ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CORRESPONDING & RECORDING SECRETARY

Read at the Annual Meeting, Jan. 21, 1867.

CONTRIBUTIONS.

The contributions to the society since the last annual report, February 22, 1866, have been as follows:

O. E. Garrison, Esq., St. Cloud.—Map of Stearns county.

American Antiquarian Society, Worcester Mass.—Their proceedings at their annual meeting, Oct., 21, 1865.

D. W. Ingersoll, Esq., St. Paul.—A Chart, illustrating the operations of the U. S. Sanitary Commission.

Hon. D. A. Robertson, St. Paul.—Thirty-four Pamphlets, relating to the city of St. Paul, and State of Minnesota—and one volume, Voyages from Asia to America, London, 1761.

Rev. Edward D. Neill, Washington, D. C.—An original paper compiled from Nicholas Perrot’s memoir. An original paper on the northern boundaries of Minnesota—and a Map of Minnesota, showing a part of the international boundary in the vicinity of the Lake of the Woods.

Essex Institute.—Historical notice of their society and their Collections for 1866.

Chas. M. Wetherell, Esq., Philadelphia.—Four Pamphlets on scientific subjects.

R. O. Sweeny, Esq., St. Paul, Minn.—Two “River Sturgeon” for the Department of Natural History.

H. B. Dawson, Esq., Morrisania, N. Y.—Diary of David How, a private in the army of the American Revolution.

Maj. Gen. J. Watts de Peyster, Tivoli, N. Y.—Documentary Testimonials of the meritorious conduct of his three sons in the service of the United States, during the late war,—and forty bound Volumes and twenty-five Pamphlets.

Maj. Robert H. Hall, of 10th U. S. Infantry.—Photograph of Major Lawrence Taliaferro.

Prof. Bache, Washington, D. C.—Report of Coast Survey for 1863.

W. H. Getchell, Esq., Afton, Minn.—A Continental Bill.

John M. Carr, Esq., St. Paul.—Charleston, S. C., Newspaper of 1796.

Rev. C. D. Bradley, Boston.—Two Pamphlets, one Broadside and Autographs of public men.

N. E. Historical and Genealogical Register, Boston.—Valedictory Address of Dr. Winslow Lewis.

Henry J. Morgan, Esq., Ottawa, C. W.—One Pamphlet, “The place British Americans have won in history.”

Horace Thompson, Esq., St. Paul.—A Rebel Commutation Document from Georgia.

Smithsonian Institute.—Several Packages of Shells.

Rev. S. Y. McMasters, St. Paul.—An old copy of Webster’s Spelling Book.

Rev. Dr. Craik, of Louisville, Ky.—“Divine Life,” and “The New Birth.”

Dakota Historical Society.—One Pamphlet, “History and Resources of Dakota, Montana, and Idaho.”

A. J. Hill, Esq., St. Paul.—“Lewis and Clark’s Journal,” London, 1809. Map of Vermilion Lake, and alphabetical list of members of the Minnesota Historical Society, from 1849 to 1862.

Increase A. Lapham, LL. D., Milwaukee, Wis.—His Map of Wisconsin, showing influence of the lakes on temperature.

J. W. McClung, Esq., St. Paul.—Statistical Directory of St. Paul, for 1866.

C. P. V. Lull, Esq., St. Paul.—A copy of the Bible printed in Edinburgh, A. D. 1766.

H. Wedelstaedt, M. D., St. Paul.—Photograph of H. G. Blasdell, governor of Nevada.

Chas. T. Bryant, Esq., of St. Peter.—His History of the Sioux Massacre.

R. B. Nay, Esq., Le Sueur, Minn.—Copies of “El Nicaragensi,” a paper published in Nicaraugua during the administration of Wm. Walker.

Chas. H. Hart, Esq., Philadelphia.—One Pamphlet, “The three days’ battle of Chattanooga,” and a Map of the battle field.

Hon. Henry Wilson, Natick, Mass.—One Pamphlet, “Military Measures of the U. S. Congress—1861-1865.”

C. De Montreville, M. D., St. Paul.—A copy of the Blue Laws of Connecticut.

Hon. I. Donnelly, Nininger, Minn.—Three Coast Survey Charts.

Messrs. Cornman & Stickney, Stillwater, Minn. A Stone Axe, found near Stillwater.

Chicago Historical Society.—Three Pamphlets.

State Historical Society of Iowa.—The Annals of Iowa, 11 vols.

Publishers of American Educational Monthly.—Their issue of September, 1866.

Publishers Hamilton (Ohio) Telegraph.—Their paper containing obituary notice of C. K. Smith, Esq., first Secretary of the Territory of Minnesota, and the first Secretary of this Society.

Geo. E. Lowry, Esq., 13th Indiana Infantry.—Piece of a Rebel Standard, captured at Fort Fisher.

New Hampshire Historical Society.—Their Collections, vol. VIII. and Report of Adjutant General, 1865, 2 vols.

Congressional Library, Washington, D. C.—Writings of James Madison, four volumes.

F. R. Delano, Esq., St. Paul.—Photograph of the first Locomotive Engine placed upon a Railroad in this State.

W. H. Mitchell, Esq., Rochester, Minn.—Geographical and Statistical History of the County of Olmsted, three copies.

B. W. Brunson, Esq., St. Paul, Minn.—Two old Deeds.

Charles McIntyre, Esq., St. Paul.—The Guard Book of the 1st Regiment, Minn. Vols.

Isaac Van Etten, Esq., St. Paul.—The original Seal of the Adjutant General of the Territory of Minnesota, and the original Receipt Book, Check Book, and Book of Records of the “Board of Commissioners of Public Buildings,” of the Territory of Minnesota.

S. T. Raguet, Esq., St. Paul.—An autograph letter from Sir Wm. Pepperell, dated January 17, 1731, and a copy of “The First Minnesota,” a paper published by the members of the 1st Regiment, Minn. Vols., at Berryville, Va., March 11, 1862.

Dr. J. C. Rhoades, Stillwater.—Specimens of Sulphate of Lime, from west bank of Red River, at Fort Abercrombie.

Rev. Gideon H. Pond, Bloomington, Minn.—The Bag used by a Sioux “Medicine-man.”

Several works on the Sioux massacre of 1862, have been added by gift and purchase, and twenty-two volumes of Doddsley’s Annual Register, (comprising the whole set with the exception of two volumes,) a journal of the times from 1751 to 1780, published in London, have been purchased and placed in our library.

Gen. H. S. Sanford, U. S. Minister at Belgium, an honorary member of the society, and Hon. A. Goodrich, Secretary of Legation at the Belgian capital and an old member of this society, were appointed delegates to the International Archæological Congress to have been held at Antwerp in August last, but which was postponed in consequence of the prevalence of the cholera in that city. Both gentlemen signified their acceptance, presented their credentials and agreed to represent this society at the adjourned meeting of the Congress which is to be held during this year.

The society in May last caused two of the mounds on Dayton’s Bluff to be opened. The work was superintended by Mr. W. H. Kelley, who made an able and elaborate report to the society, which proved the mounds to be of very great antiquity. It is contemplated to continue the work of excavation still farther, and it is hoped that discoveries may be made which may throw additional light on the “Mound Builders,”—a race whose history is shrouded in the deepest mystery and oblivion.

A vast deal may be accomplished for the furtherance of the objects of the society, which will otherwise remain undone, by standing committees who should be appointed by the council from its members.

Biographies, narratives and reminiscences of the early missionaries, fur-traders, voyageurs, government agents, explorers and old settlers, might now, with organized and well directed effort, be easily obtained (while the opportunities for such work are rapidly diminishing,) and would be of incalculable interest to the future historian and antiquary.

Although much has been written on the subject of the Indian tribes who have lived within the limits of the state, yet it is a fruitful field that is by no means exhausted.

Much remains to be done in the department of geology and mineralogy, in collecting specimens and properly classifying and arranging them.

The Natural History Department might become an interesting feature of the society if we had the means to enable us to employ a suitable person to procure and prepare specimens of the beasts and birds found within the borders of our state. This will soon become a labor attended with great difficulty and expense as the advance of settlements and the exterminating policy of the hunter and trapper will speedily cause many of the fur-bearing animals and rarer varieties of birds to disappear.

A very fine collection of the birds of Minnesota was not long since taken east and sold, which would have been secured for our society but for the lack of means.

Our sphere of usefulness is circumscribed by our poverty. If the legislature could be induced to increase the annual appropriation, we might publish our “Collections” annually, as we have an accumulation of interesting matter in manuscript, which we desire to put in more enduring and available form, and we are continually receiving favors from sister societies which we would be glad to reciprocate. We would like also to bind some of the newspapers which have been accumulating on our hands, to purchase books for the library, and to extend historical research into departments yet unfathomed.

All of which is respectfully submitted,

CHARLES E. MAYO, Secretary.