The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-01-10
Historical Society Received En-
couraging Reports.
HISTORIAN OF THE FUTURE
Professor HARNESS Says the Future His
torlan VIII Have 10 Cater 10 Tho Sclsn-
tInc Few or 10 The Masses

There was n good attendance last night
at the annual meeting OF the Rhode ISL
and Historical society. The meeting was
an enthusiastic one and the reports OF
the various officers and committees were
extremely gratifying.
After serving two years in the executive
chair OF the society. Professor Albert
Harkness gave way to Professor w. II
Munro
The report of the librarian was an In
teresting ore and showed gratifying
advancement along important lines. The
number OF bound volumes added TO the
possession OF the society was shown to be
1859. which with 1881 pamphlets and 400
portraits, views. etc, brought the total
up to 4726.
The report also called attention TO the
many valuable additions which have been
made to the library since the last quar-
terly report.
HISTORIC MANUSCRIPTS.
Two manuscripts of considerable inter-
est have been received. One s an at
tested copy OF the act OF the Georgia
legislation OF 17S3, granting the estate OF
Mulberry Grove To General Greene for
rendering high and important services
TO these southern states by Wrestling them
from the hands of British oppression, and
establishing the foundations of their in
dependence and property"
This attested copy was made l3 years
after Greene's death and is signed In auto
graph by Governor James Jackson. The
document was presented TO the society by
ne
The other manuscript is a plan OF the
Wanton burial ground at Newport, drawn
in I'M. and giving the location of the
graves ana the dates Of burial. Proba-
bly, no family held more prominence in
Rhode Island colonial history than the
Wantons, who within two generations
gave four governors 10 the colony.
The fact that during the revolution the
Wantons remained loyal TO the king and
later removed themselves and their for
tunes to England. drought about "A loss
of records and papers much 10 be re-
gretted.
II was only few years ago that the
society was the recipient OF two large
colonial portrait OF Gov. Joseph Wautor
and his wife, who were found In the pos
session Of an elderly lady who was a
granddaughter OF Governor Wanton. She
sold the portraits to a dealer for the price
OF the frames. They remained in his shop
IL lOnk time ultll an american gentleman
then living In England happened to see
them. and becoming interested I'm their
lineage, wrote TO his friend, Mr. ID. Berke-
ley Updil<e of Boston. Mr.. Updike was
a member of this society. and through
his friendly offices the portraits were
finally transferred to what we hope is
their last resting place. Absolutely moth
ing was done in the way of restoring
them at the time they were found, except
TO clean off several layers of gilt and
paint from the frames
WORK HAS PROGRESSED.
The work in the various departments OF
the library has progressed steadily dur
ing the year. The cataloguing OF the
miscellaneous pamphlets has at length
been finished. and some 10000 pamphlets
are represented by about 10000 cards. AS
has been explained in previous reports,
an expansive cataloguing system has
been employed so that the work need
never be undone
In the manuscript department there is
still much to be done The Enos Hitch
cock papers. a considerable body OF New
port commercial papers. and the re-
majnder OF the Moses Brown papers, are
among the more important lots Of manu-
scripts yet TO be arranged and mounted
into report Contributions OF photos and
views from William w Chaplin. J. NJ.
Alderman, Professor Mcdonald and DR.
Georgiana u. Read were acknowledged
IL was further reported that the cata-
logling Of the pamphlets of the society
had Deen completed.
The following new members were ad-
mtted to the society: Edwin Aylsworth
Burlingame, A. Clinton Crowell Fred
erick l. Dana, Arthur f.. Munro. Henry
Paige. all OF Providence and Charles s.
Foster Of Central Falls.
The report OF the library committee
was gratifying one, calling attention to
the great strides OF advancement which
have been made in the work of the So
clety during the past few years.
This was followed by the reading of the
a -,
spoke at considerable length. saying
among other things that the time was
rapidly passing when the historian could
cater both TO the general public and to the
BETWEEN TWO STYLES.
The wise historians of the future. he
said would choose between the two
styles and confine himself 10 an effort to
please the particular audience he had
The following Officers were elected for
the ensuing year:
President. w. H. Munro; vice presi-
dents, william Mcdonald, r. III. l. God
dard secretary. Amasa NJ. Eaton; treas
urer Robert T. Brown; librarian and
cabinet keeper, Clarence s. Brigham.
Nominating committee. Il. ! Nickerson
George G. Nightingale, II. +. Briggs.
Library, W. ID. Ely, ID. w. Hoyt, T +.
Green
Lecture, George G. Wilson. c. S. Brig
ham. II. w. Preston.
Publication, q. =. Winship, II. l.. Koop-
man, William Macdonald.
The report OF the treasurer was a graf
flying one. and showed the society to
have made good progress in a financial
way during the past year
Genealogical research, George T. Hunt
Charles w. Hopkins. Fred A Arnsld
Procurators, for Newport. George g.
King: Pawtucket. Samuel " Conant:
North Kingston. Hon. -. s. Bates; Hop
kinton. George II Olney.
BEFORE adjournment Judge Blodgett
called attention TO the work OF the James
town -1'rr-CrUtruuial commission, after