WEDNESDAY, 2:30 P. M.

The program was given in its entirety, the music being under the supervision of St. Mary's church choir.

A bouquet was presented by F. M. Cowles to the pioneer present who had lived longest in Michigan. Mr. John A. Dewey of Owosso was found to be the recipient, he having lived in the State eighty years.

WEDNESDAY, 7:30 P. M.

Meeting opened by music, a violin solo by Lowell B. Judson with Clark W. Rowley accompanist. The paper of Mr. Chapman on the historic Johnston family was supplemented by some remarks by Mrs. Gilbert, who had a personal acquaintance with some of the older generation. The other papers were read in their order, the remainder of the music being given by Miss Emma Glieman.

THURSDAY, 9:30 A. M.

Meeting called to order, and Mrs. Gilbert of Grand Rapids gave some very interesting readings of her personal recollections. Five-minute. speeches were made by William A. Betts, Geo. W. Thayer and others. Miss Jennie Barber favored us with some instrumental music. Dr. Beal gave pioneer experiences in his paper, "Pioneer Life in Southern Michigan in the 30's." Mr. C. J. Thorpe's paper was read by his daughter, Mrs. A. J. Patton. Prof. Wheeler's article on the "Flora and Fauna of Early Michigan," was not read owing to its length, but will appear in its proper place.

After the parting song of "Auld Lang Syne," the benediction was pronounced by Rev. R. C. Crawford, and the president declared the meeting adjourned to convene during the first week of June, 1903.

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS.

BY C. M. BURTON.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society:

The Historical Society of Michigan was organized in Detroit in 1828, and Lewis Cass was elected the first president, and retained the office for some years.

There were a number of well-written articles on different historical subjects prepared by the members of this society. These papers were read before the society at their meetings and were printed in the Northwestern Journal in Detroit in the years 1830-32, and were subsequently published in book form under the title of "Historical and Scientific Sketches of Michigan." The authors of the various chapters of the book were Lewis Cass, Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, Major Henry Whiting, and Major John Biddle; names familiar to every student of the State's history.

Cass was chosen Secretary of War in 1832 by Gen. Andrew Jackson, and Schoolcraft and Whiting left Detroit. Biddle became a member of congress. Thus the life of the society quieted down and it remained dormant for some time until an attempt to revive it was made, some twenty-five years later, by Judge Benjamin F. H. Witherell, and Judge Charles I. Walker. Both of these men were diligent students, and prepared and published in the newspapers numbers of sketches and articles. that were of interest and importance. It is to be regretted that the writings of these men have not all been preserved in our own society's records. At the present time many of them are to be found only in the newspapers of the times in which they lived and wrote.

The attempt to revive the society succeeded for a time, and some new life was occasionally added to it in such persons as Levi Bishop, John C. Holmes, James A. Girardin, Samuel Zug, and others. After a time the interest died out, and the association became lifeless in fact, though its name remained.

In 1871 a number of the older citizens in Detroit formed a Pioneer Society, with interests nearly similar to that of the Historical Society. Among others in this movement were Luther Beecher, Thomas Lewis, Levi Bishop, Stanley G. Wight, Washington A. Bacon, Seymour Finney, and Samuel Zug. Two years later, a resolution of the legislature was passed asking the citizens to contribute books and historical pamphlets per

taining to the State to the State library, and making that institution custodian for Indian relics and curiosities of all kinds. At the same session of the legislature (1873), an act was passed for the incorporation of the State, county or municipal historical, biographical and geological societies. The object of this act was to permit the formation of local societies that would be independent of each other, and yet that would tend to form a union of societies through the State. It was contemplated that there would be one central State society formed under this act, and that the local or county societies should, each year, transmit to the State society copies of the papers prepared and read at the meetings of the county society; all these papers and all other collections made by the State society were to be deposited with the State librarian.

The State librarian, Mrs. Harriet A. Tenney, issued a circular letter calling upon the people to aid in the collection of general statistics, books, models of inventions, local histories, recollections of pioneers, personal journals of travel and pioneer life, and, in fact, everything that would add to the historical material which was every day being lost from want of care.

In the following year (1874) some of the citizens of the State set about the formation of a State society as was contemplated by the act of 1873, and a meeting was called at Lansing in March. At this meeting Judge Albert Miller of Bay City was chosen chairman, and John C. Holmes of Detroit secretary, and it was resolved to meet again at Lansing on April 22, 1874, for the purpose of organizing a State pioneer society, and it was at this meeting that the "Pioneer Society of the State of Michigan" was organized.

At this meeting Judge Miller was elected president, and the twelve vice-presidents were chosen from various parts of the State.

The fees and annual dues from members were very light, but it was expected that sufficient money could be derived from them to publish the first volume of the collections, and no appropriation could be obtained from the State for that purpose.

The small appropriation of five hundred dollars per year was obtained from the State in 1875, and even part of this was lost to the society because it was not used in time and was charged over to the general fund. Additional moneys were subsequently appropriated sufficient to print the succeeding volumes of the society.

Thirty volumes have been issued and one or two more are now being prepared as an index to the thirty preceding ones. These books are seemingly each divided into two parts, the first part consisting of reports from the various county or local societies, compiled and read at