If 566 B14 ICopy 1 MEMORIAL ADDRESS LIFE AND CHARACTER JOHN JUDSON BAGLEY, DELIVERED BEFORE THE MICHIGAN STATE PIONEER SOCIETY, AT THEIR REQUEST, IN REPRESENTATIVE HALL, LANSING. / GEORGE H. HOPKINS. Seventh of June, 1882. «-«^ DETROIT, MICH.: Wm. Graham, Printer, 52 Batks Street. 1882/ 4 -*^» MEMORIAL ADDRESS LIFE AND CHARACTER JOHN JUDSON BAGLEY, DELIVERED BEFORE THE MICHIGAN STATE PIONEER SOCIETY, AT THEIR REQUEST, IN REPRESENTATIVE HALL, LANSING, GEORGE H. HOPKINS. Seventh of June, 1882. DETROIT, MICH.; Wm. Graham, Printbr, o2 Bates Street. 1882. Lansing, December 14, 1881. Hon. Geo. H. Hopkins, Detroit, Mich. Dea.r Sir — At a meeting of the Committee of Historians and Executive Committee of the State Pioneer Society, held at the Capitol on the 6th inst., the following resolution was unanimously passed: "h ^solved, That the Corresponding Secretary of the State Pioneer Society be, and he is hereby directed to correspond with Hon. George H. Hopkins, of Detroit, and request from him a memorial paper for publica- tion in Vol. IV. of Pioneer Collections in reference to the late Gov. John J. Bagley." Gov. Bagley was a member of the Society, and such a pa- per is very much desired by the committees, and the matter was thoroughly discussed by them as to who would be the best person to prepare such a paper, and all agreed that you were the one. lioping a favorable reply from you, I am, yours very truly, GEO. H. GREENE, Corresponding Secretary. [The following letter was received in reply to one asking when it was expected to publish Vol, IV., referred to.] Kalamazoo, December 27, 1881. Hon. Geo. H. Hopkins: Dear Sir — Mr. Geo. H. Gi-eene, Corresponding Secretary of the State Pioneer Society, has forwarded me your letter of Dec. 21, inst., in reference to memorial paper of the late Gov- ernor Bagley. The 4th volume of " Pioneer Collections of Michigan" will not be printed until after the first Wednesday in June next. At that time will occur the annual meeting of the " State Pioneer Society," at Lansing, and at that meeting it will gratify the officers of the Society and thi; people there assembled if you will read the memorial paper, which shall refresh our memories as to the noble qualities of head and heart of one now dead, who was in life the friend of all the people of Michigan. Very respectfully yours, H. G. WELLS, Chairman Committee of Historians Michigan State Pioneer Society. MEMORIAL ADDRESS ON THE Life and Character OF JOHN JUDSON BAGLEY, BY GEORGE H. HOPKINS. A Pioneer Society is the Present looking at the Past — the Living communing witlithe Dead. As we advance in age the memories of our Fathers and Mothers grow more and more dear. We delight to recall their deeds and their virtues. Go visit New England and the Eastern States, anj'' pleasant day in summer or autumn, and you shall see the pilgrim from the West visiting the home of his father You ma}'^ see him in the lonely church-yard, at the graves of his ancestors, carefully deciphering on the tomb-stones, worn by the hand of time, the inscriptions, rudely carved, it may be, telling the story of those lying beneath — born, died; birth, death — between the two is gathered all there is of history. What do the records