San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-02-27
New York's Record Hunters.

new 1Orks hecoro hunters.
NEW YORK, Feb. 27.-The New
York Genealogical and Biograph-
ical society concluding the twenty
fifth anniversary of its organiza-
tion today. Bishop Potter will de-
liver the address. Benson j.
LOSING, the well-known historian;
Bishop Horatio Onderdonk, Joel
Munsell, the Albany publisher,
who reprinted in limited editions
many scarce American pamphlets
and historical tracts; Samuel g.
Draper, the Indian writer; Henry
Hart, of Philadelphia, and James
Riker, who compeild history of
Harlem. Several Of the original
founders are now alive, and one Of
the most interesting features at
the anniversary banquet will be
the "reminiscences of these old
timers, who have lived to see their
once infant society successfully
pass its first quarter of a century
mark. Among these are DIR. S. s.
Purple, the chairman of the Ami
versary committee, and who has
one of the most complete and val
liable genealogical libraries in the
country; DR.. w. F. Holcombe, at
whose house the early meet
ings were held; DR.. Henry r..
Stiles, the first president, and now
living in Scotland; Charles B.
Moore and Miss Elizabeth Clark
son Jay, the only lady who has
been member of the society from
its start. There are now, however,
about twenty ladies on the roll of
membership. The celebration to-
day is to partake somewhat of the
nature of a convention of kindred
societies throughout the country.
Invitations were sent to all to send
delegates, and there will be a free
expression of ideas as to the meth
DDS of conducting the work and
what has been accomplished by
each.
The present officers are: Presi-
dent, James Grant Wilson, who is
now enjoying the eighth term;
vice-presidents, DIR. Sam S. Purple
and Rufus King; corresponding
secretary, E. A. Hurry; recording
secretary, Il. G. Evans; librarian,
II. III. Greene; treasurer, VIM. p.
Ketcham, and registrar Of pedi-
grees, Josiah G. Pumpelly. The for
mer presidents have been DIR.
Stiles, Ed. F. De Lancey, Gen. G. S.
Green and III. Il. browne. They will
all be present at the anniver-
sary banquet except the first.
General Greene is veteran of the
late war, and is now over ninety
years of age, yet his interest in
matters of American history is as
keen as that of the youngest men,
Der.
This society claims to be the
second one of its kind ever estab-
lished in this country. Its head
quarters are in the Berkeley Ly-
ceum, where it has comfortable
reading rooms and valuable lib
rary of several thousand historical
records. Among its members
are Cornelius Vanderbilt, j. Pier
pOnC morgan, Wlllldn WdluOrl
Astor, James Grant Wilson, How
land Pell, Henry T. Browne, Jo-
siah G. Pumpelly, Rufus King, DIR.
Ellsworth Elliot, General George
S. Greene, DIR. Samuel s. Purple, A.
V. V. Van Vechten, Edward F.
Delaney and DR.. Charles F. Deems.
Meetings are held twice a month,
at one of which paper on some
historical subject Of American in
terest is usually read by one of the
members.
Genealogy, pure and simple,would
doubtless be considered about the
dryest of the dry subjects in which
any one could be induced to take
interest. Those who have ever
persued book of family records,
unless actuated by some personal
motives, have probably experienced
this feeling. But when to plain
genealogy is added that of biOg-
raphy, together with the histories