FORMER SUPERINTENDENTS OF THE STATE HOUSE

Office abolished and vested in the Adjutant General.

William A. Platt, 1860; William M. Awl, 1862; John H. Grove,

1868; Charles M. Ridgway, 1870.

THE ARCHEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

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A BRIEF HISTORY.

URING the year 1875, an archæological society was formed at General Brinkerhoff's home, in Mansfield, Ohio. The society, through the efforts of General Brinkerhoff, received an appropriation from the Legislature of two thousand five hundred dollars, to be expended in making an exhibit at the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia. Prof. John T. Short, of the Ohio State University, was secretary of the society, and it flourished under his secretaryship until his untimely death, when the society became dormant and practically inoperative. Governor Hoadly, who took an active interest in all matters pertaining to the archæology and history of the State, upon his accession to office conferred with Mr. A. A. Graham and suggested a revival of the old society. A meeting for the purpose of carrying into effect this suggestion was convened at the Secretary of State's office, on the twelfth day of February, 1885, and it was decided to extend to all persons in the State interested in the formation of such a society, an invitation to meet on the twelfth day of March following, at Columbus, Ohio. In response to the circulars sent out, some sixty gentlemen from all parts of Ohio, representing the various departments of scholorship, convened on the day specified in the Library Room of the State Capitol. The meeting having been called to order by Hon. S. S. Rickley, the Hon. Allen G. Thurman was made President, and Mr. A. A. Graham elected Secretary. This convention continued in session for two days, and resulted in perfecting an organization known as The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, which was duly incorporated on the 13th day of March, 1885. The articles of incorporation succinctly set forth the purposes and aims of the society, as follows:

1. The name of such corporation shall be The Ohio State Archacological and Historical Society.

2. Said corporation shall be located and its principal business transacted at the City of Columbus, County of Franklin, ånd State of Ohio.

3. Said society is formed for the purpose of promoting a knowledge of Archæology and History, especially of Ohio, by establishing and maintaining a library of books, manuscripts, maps, charts, etc., properly pertaining thereto; a museum of prehistoric relics and natural or other curiosities or specimens of art or nature promotive of the objects of the Association-said library and museum to be open to the public on reas

The Archaeological and Historical Society.

onable terms—and by courses of lectures and publication of books, papers and documents touching the subjects so specified, with power to receive and hold gifts and devises of real and personal estate for the benefit of such Society, and generally to exercise all the powers legally and properly pertaining thereto.

4. Said Society has no capital stock.

The Articles of Incorporation were signed by twenty-eight persons.

The Executive Committee of the Trustees meets once a month in

Columbus.

The following have served as Presidents of the Society since its organization: Allen G. Thurman, Francis C. Sessions, Rutherford B. Hayes and Roeliff Brinkerhoff.

Mr. A. A. Graham occupied the office of secretary from the organization of the society, March 13, 1885, until December, 1893, when ill health compelled him to remove West. He died in Albuquerque, N. M., in February, 1896.

Mr. E. O. Randall was elected assistant secretary in December, 1893, to act as secretary in the absence of Mr. Graham. At the annual meeting of the trustees February 20, 1894, Mr. Randall was elected associate secretary, and February 19, 1895, was elected secretary, which office he has since held.

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OHN M. SHEETS was born near Columbus Grove, Putnam county, Ohio, May 26, 1854. His father was a Pennsylvanian, of German ancestry; his mother a New England Yankee. He was educated in the public schools, and at the age of twenty began teaching. Afterwards he attended the Union school at Columbus Grove, and in the fall of 1876 entered the freshman class in Baldwin University, at Berea, Ohio. He completed a four-years' course in three, besides taking a number of elective studies. Mathematics being his special forte, he took every branch taught in the University, save one.

In the fall of 1879 he entered the law department of the University of Michigan, and graduated in March, 1881. On April 5 following, he was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of Ohio, and opened an office in Ottawa, where he now resides, and where he soon acquired and now enjoys, an extensive practice.

In 1893, as the candidate of the Republican party, he was elected judge of the Common Pleas Court in the sub-judicial district composed of the counties of Fulton, Henry, and Putnam, being the first Republican ever elected in that sub-division. On account of the fact that the district was so overwhelmingly Democratic, no Republican would accept