The Washington times., 1901-12-22
WONDERFUL WORK
OF A RUSTIC SAGE.
HIS BOOK ON ARCHAEOLOGY.
labor of Love of Twenty Years
Printed and Illustrated with
Pen and InL-MarveI of
Patience.

wonderful manuscript book on arch
seology has Just been presented to the
Library of Congress by Thomas Wilson.
| Ii. d.. of this city. The author of the
work in question, Mr. S. H. Binkley. was
an old Western farmer. who died in 1900
at the age of ninty-four years.
He employed his spare time for the last
twenty years of his life in writing this
/ book, or rather printing 1t with pen and
! ink. and Illustrating it with drawings in
black and white, and color, which have
the fneness Of engravings or Autographs.
The objects described and illustrated
arc the common utensils of the aboriginal
inhabitants Of this country. and embrace
arrow and spear heads Of bone and stone.
( domestic belongings Of various kinds,
working implements, carvings, etc.
! Prof. ". X. Moorehead. OF New York.
I who. through a mere accident. became
/ possessed Of the unique volume, thus
, speaks Of the author according to the few
4 facts which he has been enabled to gather
/ concerning him:
IS H. Binbley was a gentleman farmer
4 OF the old school. Whether he was a col
/ lege graduate or not am unable to say,
I but my impression is that he educated
i himself. He possessed fine farm in the
Z Miami Bottoms, south Of Dayton. in
/ Montgomery county, Ohio. There we're
walls. circles, etc, OF prehistoric remains
upon his property, and the presence OF
these turned his attention to archaeolo-
gical matters.
An Archaeological storchouse.
MIR. Binkley -segsn 70 coHect Indian
relics, and. up to 1889, had gathered from
his immediate 1eighDornoc5d a very COM
prehensiye exhibit of more than 10, 600
( specimens. He also wrote scientific and
( popular articles for several magazines and
newspapers.
"Mr Binkley conceived the idea OF a
hand printed book. with Illustrations
drawn BY himself, in which he would de-
! scribe his collection. He began this work
/ about 1870. apd CONTINUED it up 10 a year
I before his death in 1900. 1t may be seen
/ by an examination of his book that Blink
I ley's observations are all reasonable up
10 within a few pages of the end of The
volume.
He wrote but q. few, pages each year
! lin the winter, and spent hours upon the
/ drawings and printing of words. After he
had passed his niuetieth year The died at
I the age OF ninety four his mind became
( clouded and he saw in many o. the stones
/ faces Of apes, etc.
This book is remarkable in that IL
/ shows a vast amount Of painstakirg labor
the discerBing eye OF competent collector,
! and the pleasurable occupation OF gem
I tleman farmer who cared more for these
matters than he did for his estate. Il is
I one of the rare examples Of patience and
/ take your time in this bustiing world
1 Of fcyerish American life.
HI. Collection Scattered.
After Mr. Binkley's death mis- relatives
who had no appreciation of his hobby, sold
/ and scattered his large collection
! Although the subject Of the Wort, IS
! rather too technical and recondile for
general appreciation. everyone who exam
ines It must marvel 1t the ardent enthu
( siasm of the old man OF seventy who
/ commenced II. and conducted It for
twenty years thereafter with such learn
ing, fidelity. and skill Nor was this labor
expended with any hope OF pecuniary
/ gain, or even that love OF appreciation
7 and applause which is the common iu-
/ centiye for the display Of such accom-
| plishments.
The rustic sage thus described. in a
/ PREDATORY note, the feelings that actuatcd
hiri in his task:
'ApolOgetical and explanatory.
When / commenced this work had no
other object in view than the illustration
and description OF the objects of prim-
tive handiwork which then constituted
my archaeological collection. After hav-
ing accomplished this concluded to stop.
But as specimens continued to acCu-
mulate on my hands, ! concluded to cx-
! tend the work In the form of an appendix,
which has row very considerably out
e-o.-n the original conception. and caused
me infinite trouble in connecting the
enumeration Of the figures.
In looking 1t over l discover much TO
condemn. But / console myself with the
reflection that 1t viii not De subjected TO
/ scientific scrutiny. And although some
Of the thoughts herein expressed. may
be regarded as crude, they are at least
! original; ana while thus employed. / con
| iributcd largely to ny own enjoyment.
Thus ! feel compensated.
-. H. BINKLEY.
'ileKandersyillc. Ohio"