brought down TO the middle OF the past century
Several commonly received histoii zeal facts were
disputed.
Delaware, Mr.. Jones said, was first settled by
| the Dutch in 1851 by colony which had come
| over in the Wallace and landed ut Lewes Creek,
where the settlement known as Swanandale,
| subsequently destroyed, was established. He
could not ind any authority for the statement,
| further than an incidental allusion to it, that a
| Swedish colony occupied part of the territory
| in 1903, and said that if such a colony WAS G. =
tabhshed here how long it remained is not
| known. Devries did not arrive, he said, until
| 1871 or 1892 The Swedes under Minuit landed
Oh the shore OF the Christine in 1885, nc arly six
years after the grant to Lord Baltimore. The
| subsequent complications growing out of the
disputed claims to the territory were rected al
| length, but we have not the space to follow Mr..
| Jones through theAs As ono of the Maryland
| Commissioners to settle the boundary dispute
| with Virginia, Mr.. Jones has familiariZed him
self with the early history OK the colonies, and
his sketch was as exhaustive RS it could well be
| made.
| This paper is not the same that was read be-
| FORE the Maryland historical Society, As some
| people suppose, but was more elaborate and
prepared especially for this occasion. 1t will be
printed, We understand, in connection with Mr..
| Jones argument in the boundary line case.
| On motion of DR.. l.. p Bush the hearty
thanks Of the Society were rendered MIR. Jones
| for the reading of the paper.
| Mayor Whiteley,! in behalf OF Gen. h. II. Kitk-
wood Whiteley, who was present, presented the
| Society with Gen. KrLwood's personal jour.
mails Of the campaigns in tho North aud South
and with the sash, stained with Gen. Kirkwood' +
| blood, which ho wore the day no was killed III
| the battle under St. Clair In presenting these
donations the Mayor took occasion to briefly re-
call the leading facts in On. Kirkwoods military
| service.
| vote OF thanks was also rendered to Gen
| Whiteley for the donations.
Owing to the latoness of tho hour DR.. Bush
the corresponding secretary, thought it best tc
| di4pense with the reading OF his report, but OF
motion Of Rev. DR.. Frost the meeting adjourned
| to the second Thursday in January, when the
unfinished business Of last evening will be con
| cluded. and the report OF the Committee Oh FIJI,
| Proof Building will be received