Fifty Years In The Northwest Part 93

Reed, C. M.*

Rice, H. M.

Rice, Edmund.

Robertson, Andrew.*

Rice, C. R.*

Robert, Louis.*

Robert, Joseph.*

Richardson, R. M.

Rollins, John.*

Rose, Isaac.*

Russell, R. P.

Russell, Jeremiah.*

Riggs, S. R.*

Robert, Alexis.+ Roy, Peter.*

Russell, William.

Rohrer, Daniel.

Robert, Nelson.

Rogers, John.

Ramsden, Thomas.

Rutherford, Wm.*

Rogers, Richard.+ Rutherford, James.*

Selby, J. W.*

Simons, Orlando.

Simpson, J. W.*

Simpson, Robert.

Shaffer, C. E.

Shearer, A. L.*

Sherman, M.

Spencer, J. B.

Spicer, Nathan.+ Sh.e.l.ley, E. Y.

Steele, Franklin.*

Spencer, John H.+ Sawyer, Seth M.*

Spates, Samuel.+ Somerville, John.+ Stevens, J. H.

Stone, Lewis.*

Sturgis, W.*

Sweet, G. W.

Setzer, H. N.

Stanchfield, Sam.*

Sibley, H. H.

Stinson, C. F.+ Santel, A.+ Staples, Josiah.+ Shamley, John+ Sanford, H. S.+ Shearer, James.

Stratton, L. W.*

Scott, C. P.+ Short, A. J.

Shoasby, John.*

Stiles, W. L.+ Taylor, J. L.

Taylor, Jesse W.*

Taylor, N. C. D.*

Terry, J. C.

Tinker, W. H.

Thompson, James (colored).*

Trask, Sylva.n.u.s.

Trower, John.+ Thompson, G. W.*

Terry, Robert.*

Van Voorhes A.*

Villaume, Thomas.*

Von Ta.s.sel, William.*

Walker, Orange.*

Whitaker, E. H.

Whitney, J. C.

Wilkinson, M. S.

Wilkin, Alex.*

Wells, James.*

Wilson, Harvey.*

Woodbury, Warren.*

Willoughby, A.*

Wright, Thomas.+ Williamson, T. S.*

Willim, William.

Wilmarth, Alvin M.

Wallis, John.+ Worthingham, Wm.+ White, Asa.*

Westing, Henry.*

Welshance, M.*

Williams, D. D.*

Whalen, Patrick.*

Yorks, J. C.

[Note: * Deceased.]

[Note: + Unknown.]

OBJECTS AND ORGANIZATION.

The society was organized in 1849 by a few of the pioneers of the Territory, and incorporated by an act of the first territorial legislature, approved Oct. 20, 1849, this being the first literary inst.i.tution organized in the Territory; and its "library," then only a few volumes, was the first ever established in Minnesota. The original charter of the society stated its objects to be: "The collection and preservation of a library, mineralogical and geological specimens, Indian curiosities, and other matters and things connected with, and calculated to ill.u.s.trate and perpetuate the history and settlement of said Territory." The amended charter of 1856 enacted: "The objects of said society, with the enlarged powers and duties herein provided, shall be in addition to the collection and preservation of publications, ma.n.u.scripts, antiquities, curiosities, and other things pertaining to the social, political and natural history of Minnesota, to cultivate among the citizens thereof a knowledge of the useful and liberal arts, science and literature."

The work of this society may therefore be formulated thus:

I. (1) The collection, (2) the preservation, (3) the publication of materials for the history of Minnesota and its people.

II. The collection and management of a library containing useful works of reference on the most valuable departments of knowledge.

III. The diffusion among citizens of the State of useful knowledge.

ITS PROGRESS.

In the early days of the Territory, owing to its want of means, the spa.r.s.e population and its poverty, and the infancy of the commonwealth generally, the society accomplished but little beyond collecting some information regarding the early history of this region, and printing the same in several pamphlet volumes. In 1864 it had only eight hundred and forty volumes in its library. It was then reorganized, and with the aid of a small annual appropriation from the State, since enlarged, has been able to make very gratifying progress.

ITS PRESENT CONDITION.

It has now comfortable apartments in the state capitol, a building believed to be fireproof; a sufficient income to pay its current expenses, granted partly by the State and partly contributed by its members; one of the largest and most valuable libraries in the State, containing 22,000 volumes of choice works, together with a cabinet or museum of historical and archaelogical curiosities, and a number of historical pictures, engravings, ma.n.u.scripts, etc. An endowment fund of several thousand dollars, acc.u.mulated by gifts and membership fees; two lots, eligibly situated, on which at no distant day, will be erected a fireproof building.