The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-01-09
MAINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Interesting Papers Read at Their
Meetings Yesterday.
RESOLUTIONS RESPECTING THE
LATE PROFESSOR PACKARD.

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ternoon and evening. Among those present
were noticed the following gentlemen: Mr..
james W. Bradbury of Augusta, President Of
the society, Hon. VIM. Goold, Rev. II. S. Bur-
rage, Rev. Fl. P. Torsey, Dr. W. B. Lapham,
Mr.. &c. II. Blwell, r. K. Small, j. P. Baxter,
Il. W. Richardson, j. L. Douglass,
K. P. Burnham, Stephen Berry, J.
M. Brown, Marshall Cram, Edward Conant,
George E. B. Jackson, A. w. Longfellow,
George F. Emery, Asa Dalton, W. S. Dana
and G. F. Talbot
Letters of regret W ere received from Hon
j. w Williamson, r Fl. Gardner, Rev. j. s.
Sewall, Hon. W. G. Barrows. Hon. John APP
pleton, Hon. j. L. Chamberlain and Rev. j.
O. Fuller.
President Bradbury called the meeting TO
order shortly after 2.30 Mr.. Fl. Bryant. libra
rian and cabinet keeper, presented his report
of which the following Is an abstract:
sEcRETARTs REPORT.
We are compelled to cendense the secretary,s
IL. w. bryants report. From it We learn that don
ors to the library have been Mr.. K. NJ Barton of
worcester, pamphlets and books; Hon. G. f. Lib.
by the Democratic Review; Rev. j. w CplcOrd
lions Advocate; Rev. C. W. Hayes family genoa.
logies; G. Ii. Watkins, Oxford Democrats j. s
TX. N. GOur-
din, W. a. Couftenay, W. G. DeSassure, Charleston
psmphetsi Israel Washburn's memorial; Minutes
cumberland Baptist Association of Maine; j. b.
Thornton. Benjamin Franklns "Confession Of
Faith;'' E. H. ElEell, pamphlets; G. T.Little. Bow
dom, catalogues; Prof. c. +. Richardson's primer
and Dartmouth College pamphlets; Pro-. Piling
Statls les bureau of Ethnology; Admiral Preble
pamphlets, including first clifton Howditeh's Nav.
igator; T.. M. Rand ,lcirculars Maine Commandery;
1t. Col. d; Roberts Washington: CHER Engineer
Reports lndeX; II w. Richardson, correspondence
and diaries j. W. Croker aod Prince 1alleyraad;
MISS f. - fa,ker, sermon by Elias Smith; 1st
Vol: Gorges Society Of Maine rejecting great credit
on the editor DR.. G. E. Banks, ard the printer
Other donors are Joseph Williamson, Belfast; VIM
e. Sargent, Freeport; VIM. Hilton, Bradford, Mass.
Portland; Chas. B. Merrill. Portandi Franklin Jor.
dan, Santa Fe, N. NJ. VIM. A. Quincy, Porlland
YIN. B. Lapham, Augusta, A. F. Chase Bucktield;
=. =. Jones, Jr. Atlanta, Ca. I. S, Parvin, Iowa,
Edward Ingle OF Baltimore; 4. F. Duren, Bangor
Albert II. Eddy, Bangor; Edward S. More, Sa EN-
Qhyer Gerrish, Portland; j. G. Elder, Lewiston;
Donations to the cabinet include photograph of
water color painting of the brig Boxer, made in
Marsellles IN 1915, BY Fritz II. Jordan; stone
gouge, found at Monmouth Me- from john b
Fogg; curious stone implement found at Stock
ton, Me-, from Levi a. Merithew; a French axe
found on Hill's Island in the ST. Crox river from
Albert L. Hill eff Calais; an autograph letter of
Judge Samuel Freeman, dated Oct. is, 1870. and
addressed to nhn Lewis, of North Yarmouth, on
puoho AFFAIRS, from Rev. Amasa Loring; also early
newspapers from the same; parcel Of MS doom
ments, from Edward H. Elwell; also MS from DR.
Gharies e. Banks; photograph OF the tomb of Gen.
Henry kuox at Thomaston. Me- from drawing
made by Mrs, Joseph Willard, of Boston. 1854
from Joseph Viii hanson; a copy of a MS. written
py yrs. As an 5, Wallace on the first settlers of
JACKSON, waldo county, Me-, from Joseph William
son; Tour early newspapers and war tax valuation
books of Baldwin, Feeport and Brunswick. Me-
year 1914, from Marshall n. Rich, ESQ.,; a hello
type from very rare engraving of the first light
house built in the United States on Brewster's Isl
and, entrance to Boston harbor, built in III 5-6
It's cost was 81 285. It's, S1ad from Henry r.
Plcking, U. S. N; 25 ships protection or govern
ment passes on parchment and 10 log books of The
prlvateers Dash, Ieazer, Sire and Dart, 1924
from Hon. Frederick n, Dow collector of the pore
OF Iortlandi tape LOOM once used in the family
OF Gov. William King from Mrs. Charles Kimbali:
a Iolo. combining the complee collection of the
commissions issued TO the late Justice Nathan Cliff
1oId, Il IN number from Mrs. Nathan Clifford and
William Henry Clifford; Greenleaf's map of the
district OF Maine, 1916, in perfect condition and
newly mounted, from DR.. John f. Pratt of Chel-
sea- Mass; from Josiah Pierce, Esq, of London
Densle,s map OF America. prepared for the use of
Louis Nv. klng OF France, and published at Am
sterdam, 1888; large map, also from Mr. Pierce
Is OF especial interest. 1t was prepared nv diree
Ton i OF Gov Thomas Pownal, and bears his author
ity Tor all we ever claimed for our northeastern
boundary, and also lin quotation from the Treaty
OF Versailles) Tor the fisheries, showing what the
hngsh tnen thought Of our rights in those matters
at the close of his report, Mir. Bryant said
that at their annual meeting last July, their
president had announced that copy of the
bust Of Lcngfellow. which had been recer tly
placed in the POSTS Corner" Westminster
Abbey, had been offered to the society by the
Longfellow Memorial Committee of England,
Acting on this offer Mr.. Bry ant had been in
correspondent ce with Francis Bennock, the
treasurer of the English society, and he had
now to announce that the bust had been sent
on to Liverpool and would there be taken in
charge by the management of the Allan Line
OF steamships, who had volunteered to bring
it TO Portland free of charge. Messrs Baxter,
Burrage and Bryant were appointed con-
mittee 10 receive the bust, and on motion Of
James p Baxter
Voted, That the thanks of the Maine Historical
Society be extended to Francis Bennock, ESQ. Of
London, and the committee which he represents far
the valuable bust of the poet LongfelIow. which
they have SO kindly presented to the society," and
which Will be preserved and cherished by us not
only as memorial of our beloved townsmap bnt
also as fraternal token from our kinsman across
the Atlantic; also,
Voted, That this society extend its thanks to
Nessrs ii. q A. Allan for generously transporting
to this country free of expense the bust of Lone,
fellow presented to us by the kindness of our Eng
fish brethren.
Very interesting articles were then read on
the following subjects:
The Aborigines of Maine, by Edward H. Elwell,
The Voyage of George Weymouth in 1902. in
search Of Northwest Passage to India, by Rev Il .
S. Burrage. D; D., of Portland.
Biographical Sketch Of John G. Deane of Port
land, and brief mention of his services in connec.
ton with the northeastern boundary OF Maine, by
LleWelyn Deane Esq, of Washington, d. O., read
by Gen. John Marshall Brown.
President Bradbury then spoke as follows.
PRESIDENT BRADBURY's REMARKS,
At our annual meeting in Brunswick on the / l tn
OF July last Professor Packard was with ms in in
his usual good health. Two DAYS aflerward he was
numbered with the dead.
The first meeting of our society after that sad
event was our field day meeting Richmond
Island on the 18th of September, at which com
mittee was appointed consisting of JUDGE Rarrows
Or. Lai ham and myself, to prepare and report for
the action of the society some appropriate resolu-
lions expressive of our appreciation Of his charac-
Ter and respect Tor his memory, to be placed upon
the records of the society l am instructed by your
committee TO make such report from the pen of
Judge Barrows.
You will pardon me for OBTAINING you a few mo-
ments before offering it for your consideration
Profes sor Packard has been so long with MS and
his agreeable presence has been so uniformly en-
Joyed at our meetings, that it almost seems SIS If he
was necessary part of assemblage he was
one OF the earliest elected members after the organ
izston OF tne corporation aud was associated with
It's founders. The act Of incorporation was ap-
proved February 18th, 1922. 1t embraced 40 cor
porators. The society was organized April lth.
1922. Albion *. Paris was chosen President:
Chief Justice Melen, Treasurer and Rev. Dr. paw,
son. Librarian. Only % members were added prior
TO 1928, at which time Professor Packard was
The corporators numbered .. 20
There were elected prior to 1916 .....1I7
manning
OF this number Professor Packard before his
death was the sole survivor In 1916 there were
o9 members elected, swelling the list to 1856; and
OF this number, | think there remains but two
names against which the fatal must not be placed
-CalloS Sawtell of New York, and his who now
addresses you. 1t is remarkable fact to which
have heretofore alluded that the aver ge life of the
40 perpetrators was more than 70, and nearly 73
years! -
From the time Of Professor Packard's election in
1875 up to the day OF his decease, period of Sc
ydars, he was an active, interested and useful mem
Der. He became librarian and cabinet keeper in
1886 as the successor of Henry W. Longfellow;
ana by annual reflections he continued to hold aud
discharge the responsible duties of that position
until 1881, when the library was removed to
Portland, at which time he declined reelection.
While the death of this good man, this Christian
gentleman always so courteous, so deli, ately re-
specfu of the feelings of Others without losing his
own self-Iespect calls forth the sympathy OF the
whole community, we who have enioyed the priy