,W33 H73 ■« hV ^■Ao'i 'A'„ -"^o. ..■^^ ♦ ' "'^^ * .0 * O H O ^<^ V v\^ U A^ a;(^Va^. '^^.^ .^'^" /j BY=LAWS Historical Society OF WATERTOWN. WITH A LIST OF THE PAST AND PRESENT OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY. INCORPORATED 1891. WATERTOWN : A if PRESS OF FRED. G. BARKER, 1893. BY-LAWS HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WATERTOWN, CHAPTER I. MEMBERS AND DUES. Article i. The members of the society shall be of three classes, Active, Associate and Honorary, and all shall be open to both men and women. All Active members shall be eligible to any office, and they only shall be entitled to vote or to take part in the business of the society. Art. 2. Blanks shall be kept by the Recording Secretary for signature by any desiring to be pro- posed as an associate member. These blanks shall also be signed by two members who shall join in recommending the candidate. The blanks shall have a space for a brief statement of the place of residence and qualifications of the person proposed for membership. But no nomination shall be made except by a report of the Council at a stated meet- ing, of the society. Transfers of members from one class to another class, however, may be made at any stated meeting upon the recommendation of the Council. Art. 3. All members shall be elected by ballot at a stated meeting by a majority of the votes cast. A separate ballot on any name shall be taken upon the request of three or more members. Art. 4. Each Active and Associate member shall pay two dollars at the time of admission, and one dollar each first of May afterward into the treasury, for the general purposes of the society; but any member admitted in March or April shall be exempted from the next following May assessment. Any member shall be exempted from the annual payment if, at any time after admission, he or she shall pay into the treasury twenty dollars in addi- tion to previous payments; and all commutations shall be and remain permanently funded, the inter- est only to be used for current expenses. Art. 5. If any person elected a member shall neglect, for four months after notification of elec- tion, to accept membership by subscribing to the by-laws and to pay the admission fee, the election shall be void ; and any member who shall neglect to pay the annual assessment for six months after it shall have become due and attention shall have been called to this article of the by-laws, shall cease to be a member; but it shall be competent for the Council to suspend the provisions of this article for a reasonable time. Art. 6. Any member may withdraw from the society by giving the Secretary written notice and paying all dues. Art. 7. Upon the unanimous recommendation of the Council present at any meeting thereof, any member may be expelled for cause at any stated meeting of the society, by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting. CHAPTER II. Art. I. There shall be a stated meeting of the society on the second Tuesday of May, September, November, January and March; provided, however, that the Council shall have authority to postpone any stated meeting, or to dispense with it altogether, whenever, for any cause, they may deem it desirable or expedient. Special meetings shall be called by either of the Secretaries, at the request of the Presi- dent, or, in case of the President's death, absence, or inability, of one of the Vice-Presidents or of the Council. The stated meeting in May shall be the annual meeting of the society. Art. 2. At all meetings the record of the pre- ceding meeting shall be read by the Recording Sec- retary immediately after the presiding officer has called the meeting to order; after which at all special meetings, the business for which the meet- ing was called shall be transacted ; and at all stated meetings the order of business shall be as follows : 1. The reading of Papers and Essays. 2. The Report of the Corresponding Secretary. 3. The Librarian's Report. 4. The report of the Council. 5. The election of members, and action on the recommendations of the Council. 6. The Historiographer's report. 7. The unfinished business and assignments of the last meeting taken up in their order. 8. The transaction of other business. Art. 3. Upon the request of the presiding offi- cer, any motion or resolution offered at any meeting shall be submitted in writing. Art. 4. Seven members shall be a quorum for all purposes except for amendment of the By-Laws, which shall be made only by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting at a stated meeting (in the notification of which the proposed change in the By-Laws shall have been stated), at which not less than nine members are present. CHAPTER III. OFFICERS. Art. I. The officers of the society shall be a President, a First Vice-President from Watertown, a Second Vice-President from Weston, a Third Vice- President from Waltham, a Fourth Vice-President from Belmont, a Recording Secretary, a Corres- ponding Secretary, a Treasurer and a Librarian. There shall be an Executive Council of nine, com- posed of the President, the First Vice-President, the Recording Secretary, the Corresponding Secretary^ the Treasurer, the Librarian, and three others. All of these shall be chosen by ballot at the Annual Meeting and shall hold their respective offices for one 3'ear, or until others are duly chosen and installed. Elections to fill vacancies which may occur among the officers or in the Council shall be for the unex- pired term, and such vacancies may be filled at any subsequent stated meeting. The President of the society shall act as chairman of the Council, and the Recording Secretary shall act as the secretary of the Council. Each member of the Council shall have a vote. Art. 2. There shall be a Historiographer and an Editor of Publications appointed annually by the Council, to whom they shall be responsible for the proper discharge of their duties. Art. 3. At the stated meeting in March a Nomi- nating Committee, consisting of five persons, shall be appointed, who shall report at the annual meet- ing a list of members for the places to be filled. Nominations may also be made by other members of the society. CHAPTER IV. THE PRESIDENT. Art. I. The President shall be the Chief Execu- tive Officer of the society; and, with the advice and consent of the Council, shall superintend and con- duct its prudential aftairs. Art. 2. The President, and in the absence of the President, one of the Vice-Presidents (the Vice- President from Watertown having precedence), shall preside at all meetings of the society. In the absence of all these officers, a President />ro ^e??i^ore shall be chosen. CHAPTER V. THE RECORDIXG SECRETARY. Art. I. The Recording Secretary, or, in case of the Recording Secretary's death, absence, or ina- bility, the Corresponding Secretary, shall warn all meetings of the society and of the Council, in such manner as the Council shall direct. Art. 2. The Recording Seci-etary shall attend all meetings of the society and of the Council, and shall keep a true record of the same, entering in full all accepted reports of committees, unless otherwise specially directed, or unless the same are to be included in the printed proceedings. Art. 3. The Recording Secretary shall enter the names of all members systematically in books kept for the purpose. Art. 4. All books and papers in the Recording Secretary's custody shall be the property of the society. Art. 5. In the absence of the President and of all the Vice-Presidents, the Recording Secretary shall, if present, call the meeting to order and pre- side until a President ^ro tempore is chosen. 6 CHAPTER VI. THE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY. Art. I. The Corresponding Secretary shall in- form all persons of their election as members, and send to each a copy of the By-Laws, calling atten- tion to Articles 4 and 5 of Chapter I. Art. 2. The Corresponding Secretary shall con- duct the correspondence of the society not other- wise provided for, and shall deposit all original let- ters received as may be directed by the Council. CHAPTER Vir. Art. I. The Treasurer shall collect all moneys due to the society, and shall keep, in books belong- ing to it, regular and faithful accounts of all the moneys and funds that may come into the Treasur- er's hands, and of all receipts and expenditures con- nected with the same; which accounts shall be open always to the inspection of the Council. At the annual meeting the treasurer shall make a written or printed report of all his doings for the year pre- ceding, of the amount and condition of all the prop- erty of the society intrusted to him, and the charac- ter of the investments. Art. 2. The treasurer shall invest and manage the funds of the society, with the consent and ap- proval of the Council. Art. 3. When required to do so, the treasurer shall give bonds to the satisfaction of the council for the faithful performance of the duties of the office. Art. 4. The treasurer shall not pay any money except by direction of the Council, or of its duly authorized committee. CHAPTER VIII. APPROPRIATIONS AND TREASURER'S ACCOUNTS. Art. I. No person or committee shall incur any debt or liability in the name of the society, unless in accordance with a previous vote and appropria- tion therefor by the society or the Council. Art. 2. At the stated meeting in March an audit- ing committee, consisting of not less than two per- sons not members of the Council, shall be appointed to examine the accounts of the treasurer for the year preceding, and at the annual meeting to report thereon and on the state of any property of the society in the treasurer's hands. CHAPTER IX. THE LIBRARIAN. Art. I. The librarian shall have charge of all the books, pamphlets, maps, manuscripts, and other property appropriate to the library, and of all coins, works of art, remains of antiquity, and other arti- cles appropriate to the cabinet; and shall cause to be made and kept suitable catalogues of each and all of them, doing whatever may be possible at all times to preserve and increase the collections of the society. The further duties of the librarian shall be the usual ones of the office, except as otherwise directed by the council. CHAPTER X. THE HISTORIOGRAPHER. Art. I. The historiographer shall collect mate- rials for a history of the society, prepare biographies of its deceased members for publication, and deposit the same in the library. He may read at the stated meetings such of the biographies, or such parts of them, as he may deem advisable. CHAPTER XI. THE EDITOR OF PUBLICATIONS. Art. I. The Editor of Publications shall edit, under the direction of the Council, the memorial biographies of deceased members, the proceedings of the annual meeting, and all other publications of the society not specially committed to other edito- rial supervision ; and shall receive such compensa- tion as the council shall determine. CHAPTER Xn. THE COUNCIL. Art. I. The council shall determine their own quorum; establish rules for the transaction of their business; fix all salaries ; authorize all expenditures of money, drawing upon the treasurer from time to time, for such sums as may be required; provide all engraved or printed blanks and books of record; act upon all resignations and forfeitures of member- ship ; see that the By-Laws are complied with; and in general conduct all the business of the society not otherwise provided for in the By-Laws. Art. 2. They shall appoint, annually, the his- toriographer and the editor of publications. Art. 3. They shall appoint such subordinate of- ficers and agents as they may deem necessary (who shall hold their respective offices during the pleas- ure of the council), prescribe their duties, and allow them reasonable compensation. Art. 4. They shall report at their discretion, nominations for active, associate, and honorary members, to which not less than five of their num- ber shall have assented at a meeting of the council. Art. 5. Thej shall meet within one week pre- vious to every stated meeting, on such dav and at such hour as thej may fix by standing rule, and upon notice, at such other times as the chairman shall appoint, for the discharge of their appropriate duties and for furthering the transaction of such business as may be brought before the society. Art. 6. They shall report, at every meeting of the society, such business as they may deem it ad- visable to present. Art. 7. They may appoint, for terms not ex- ceeding one year, and prescribe the functions of such committees of their number, or of the mem- bers of the society, as they may deem expedient, to facilitate the administration of the society's affairs. Art. 8. They shall make all proper rules and regulations for the use of the library and the cabi- net. x\rt. 9. At the annual meeting they shall make an annual report. It shall include a detailed state- ment of the condition of the library and the cabi- net, both of which they shall carefully examine annually in the month of March. PAST AND PRESENT OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WATERTOWN. Organized July 31, 1SS8. Re-organized and 1 ncorporated May 7, 1S91. Dr. Alfred Hosmer, President, 1888-1890- Rev. Edward A. Rand, Vice-Pres. 1888- 1890 Solon F. Whitney, Sec. & Treas. I 888- I 890 COUNCIL. Dr. Alfred Hosmer, 1888-1890 Rev. Edward A. Rand, 1 888-1 890 Solon F. Whitney, I 888- I 890 Dr. Julian A. Mead, 1 888 -1 890 Dr. Bennett F. Davenp ort. I 888- I 890 Rev. Edward A. Rand, President, 1891 Wm. H. Ingraham, Vice-Pres. 1891 Alexander Starbuck, ( i u 1893 Mary F. Peirce, " 1892 Edward Whitney, " 1892 *Ellen M. Crafts, Rec. Sec'y. 1891-1892 Chas. F. Fitz, '' 1893 Chas. S. Ensign, Cor. Sec'y. 1891 Chas. F. Fitz, u ;( 1S92 Dr. B. F. Davenport, ii a 1893 Chas. F. Mason, Treasurer. 1891 Solon F. Whitney, Librarian. 1891 12 COUNCIL. Rev. E. A. Rand, 1891 Wm. H. Ingraham, 1891 Chas. F. Mason, 1S91 Solon F. Whitney, 1S91 *Ellen M. Crafts, 1891-1892 Chas. S Ensign, 1891 Dr. B. F. Davenport, 1891 Dr. J. A. Mead, 1891 Mrs. Ruth A. Bradford, 1891-1S92 Chas. F. Fitz, 1892 Chas. A. Stearns, 1892 Mrs. Annie E. Davenport, 1893 INCORPORATORS. Mrs. Ruth Ann Bradford, Sumner Coolidge, *Ellen Mary Crafts. Frederic Erastus Crawford, Albert Mortimer Davenport, Dr. Bennett Franklin Davenport, Orlendo Wales Dimick, Charles Sidney Ensign, Jesse Fewkes, Charles Frederic Fitz, William Hutchinson Ingraham, Francis Kendall, Charles Frank Mason, Dr. Julian Augustus Mead, Rev. Edward Augustus Rand, Charles Augustus Stearns, Abner Chase Stockin, Solon Franklin Whitnev. Watertown 'Died March 14, 1S93. 13 Mrs. Alice Greeley Abbott, John Edward Abbott, Samuel Phillips Abbott, Frederick George Barker, Mrs. Abby Vose Barry, Francis Hill Bigelow, Frank Winthrop Bigelow, Jonathan Bigelow, Melville Madison Bigelow, Mrs. Emma Augusta Blair, Lafayette Gilbert Blair, Mrs. Mary Robinson Bostwick, Charles Brigham, Maria Brigham, William Herman Bustin, Jr., Abby Clarke, Henry Ware Clarke, Leonidas Sidney Cleveland, James Waldo Colby, Mrs. Alice Austin Coolidge, Austin Jacobs Coolidge, Fanny Gertrude Coolidge, Harriet Adelaide Coolidge, Herbert Coolidge, Joshua Coolidge, Ethel Cushing, *Mrs. Fanny Elizabeth Cushing, William Cushing, Mrs. Annie Emeline Davenport, Mrs. Emma Judson Davenport, Herbert Elbridge Davidson, ♦ Brenton Halliburton Dickson, Jr., Mrs. Lizzie Martha Dimick, Albert Dutton, Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth Holden Fairman, *Died Nov. 22, 1S90. Watertown Weston W^atertown Cambridge Watertown Brockton Watertown Weston Watertown N. Y. City 14 Andrew Fiske. Charles Henry Fiske, Augustus Flagg, John Benton Goodrich, Alberto Frederick Haynes, Mrs. Lizzie Hale Haynes, Mrs. Mary Barnard Home, Robert Francis Home, tDr. Alfred Hosmer, Mrs. Elizabeth Abbie Howard, Selah Howell, *Mrs. Margaret Vantine Kendall, John Hathaway Kendall, Daniel Sanderson Lamson, Wilbur Franklin Learned, Stillman Pierce March, Mrs. Mary Josephine March, Marantha Bradley Patten, Charles Quincy Pierce, Mary Frances Pierce, Mrs. Julia Ann Pierce, William Thomas Pierce, Lewis Bates Porter, Mrs. Marj' Frances Abbott Rand, Abraham Lawrence Richards, Reuben Lee Richardson, William Minard Richardson, Mabelle Winthrop Russell, William Whitney Russell, Mrs. Georgiana Butler Savage, Rev. William Henr^' Savage, Supply Thwing Sharp, Mrs. Alice Maria Silsbee, Henry Reuben Skinner, tDied May 14, 1S91. *Died Dec. 30, 1S92. Weston Waltham Newton Watertown Belmont Watertown Roslindale Watertown Weston Watertown Weston Watertown Belmont Cambridge Watertown 15 Mrs. Bertha Home Snow, Watertown Walter Bradlee Snow, " Alexander Starbuck, Waltham Mrs. Abbj Catherine Stearns, Watertown Mrs. Helen Medora Stockin, Charles William Stone, Mrs. Frances Maria Stone, Rev. Luther Tracy Townsend, Rev. Horace I^eslie Wheeler, Mrs. Caroline Abbe Rogers Whitney, Belmont Edward Whitney, " Benjamin Osgood Wilson, Watertown Mrs. Elizabeth Almira Wilson, " George Levi Wilson, " Mrs. Ida Frances Wilson, " Mary Caroline Wilson, ♦' George Sumner Wright, " Mrs. Emma Augusta Wright. *' HONORARY MEMBER. *Eben Norton Horsford. *Died Jan. i, 1S93. Cambridge pd IS ^^ ""^^ ^^ tV 1> " o <^°^ ^.« ^^ % •; ^_^_- . „ ^', DOBBS BROS. ■^ ^ LIBRARY BINDING ^.^* :/;AV 72 o* n'^ ST. AUGUSTINE -^^-^-f,* ^h o^ 'J ^^•^^ ^P-^^^ '4 ^