she with her parents arrived in Green Bay. In 1838 removed to Prairie du Chien, where she married John Snavely, an orderly sergeant in the 1st United States cavalry. Accompanied her husband to the Mexican War and remained with him till it was over. At its close returned to Green Bay and settled. Left a widow in 1848, in 1850 she married Michael Smith.

Reeder Smith, born in Pittston, Pa., January 11, 1804; died in Appleton, Wis., January 25, 1892. In 1831 he was received into the Genesee M. E. conference, and for sixty-one years labored unremittingly for the interests of his denomination. Came to Appleton in 1847 from Albion, Michigan, and is regarded as the founder of the former city, and of Lawrence University. In 1853 was instrumental in founding the city of New London. A man of extraordinary energy in his youth, and in his old age only physically enfeebled, he retained an active interest in public affairs throughout.

Simeon L. Smith, born in 1821; died near Waldo, Sheboygan county, Wis., February 9, 1892. At the age of seventeen, enlisted and served as a private during the Seminole war (1838), and was probably the last pensioner of that war living in the state. Was one of the early lumbermen on the Upper Wisconsin river, and in 1845 settled in Sheboygan county,

Mrs. Alanson Sweet, died at Evanston, Ill., September 7, 1892, widow of Alanson Sweet, one of the first settlers of Milwaukee, having arrived there in 1835.

Vernon Tichenor, born in Amsterdam, N. Y., August, 1815; died in Waukesha, Wis., January 20, 1892. He received his higher education at Union College, Schenectady, and was admitted to the bar at Albany in 1838. The next year came to Wisconsin and settled in Prairieville, now Waukesha. Was the first lawyer to locate there, and held many public offices in town and village; was at one time a member of the assembly. During the War of Secession was draft commissioner, and for many years a member of the board of trustees of Carroll College and for a long time president of that board. He was closely identified with the abolition movement and the conduct of the "under-ground railway," and in every way showed his active interest in state and national affairs.

Thompson M. Warren, born in Buckfield, Oxford county, Me., May 10, 1812; died in Baraboo, Wis., February 26, 1892. Was a bookseller in New York and Albany, and in 1841 came to Chicago and three years later to Mineral Point, Wis. A few years later settled in Sauk City, where he and his brothers engaged in banking. In 1867 settled in Baraboo, and has been president of the First National Bank, and mayor of the city for three terms. He was emphatically a business man, and the large estate he left testifies to his energy and sagacity.

Norman Washburn, born in Franklin county, Vt., July 14, 1801; died in Millville, Grant county, Wis., November 9, 1891. He moved to Pennsylvania in 1825, and from there to Millville, in 1846. The Grant County Herald says of him: "He was most true and loyal to his friends, the party of his choice, and to his country in its hour of need and peril.”

Charles K. Wells, born in Waterville, Me, December 22, 1817; died in Milwaukee, Wis., January 4, 1892. Entered Waterville College (now Colby University) in 1838, remaining there only two years. Graduated from Yale with the class of '42, and for several years after this was engaged in teaching. January 21, 1846, was admitted to the bar of Virginia, and practiced law in Rocky Mount, Franklin county, until his removal to Milwaukee in 1847. In 1852 formed a partnership with Jerome R. Brigham, which with one exception is the oldest law firm in Milwaukee. In 1880 Horace A. J. Upham was admitted to the firm and the name changed to Wells, Brigham & Upham. Mr. Wells was appointed postmaster in Milwaukee by President Lincoln, and served from June 1, 1864, to October 6, 1866. He never held many public offices, but was always interested in municipal legislation; as a lawyer was connected with many of the most important cases in Wisconsin.

FINANCIAL CONDITION.

The General Fund.

The general fund consists of the annual state appropriation of $5,000. Its condition is as follows:

323 75

Overdraft advanced by Secretary Thwaites, and due him from state appropriation for 1893...

The report of the auditing committee, on file with the corresponding secretary, gives the details of the foregoing expenditures, and the vouchers have been filed with the governor according to law.

Gifts to our library are many and of considerable importance; we make large gains in the exchange of our publications with kindred societies and with specialists; and our system of exchange of duplicates with other libraries is increasingly fruitful. But the day is past when a large public library can rely solely or even largely on chance gifts and exchanges, or on bargains at auction sales and second-hand book stalls. These methods, while essential and not to be despised, are of secondary importance; a live library must receive its chief nourishment from a purchasing fund.

The point has been reached in the history of our library when larger resources are imperatively demanded. Activity in historical study, and indeed in all studies, was never so great as now; books of the utmost importance are pouring from the presses of Europe and America in phenomenal numbers: it is impossible with our present means satisfactorily to keep abreast of the tide. At home, the rapid growth of the State University, especially the establishment here of the new school of economics, political science and history, and the summer school of teachers, has greatly increased the demands upon our shelves, both in variety and extent. The general growth of culture throughout the state brings to us from year to year larger numbers of Wisconsin scholars outside of University circles; and the number of those from neighboring states who seek this repositcry of books steadily grows. After deducting salaries of assistants and miscellaneous expenses from our annual state appropriation, there is left to us but the paltry sum of about $3,500 for the purchase of books. Were our purchasing fund doubled, it would barely meet the necessities of the case; even then, the institution would be doing its work at far less expense than any library of similar importance in the United States, both as to purchases and salary list. The management of the Society has been

able, by dint of tireless energy spurred by the keenest enthusiasm, for forty years to keep it fairly in step with its compeers; at no time, as will be shown by our report of accessions, have richer results been obtained than during the year just closed, yet we must remember that the State, the West, and the country are making giant strides; what was good library growth a dozen or more years ago does not now suffice; we must expand with our surroundings, if we are to maintain our position and properly serve the people of the commonwealth.

A serious effort should be made at the forthcoming meeting of the legislature to secure an increased appropriation for the Society. If the situation were fully understood by the law makers, there would be no doubt of the result.

The Binding Fund.

It was reported by the treasurer a year ago that the cash and securities in the binding fund amounted to $20,493.60. The net increase, including the sale of our Texas land, during the year ending November 30, 1892 — after deducting annual appropriations for binding and binding clerk's salary, and fees for recording mortgages was $2,503.94. The details are given in the full and explicit report of Treasurer Proudfit who, without compensation, is doing valuable work for the Society in the management of its private funds.

The present condition of the fund is as follows:

Cash and securities in charge of treasurer..

Taylor bequest, not yet available.....

Notes given for the fund, as yet unpaid

$22,997 54

1,000 00 400 00 $24,397 54

Total..

A year ago we reported that negotiations were in progress for the sale of our land in Coleman county, Texas, at $3 per acre. The sale was consummated in January last, the property netting us $1,800 after all expenses of conveyancing.

The notes are as follows: One-third payable annually, with interest at 7 per cent after due: Dr. Lyman C. Draper (deceased), $300; Hon. John A. Rice, $100; total, $400. Taey are, with the exception of Dr. Rice's, in the hands of the corresponding secretary.

As was reported a year ago, the late Dr. Lyman C. Draper willed to the Society his library, and certain personal property consisting chiefly of mining stocks. The Draper homestead on West Washington avenue, Madison, was to come to us after the death of his widow. The committee, as previously reported, purchased the widow's dower right, and came at once into full possession of the homestead, December 1, 1891. This property, accredited to the binding fund, was placed in charge of a select sub-committee, with full powers of management. The committee went to considerable expense, as will be seen by the treasurer's report, in repairing the dwelling, which was sadly in need of renovation, and placing it and the grounds in proper condition for rental. The premises have been let since the first of May last, under a year's lease, for thirty dollars per month. It may possibly be deemed good policy, in time, to sell the property; but this cannot be done except by special consent of the legislature, and legislation to this effect will doubtless be asked for at the coming session.

The committee is informed by the executors of the Draper estate that, despite the terms of the will, the Society will realize from the settlement but little if anything beyond the homestead. The mining stocks, which constitute the chief part of the personal property, appear to have no market value, and the estate is encumbered with debts and bequests; for the payment of the latter, the executors have as yet devised no method. It was the intention of Dr. Draper to be generous to the Society he loved so well, but it transpires that he did not appreciate the precarious condition of his estate, dying apparently in the belief that he was leaving to us property of considerable value.

Section 4 of the act approved March 4, 1853, creating this corporation, limits the amount of property we can acquire to the value of ten thousand dollars; as our holdings are now worth fully a million, it is time that steps be taken to remove this unnecessary barrier to our growth, heretofore