The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-12-06
society of Natural History.

At the business meeting Monday evening
President Wood presented for publication
Catalogue of birds known to occur in Portland
and vicinity" prepared by N. Clifford Brown
of this CITY,
Vice President Thompson announced the
death of Sylvester B. Beckett for many years
the secretary of the society, and later its vice
president Mr.. Thompson offered the follow
ing resolutions:
Whereas, Death has removed from the rolls
OF the Portland Society of Natural History,
the name OF Sylvester B. Beckett, one of the
Oldest MEMBERS and whose interest in our So
ciety and its objects has been constant and ear
nest during the long period of his membership,
ReSolved, That we avail of this sad occasion
10 Dear our testimony to the many personal
merits of our departed associate and to express
our deep sense of his faithfulness and zeal In
the various official positions to which the socie-
ty called him.
ResolUed, That in his lamented death we feel
that his favorite department of nature has lost
loving and intelligent observer, and this So
clety most worthy and useful member.
ResolUed, That these resolutions be entered
upon our records, and that the secretary send
copy thereof to the afflicted family as testi-
monial of respect for our departed friend, and
OF our sympathy in their bereavement.
DR.. Wood then said:
DIR. WOODS REMARKS.
1t is with profound sorrow that the Society of
Natural History hears the announcement of
the death of one Of its earliest associates, one
from the few now living who were instrument
tai In its formation. He was also a member
and Que of the founders of the Maine Institute
OF Natural Science, society having the same
objects in view this 1t was organized in
1886 by such men as Isaac Whitman, John
Neal, Randolph Goldman. Solomon Adams,
and many others, and fourished for few
years. giving lectures and holding public meet
ings for few years, when it Ian guished, and
was at length dissolved. But it has made its
mark, and was without doubt the cause of the
early formation of this society. The Portland
Society of Natural History was founded in
1913, seven years after the formation of the
Maine Institute of Natural Science, and the
name of Mr.. s. b. Beckett appears as the clerk
of the first meeting called Nov. oath, 1S43, Rev.
Jason Whitman calling the meeting to order,
of which Woodbury. Storer, Esq. was chosen
chairman Several successive meetings were
held, a constitution was adopted, and on Dec.
Goth, lS43 the society was duly organized by
the choice OF officers, as follows:
President-Hon. Ether Shepley.
Vice Woodbury. Storer, Esq.
Corresponding Secretary-J, W. Mighels,
MI
Recording Secretary-S B. Beckett ESQ.
Mr.. Beckett continued to act as secretary till
the annual meeting of the society Dec. 81,
1858, when, at his own request, another gentle-
man was chosen, and Mr.. Beckett was elected
one of the board of managers, which position
he has continued to occupy to the day of his
death. During the whole period that he was
the secretary, and for many years after, he was
the curator of ornithology. He filled this office
at the time of she first fire, in 1854, to which
the society was subjected losing at that time
large and very valuable collection of birds, the
purchase of which formed the nucleus about
which gathered unique and very rare collec-
ton, forming cabinet of which We were just
ly proud, and the loss of which is yet source
of unfailing regret, Mr.. Beckett was ener-
getc in the effort made to reconstruct the So
ciety, and he was ever active in the promotion
of its welfare, and he SO continued through
the long and trying periods that interviewed be-
tween the first and second fires, and for some
time after the erection of the hall in which we
are now assembled, losing in this second fire
much larger, more costly collection of birds
than in the first, as we had been fortunate
enough to receive through wealthy merchant
of Salem and others, numerous representative
birds OF the HimalayaS and the Indian Archi-
pelago. In all the duties devolving upon
comparatively small number of the members
of the society in the midst of these disasters he
ever took an active part, and the society is UNI
der many obligations to him for the labors he
has performed in their behalf. He was also
elected to the Office of vice president in 1875,
aud retained it till 1S79-80 These active la
bors continued down to the time of our taking
possession of this building, and for short
time after, when his failing health warned
him in some measure TO desist.
The society will ever entertain grateful
recollection of the valuable services he has so
long and so cheerfulIy rendered in its behalf.
AT the present time it can only have the
mournful satisfaction of attempting to express
its sense of the loss it has sustained in the
olutions that have just been offered for your
acceptance
7. G. Hersey, Esq expressed the hope that
the resolutions with the remarks of the presi-
dent, be published in the daily papers; fur
thermore he would move that out of respect to
the memory CT our deceased associate, the soci-
ETY. defer all other business and adjourn.
President Wood said that the motion of Mr..
Hersey commended itself to his judgment and
his feelings, and he doubted not that it did so
to those of all the mem bers present. He
would therefore request that all in favor of
Mr. Hersey's motion manifest it by rising. The
vote was carried unanimously.