Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-09-11
BIZ MARY A0UIy.

again the EARTH perhaps there was
one such at the Old Settlers meeting
Thursday that had It HamIet's father
gift Of speech could tale unfold Not
Of murder. 70 be sure, but enc that
would hold the attention OF the audi
ence full we'll and Ia tones not q few
present at that gathering would recog- 4
nize as the voice Of a friend
siihoutted by the romance Of the
old world. pioneered with the early
days Of Rock Island and Henry eouu
ty. this community not SO many years
ago housed "a most scholarly and IN
teresting character one worthy 70 be
reviewed at intervals, for his talents
during his lifetime were given gener
ousiy 10 ali and formed the neucleus /
Of scientific study ia this state and
throughout the country; contributing
to magazines and having heart inter
est kinship with Louis Agassiz and
other great mentaIities Of thc early
century Such was DIT Benjamin d.
Walsh, the first state eutomo!oeist Of
Illinois and a resident an the time in
Rock Island. He received his appoint
ment at the biennial session Of the
legislature in 1861. when a bill was
passed authorizing the appointment Of
this state officer At a special Session f.
held in June. 1857. Governor Oglesbv /
on the 18th day of that month sent in
his name for confirmation but the
senate postponed action until tine
regular biennial session the winter oil
1860 Or Walsh. at the behest of 4
leading agricUlturists aud hortc1ltur .
lists, started TO work as acting state
entomoloeist. awaiting confirmation /
and issued his first annual report for +
1867, He received no salary during
this time as his regular appointment
came only shortly before his death, !
which was Nov is, 1859. ThauEsgtv. /
ing day.
BY that appointment was Begun
scientific research that has meant
thousands upon thousands of dollars (
10 savings to the farmers OF this state
and the middle west Whereas. the
materials from which his deductions /
for use here were collected mostly in /
this vicinity and Henry county, he was
in close communication with men fam
Gus in his line In the east ana IN
Europe and the knowledge shat bic /
Y possessed was NOT. as enormously !
stated at one time or another. OF only /
- years study, but auteceded his dol
parture to this country from England /
In 1888
Born in Frome. Worcestershire. !
1908, he was 80 years of age when ha
came TO Henry county and purchased /
"a y,p D. alrrs.
Those now living who knew him intl-
mately do not know how be came to
choose "a spot so far removed from his
birthplace and settle down Couteuted- b
ly-as be did-so early I'm life The
best explanation one can CLEAN from
his tendencies was his love OF IN
qualified freedom ana his philosophy
cal trend Of mind, Too. this especial +.
part of the country, rich ia verdure
must have appealed to his estheti /,
tastes and likely reminded him IF the I.
beautiful fiower-streVgn English lanes .
Receiving an education almost I'M h
matchabie IN this day, he had became .
hn ardent thinker along the lines of
social progress, something not counte- :
nanced in England S landed gentry He
was graduated AZ Trinity college, Cam
bridge, England, taking several de-
grees and like other vibrant minds
then and elsetme. did not come out
regulation hopper size. Inconsistent
conduct on the part of some of his@J
collegiates turned him from the min i
istry and gave him hatred Of cant, Z
sham and hypocrisy. He had publish Il
sd before leaving England a pamphlet c
on university reforms. almost all the 1
suggestions in which he lived 10 see Il
carried out. He also wrote for Black [
woods and other English publications.
besides newspaper articles galore and q
In 1897 published a large octave vol 7
Hme in London, entitled. ~Walsh's g
Comedies of Aristophanes" This L
volume is accounted remarkable. EN- I
braeiug the Archarians. the Knights, S
and the Clouds. translated into cor G
responding English metres.
Springing from the upper classes. a
probably it was his democratic ideals d
that made him so love his adopted 4
country, for at no time did he ever I
express a desire to return TO England /
EVEN to visit and was happily CON u
tent in his studies and friendships
here. At the time of his death. one il
nj his brothers was q practicing ply h
sician at Worcester; another, J. ". il
Walsh .'Stonehenge') was the editor V