Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-03-29
THE LINNEAN.
Tribute OF its Members to the Late Jacol
StaufYer.

THE LINNlEAN.
Tribute OF its Members to the Late Jacob
StaufIer.
The Linnaan society met i'll the hall Of
the Young Mems Christian association on
Saturday last, President Stahr in the chair.
DR.. S. S. Rathvon moved that the routine
of business be dispensed with in order to
allow an opportunity to offer the following
testimonial of respect to the memory OF
their late departed fellow member, which
was adopted, and DR.. Rathven spoke as
follows:
Mr.. PRESIDENT Mine becomes the
sorrowful duty to-day of announcing offi-
cially to the Linnaan society the death of
Jacob Stauffer, our distinguished fellow
member and hOnored secretary. He died
at his late residence. on East Orange street,
Lancaster city, on Monday evening, March
90. about s o'clock, in the seventy-secOnd
year of his age. Naturally possessing
q reasonably strong constitution, yet he
had been for 80 many years afflicted
with chronic bronchial inflammation
and spasmodic coughing, that those near
est. dearest. and most intimately associ-
aIcu Will UlIH. IlllSU HdSC uOOlSCu OhO
roads which these exhausting affections
were making upon his physical health, and
that they must have ultimately terminated
in death. But now that through the
7,eamission of Divine Providence he has
been removed from this earthly stage, his
removal seems sudden; and, under the
impulses of natural affection and affilia-
tion. we cannot but lament his taking
OFF, however humbly we may cndcavOr to
yield Christian resignation to the will
and wisdom of Him who has seen fit to call
him to higher sphere of being.
Mr.. Stauffer was one of the original
founders of the Linn8an society, in Feb
ruary, 1862, and of its incorporators in
1864 For eighteen consecutive years he
faithfully served as its recording secretary,
chairman of the committees on icthiOlOgy
and hcrpctolOgy, and also rs associate
member of other committees, especially
that Of botanyt In all the duties relating
to these several functions he was an indus
trious cheerful and efficient worker; often
manifesting a disinterested and youthful
zeal. and nothing seemed to limit his eff
forts save physical disability. In the spe-
cialties of technology and ophidiOlogy his
loss to this society is irreparable. Our
departed friend enjoyed literary and sci
entific reputation that was not confined to
the limits of this association, extending, as
it did, beyond the borders Of our county
and our state, and the records of these
labors of love may be found upon the pages
Of many of the publications of our country.
We confine our estimate of his character
on this OCCASION, however, mainly to
his relations to the Linn4an society
an organization for which he always
rnfn
withstanding the many discOuragements
by whi.h it has been surrounded and dur
ING his long connection with it he was
seldom absent from his post of duty. To
him who bears this imperfect testimony
who had known him so intimately and SO
lonr-he seemed like "anOther self - and
the uniform and practical kindness which
he ALWAYS exhibited. his fraternal sympa-
thies, his purity of life, and the general
integrity of his private character, were
such as to elicit the highest esteem.
He was always ready by purse or pen to
advance the cause of literature and
science. not forgetting his duties as a
Christian and a father; and from this
standpoint looking over his career as a
member of the the Linnaan society-its
early scientific excursions, its field meet
ings. its spring and summer explorations,
in which he was a CONSPICUOUS figure-we
onIy irriatate our unhea!cd wounds OF
regret that on this earth We shall see him
- nevermOre."
OF course Mr.. Stauffer was lii. bic to
those frailities which are common to the
very best specimens ofhum&nity, and none
were more sensible Of this than himself.
His physical energies were never quite
able to ultimate the aspirations of his will
or to free him from the limitations of cir
cumStance.
Had he possessed less versatility of talent
he probably might have been enabled to
accomplish more in any specific direction,
but like all vOtaries of science who are
compelled to .'eat their bread by the sweat
OF their face" he could only avail himself
of the means which he found within
his reach moreover, differently endowed,
he would not have been able to satisfy
the great diversity of demands al
most constantly made upon his time and
talents. He was constantly at work in
many directions. and literally "died in
harness. Less than five hours before his
spirit fed an article appeared in the col
umns of the Lancaster INTELLIGENCER on
a new fish discovered in the Susquehanna
river, which. there is reason to believe, was
written on the Saturday preceding the day
on which he died. in which no abatement
of his usual mental vigor is apparent.
Perhaps it could not be truthfully said
that Mr.. Stauffer never had an enemy in
deed. there are those, whose opinions are
entitled to the highest respect. who allege
that it may be nothing to mans credit to
pass through an active life in this world
without exciting the enmity of some one;
especially since the highest moral and
spiritual exemplar ever vOuchsafed to the
human family was not without His enemies,
and those, too, of the most bitter and
malignant character And this need not
be at all surprising when we reflect that
the "carnal mind" itself is always at
enmity with everything that is good and
true. According to his own apprehension
of his characteristic traits, he inherited a
sanguinc temperament, and fully an
average share of combativeness. But dur
ing his maturer years the impulses con-
trolling these faculties were happily held
in subordination to his moral and religious
sentiments hence, all who truly knew
him and could appreciate his motives, it
may be safe to say, were numbered among
his friends. He was just and generous,
and would"have suffered himself rather
than to have imposed suffering on another,
and if he erred in the exercise of these,
that error leaned towards humanity.
His church has borne its testimony in
relation to his character as Christian !;
the community has spoken in reference tC
his status as fellow citizen. and his scien-
tific Iabors have long been recognized and
recorded. His philosophical deductions were