Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-22
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Origin Incorporation and obiectsFrst Annual Meeting
Election Ofcers-Addresses by President Frank
lin D. Richards Professor j. 7. knssbury and Dr. E. s.
Ferguson.

relating to the history of Utah and
this intermountain region have-at
various times-through the medium of
the press and otherwise, suggested the
propriety OF organizing n State his
torical soclety--which should include
within its numbers, or membership.
all who were interested In such an or
ganizatlon. However, 1t was not I'M
I'll the Jubilee year that the subject
received the definite consideration
which brought matters to tile point of
action and produced positive results,
Amidst the manifold preparations
incident to the proper observance OF
the semi-centennial of the discovery
and settlement of Utah, the idea was
again uppermost in the minds of those
who felt that the celebration should
be something more than "a fieeting
show" ..---.,...
ORIGIN.
Early in the month OF April. Jerrold
II. Letcher, clerk of the Federal courts.
laid the matter before MIR. Alfaies
Young. Editor of the Salt Lake Her
aid, and as n result an article appeared
in that paper april 3rd, 1879 urging
the Jubilee commission to take the
necessary steps to perfect such an or
e,lnization. Articles OF similar
strain appeared in the other city pa
pers and finally, on the end OF June,
1897, Mr.. Letcher addressed COM
municatIon to the commission, second
ing the suggestions made and urging
Immediate action. This was referred
by the commission to Governor Heper
NJ. Wells with request that he ar
range the necessary preiiminaries Tor
the organization of the society. An
Interview followed between the GOV
ernor and Mr.. Letcher and MS result
n call. addressed to the people OF utah
and numerously signed by representa-
tive citizens from all parts OF the
Stnte, was issued. designating Thurs-
day, the 22nd day of July ms proper
time for meeting to be held Tor the
consideration OF the subject.
FIRST MEETING.
Pursuant to the call the first meet
ing was held at the Hotel Teinple,on
at the date indicated, and was called
to order by Governor Wells, upon
whose suggestion Jerrold H., Letcher
was made chairman and james Il.
Hammond secretary OF state, was
chosen as secretary Of the temporary
organization. ~
addresses were made by Hon.
FRANKLIN ID. Richards, Isabel Cameron
Brown, Hon. Hadley d. Johnson. Hon
John Parry, Prof. Joseph T. Kings
hurry DIR. Ellen Il. Ferguson, Heber
j. Grant. General John Q. Cannon
Governor Heber NJ. Wells and James
X. Ferguson-all expressive OF me
feeling that such an orSinizatioh
should be perfected at once.
A resolution was adopted directing
the chairman to appoint committee
on permanent organization and lncor-
poratlon, and as such Heber j. Grant,
Gleason s. Kinney. Isabel cameron
Brown, Joseph IT. Kingsbury, john y.
Caine, Eurithe X. LaBarthe ana Matt
Thomas were named.
A further committee consisting OF
General John Q. Cannon, Governor
Heber NJ. Wells, Antoinette -. klnheS,
Spencer Clawson, Edward II. Coipurn'
Or. Ellen p. Ferguson ana Horace ~.
whitney were named, TO arrange with
INC Jubilee commission and others for
securing all material illustrative or the
rroyth and development OF utah.
which might be collected for exhibit
tion during the semi-centennial cele-
bration.
INCORPORATION.
After much unavoidable delay, the
committee on Incorporation prepared
the necessary articles and bylaws ana
submitted the same to a meeting neiu
liz
were duly adopted and filed for record.
THE objects for which the society is
organized were designed to- be tine en-
coliragement of historical research ana
inquiry by the exploration or aborisin-
al monuments and remains-the col
lection of such material as may serve
to illustrate the growth, development
and resources of Utah and the inter-
mountain region, the preservation OF
manuscripts, papers, documents ana
tracts of value, especially narratives OF
the Adventures of early explorers ana
pioneers, the establishment and main
tenance of science, literature and the
liberal arts, the dissemination of in
formation and the holding of meetings
at stated intervals.
The membership is to consist of ac-
tive, life, corresponding and honorary
members.
Meetings of the society are TO be held
annually on the third Monday in Janu-
airy of each year. Its affairs are to be
under the management of n board OF
control, to consist of the officers and
an executive committee of nine MEM
bers.
Applications for membership must be
endorsed by not less than three active
members in good standing, and ad-
dressed to the board of control, by
whom they are elected. The regular
meetings OF the board are fixed for the
first weeks OF January, April, July and
October.
The Initiation fee is placed Mt $500.
and the annual dues at the same.
CHARTER MEMBERS.
The charter members of the society
of those who signed the
original call or attended the first meet
ing-are as follows:
Charles Adams, Parowan; Caleb r.
Barratt. Robert N BaslSin. Charles w.
Bennett, Alexander C. Bishop. Nat, NJ.
Brigham, Isabel Cameron Brown, Salt
Lake; Electa Bullock. Provo; John T.
Game, Angus Nj. Cannon, John q, Can
non, Spencer Clawson, Edward j.. Col
born, George G. Coray Bcnyamin +.
Cummings Jr., Chris Diehl John Il.
Dooly, Willard Done. Ellen T.. Fergu-
son, Salt Lake; James X. Ferguson.
Helper; Charles C. Goodwin. Joseph
Geoghegan, Heber ]. Grant. salt Lake;
James It. Hammond. Logan; Harry G.
Hill, Tidela Marie Belcher Hamilton,
Lewis $. Hills, Salt Lake; John Horton.
American Fork; william Howard,
Huntingdon; Hadley ID. johnson An
drew Jenson. Joseph T. Kingsbury. An
toinette b. Kinney, Clesson 8. Kinney
Eurithe X, La Bartse, Henry
Lawrence. Salt Lake; William 4.
Lee. Ogden; Jerrold Il. Letcher, Salt
Lake; Robert c. Lund st. George;
John 7. Lynch, Thomas Marshall. salt
Lake; Jacob II. Miller Pennington;
Elias Morris. William S. Mccormick
Salt Lake; Harry F. McCune. Nephl
Emma V. McVicker. Salt Lake; Aqtiiln
Nebeker. Laketown; John Parry. Co
ard; Orlando w, Powers, Charles w.