The Treasurer, Cr. 1891. Nov. 30. By payments to R. G. Thwaites, secretary, chairman of library committee, as per January 3, 1889, and January 15, 1891... $1,160 68 20,493 60 $21,654 28 C. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE [Submitted to the Society at the thirty-ninth annual meeting, December 10, 1891. The work of the Society, in all its branches of activity, has been crowned by success during the fiscal year now brought to a close; yet we have to chronicle the greatest loss our ranks have ever sustained. The one has gone from us who for a third of a century was the executive officer of this institution, its moving spirit during the long and often stormy period in which it was proving its right to public recognition In 1853, he found this Society a weakling without hopeful prospects; he nursed it into life and strength, and not until the close of the year 1886, when it was grown to vigorous manhood, did he resign his charge to other hands. To whatever heights of success this Society may attain in the years to come, and obstacles to its continued rise are as yet unapparent, the name of Lyman C. Draper will ever be foremost in its annals. As a memorial address is to be delivered at this meeting, detailed mention of what the Society, and through it the people of Wisconsin, owe to Dr. Draper, may appropriately be left to the memorialist. DEATH OF LOSSING. In the death, June 3, 1891, in his seventy-ninth year, of Benson John Lossing, the well-known New York historian, the Society lost one of its honorary vice presidents. Mr. Lossing was born in Beekman, Duchess county, N. Y., February 12, 1813. He was one of the busiest American authors of this century, his list of works, nearly all of them illustrated by himself - and he was his own wood engraver as well as artist-being of prodigious length. The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution (1850-52), Pictorial FieldBook of the War of 1812 (1868), Pictorial Field-Book of the Civil War in the United States (1866-69), Cyclopædia of United States History (1881), Our Country (1873), and the Empire State (1887) are among his best-known books. In 1854, Mr. Lossing formed a co-partnership with Dr. Draper, then newly moved to Wisconsin, for the production of a series of biographies of Daniel Boone, George Rogers Clark and other border worthies, but the compact was without literary fruit. DEATH OF DIXON. Luther S. Dixon, of Denver, Colorado, another honorary vice president of the Society, passed away at Milwaukee on the 6th of the present month (December). Judge Dixon was born in Chittenden county, Vermont, the 17th of June, 1825. After having been admitted to the bar in his native state he removed to Wisconsin when twenty-five years of age. He was at first district attorney of Columbia county (1852-56), and in 1858 was appointed to the bench of the Ninth judicial circuit. The following year (1859) he was chosen chief justice of the state supreme court, holding the position until the 17th of June, 1874-his forty-ninth birthday-when he began the practice of law at Milwaukee. During seven years he attained a high measure of success, but in 1881 removed to Denver, because a higher altitude seemed necessary to his health; his family however, remained in Milwaukee, and he was visiting his home there when suddenly seized with fatal illness. In an interview published in The Milwaukee Sentinel for Dec. 7, 1891, Judge James G. Jenkins of the United States district court for the eastern district of Wisconsin gave the following estimate of Judge Dixon's character, which appears to be that entertained generally by the legal profession in this state: "Judge Dixon came to the bench at the early age of 33, with but eight years' practice at the bar. Ordinarily, a successful career upon the bench would not, with such limited experience, have been deemed probable. Judge Dixon, however, at once disclosed judicial qualities of the highest order. For fifteen years he was chief justice of the state, during which time - and largely because of his opinions - the supreme court of Wisconsin established a reputation for ability equal to that of any state in the Union. Its reports became familiar to the bar throughout the continent, and its decisions were generally recognized by the courts of other states as authoritative expositions of the law. "Judge Dixon possessed mental qualifications of a high order. He was a strong thinker with great powers of analysis. He had also the saving grace of great common sense, easily perceiving the right and blinded by no sophistry. He possessed also the ability to express himself tersely and vigorously. His course was characterized by conservatism and firmness. No public clamor, or fear of loss of position, could swerve him from the right, as he saw it. This was noticeable in the decision of the celebrated farm mortgage cases. The entire farming element of the state was at fever heat to defeat mortgages placed upon farms in aid of railways. Notwithstanding they were obtained by misrepresentations of agents of the railroads, the courts held them valid in the hands of bona fide holders for value and saved the state from the stigma of repudiation. It was to the credit of the state that in spite of the bitter opposition to Judge Dixon's re-election, because of that decision, he was returned to office. His resignation as chief justice in 1874 was a loss to the state and to the profession. Although in his subsequent career at the bar, here and in Colorado, he easily took front rank, his place was upon the bench. He was wanting in some qualities that go to make success at the bar. He possessed all the qualities that mark an eminent and just judge. Personally he was an honorable, courteous, kindly gentleman. His death is a great loss to the profession which he honored and to the country." DECEASED PIONEERS. We note the death of the following prominent old settlers of Wisconsin, during the eleven months ending November 30, 1891.' James N. Borah, born in Butler county, Ky., October 21, 1818; died January 18, 1891, at his residence, five miles from Lancaster, Wis. He came to Grant county in 1837, and located on a farm adjoining his late residence, about five miles north of Lancaster. March 25, 1847, he was joined in marriage with Miss Mary Salmon, of Coshocton, Ohio. When he arrived at Lancaster on his first visit to Wisconsin, he was absolutely penniless, but managed to attend the first sale of lots in Lancaster, and at his death he was the owner of an excellent farm of 480 acres, handsomely stocked and in a fine stage of cultivation. He was conspicuous as a hunter of game, which was very plenty when he first came to Wisconsin, and for his industry, being able to follow the plow for a full day's work after he had arrived at his 72d year. He was one of the trusted supervisors of his town. His widow, three daughters and four sons survive him. Jonathan L. Burnham, born in Plattsburg, N. Y., in 1817; died in Milwaukee, Wis., September 24, 1891. He came to Wisconsin in 1843 and 1 The following miscellaneous obituary sketches were prepared for this report by Hon. Levi Alden.- R. G. T. for a short time cultivated a farm in company with his brother George, near Waupun. They soon removed to Milwaukee and began the manufacture of brick on an extensive scale, and the product of their labor can be seen in every street and nearly every block in that city. The rich cream color of their brick gave the town the name of the Cream City. Mr. Burnham was elected to the assemby in 1852 and 1853, but with that exception he has held no official station. Beginning with but a slender capital, he accumulated by honest and untiring industry, a large estate, believed to amount at least to a million of dollars. He married MissLouisa McCarty, of Fond du Lac; she died in 1862, leaving him three children two sons and a daughter, all of whom survive him. James M. Cass, born in Stanstead, province of Quebec, Canada, March 24, 1808; died at Ithaca, Wis., March 7, 1891. He was one of the pioneers of Richland county. He left Canada in 1835 and settled in northeastern Ohio; afterwards went to Wellsburg, Penn., and came to Wisconsin in 1847, settling in Rock county. After two years he removed to Spring Green, where he was elected chairman of the first board of supervisors of that town, and was afterward chosen a justice of the peace. In 1851 he removed to Richland county, and built a saw mill on Pine river. He sold this property in 1855, and removed to Ithaca, where he resided up to the time of his death. He was twice married, first to Miss Mary Taplin, February 19, 1829; after her death, he married Miss Esther Freeborn, who survives him, together with three sons. Their only daughter died about a year preceding the death of her father. Charles B. Clark, member of congress, born at Theresa, Jefferson county, N. Y., August 24, 1844; died while on a visit to his old home in his native town, September 10, 1891. He received a common school education; came to Wisconsin with his widowed mother when only eleven years of age, and they settled at Neenah. He began his business career as a wage worker in a lumber mill at fifty cents a day. When he was seventeen years of age he enlisted in the Twenty-first Wisconsin infantry, and went to the scene of conflict in defense of the integrity of the Union. He served through the war in the Fourteenth corps, under Gen. Thomas, and participated in some of the most sanguinary battles of the war. By his gallant performance as a private he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant before he had reached the age of manhood. When the war was over he returned to his home, and with the slender earnings he had been able to accumulate began business in the hardware trade. He was successful, and in 1872 engaged with other parties in the manufacture of paper, and this firm grew to be one of the largest and most prosperous paper manufactories in the country. From their mills in Neenah they extended their business to Appleton, Kimberly, Kaukauna and Depere, which several places were largely benefited by their works. After holding some minor offices, Mr Clark was elected to the assembly in 1885. The next year he was elected |