Morning journal and courier., 1885-01-20
PRESIDENT STILES DIARY,
An Interesting Paper By Professor Dexter-The Diarist's Records To B, Published.

| An Interesting Paper By Professor Dexter-The Diarist's Records To Re Published. In the rooms of the New Haven Colony | Historical society in the State House last | evening was gathered 8 number of New Ha-
 ven people who are interested in the history of the town and it's families. Professor Sim con E. Baldwin, president of the society, an nounced that at the meeting of the directors it had been decided to make Henry F.
 Waters an honorary member of the society Professor Baldwin and Captain c. H. Town shend enlarged upon the good qualities of MT. Waters. He is gentleman of education and distinguished ability, a graduate of Har- yard college of the class of 1855 and is at present in England collecting material con corning the genealogy of New England fami- lies. MT. Waters is probably the best known New England genealogical scholar living.
 The society voted to make him an honor ary member,
 President Baldwin also announced that the society would commence the publication of the diary of President Stiles The work of publication will extend over several years and the first volume will be published next year. Professor Dexter has consented to edit the publication. The first volume will contain an account of President Stiles resi- dence in Rhode Island.
 Professor Dexter then read extracts from the diary, covering that period of his life which will be included in the first volume of the published work The readings from the diary were preceded by brief sketch of the diarist. His father graduated at Yale, being fellow townsman and schoolmate of Jonathan Edwards. He had position in a small parish in the outskirts of the town There his eldest son was born. His mother died at his birth. She was a daughter of Edward Taylor, the first minister of Westheld, Mass. The son entered Yals | in his fifteenth year and graduated in 1746 | He remained at Yale and studied and also | was tutor in the college. He undertook with his other studies that of the law, which l was then coming into vogue as 8 profession. l Being young man of unusual promise, he | was put forward on all occasions as a favorite | orator. Many offers of good positions came | to him, but he refused them to accept a call | to the Second Congregational church | in Newport in 1755. It was there that |
 
 pocket parcel of quarto sheets of paper | stitched together upon which he noted every l thing of importance that he saw, stray bits | of conversation, odd thoughts and the gener- | al happenings of the titne This was called | an Itinerary" and it has been preserved It | contains 5000 quafto pages and contains a | vast amount of useful information concern | ing the customs and events of the time It | has been used to advantage by Bancroft. the | historian.
 It was in 1769 that Dr. Stiles began the task of keeping 8 continuous record of | events.
 Professor Dexter went on to give some facts concerning Newport gleaned from the | diary. It was then about one-half the size If New York. Half the population was com posed of Congregationalists and Presbyteri- ans. There were also Friends, Jews and Moravians. The town had property valua= ion of 400,0 pounds sterling One hun- fred and twenty-five merchant vessels were owned there, and there were twenty-fv wholesale groceries. The negro population numbered 1, 200 souls, most of them held in bondage.
 Dr. Stiles, said Prof. Dexter, was admira- ply qualified to make a good diarist He vas essentially an accurate narrator. His | position, perhaps lies between Governor and Judge Sewell in that regard
 The extracts from the diary were full of interest and gave the assemblage much pleas re
 Among those who were present were Pro- essor Fisher, ex-Goyernor Ingersoll, Charles :. English, Eli Whitney. jr., Rev. Dr. R. P. Cowles, Caleb B. Bowers, ot H. Russell, Councilman Martin, Rev. E. l ]. Lines, Rev. MT. Atwater, Benjamin R. ] ,nglish, R. E. Rice, John G. North and F. I' :, Hotchkiss.