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REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
i897-Library, 170 Second Avenue.
New York, January 29, 1898.
In| transmitting to you a copy of the Annual Report of the
Executive Committee for the year 1897, I beg leave to call your
attention to the paragraph on page 8 in regard to membership.
It is very desirable to maintain in full and efficient strength the
roll of Members, which is constantly diminished by the decease of
many of our oldest and best citizens, heretofore identified with the
history, progress, and prosperity of the Society.
Blank forms of nomination for membership are herewith en-
closed.
By order of the Committee,
Andrew Warner,
Recording Secretary.Officers of the Society, 1898
PRESIDENT,
JOHN ALSOP KING.
FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT,
J. PIERPONT MORGAN.
SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT,
JOHN S. KENNEDY.
FOREIGN CORRESPONDING SECRETARY,
REY. EUGENE A. HOFFMAN, D.D.
DOMESTIC CORRESPONDING SECRETARY,
EDWARD F. DE LANCEY,
RECORDING SECRETARY,
ANDREW WARNER.
TREASURER,
ROBERT SCHELL.
LIBRARIAN,
WILLIAM KELBY.EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
&
FIRST CLASS—FOR ONE YEAR, ENDING 1899.
FREDERIC GALLATIN,	ISAAC J. GREENWOOD
CHARLES HOWLAND RUSSELL,
SECOND CLASS—FOR TWO YEARS, ENDING I9OO.
JOHN S. KENNEDY,	GEORGE W. VANDERBILT,
CHARLES IS HAM.
THIRD CLASS-FOR THREE YEARS, ENDING I9OI.
JOHN A. WEEKES,	J. PIERPONT MORGAN,
JOHN J. TUCKER.
J FOURTH CLASS—FOR FOUR YEARS, ENDING 1902
EDWARD F. DE LANCEY,	DANIEL PARISH, Jr.
FRANCIS TOMES.
EDWARD F. DE LANCEY, Chairman,
DANIEL PARISH, Jr., Secretary.
[The President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, and 'Librarian
are members, ex-officioy of the Executive Committee.]Neco l]ork historical 0ariet|).
ANNUAL REPORT.
January 4, 1898.
In accordance with the By-Laws, the Executive Committee
of the New York Historical Society submit their Annual
Report for the year 1897.
During the year the Society held nine stated meetings, at
which the following papers were read :
January 5. Annual Meeting. Annual Reports of the
Executive Committee, Treasurer, and Librarian.
February 2. “Reasons for observing the Four Hundredth
Anniversary of the English Discovery of America by Cabot/’
by the Rev. B. F. De Costa, D.D.
March 2. “The Loss of New York City by the Amer-
icans in 1776, and its relation to their subsequent Success in
the War,” by Professor Henry P. Johnston.
April 6. “The Establishment of Public Parks in the
City of New York,” by Mr. Gherardi Davis.
May 4. “ The Westchester Guides in the War of the
Revolution,” prepared by the late Judge John M. Macdonald.(8)
June i. “City Island, New York City,” by Mr. Frederic
Wendell Jackson.
October 5. “The Palisades of the Hudson River,” by the
Rev. Ashbel G. Vermilye, D.D.
November 2.	“ Blue Staffordshire Plates, decorated with
views of New York” (illustrated with colored Stereopticon
views), by Mr. Richard T. H. Halsey.
~ December 7. “The Trial of John Peter Zenger, Printer
of The New York Weekly Journal, 1734, for uttering a
Criminal Libel against the Government,” by Mr. Livingston
Rutherfurd.
Forty-seven members were elected during the year. To
the list of deceased associates twenty-nine names were added,
including among others, respected and valued by the Society
and the community, those of Augustine Smith, Rev. Charles
Frederick Hoffman, D.D., Archibald Grade King, Clarence
A. Seward, General Thomas Hillhouse, James Hammond
Trumbull, Rev. George H. Houghton, D.D., Professor Henry
Drisler, Henry T. Drowne, Charles Butler, and Henry M.
T aber.
The present number of members is 1,100, of which 168
are Honorary, 585 Life, and 347 members paying annual dues.
The Committee urge the necessity of enlarging the roll
of members. For many years the loss to the Society occa-
sioned by the death of early members has not been restored
by the election of a sufficient number to fill their places. It
is therefore suggested that each member of the Society be re-
quested to make at least one nomination during the ensuing
year.
In the transaction of business within its province the
Committee has held nine meetings.
The Report of the Treasurer shows a careful management
of the Funds of the Society. The Institution has no debts,
no mortgage upon its land, building, or collections, and no
outstanding bills. The income during the year, from all
sources for general purposes, was $8,613.22. The expendi-
tures were $6,707.98. The receipts comprise fees of initiation(9)
and life-membership, annual dues of members, and interest
derived from the investment of the following funds :
1.	The Isaiah Thomas Fund. The legacy of Isaiah
Thomas, of Worcester, Mass., in 1832, $300.
2.	The Demilt Fund. The legacy of Miss Elizabeth De-
milt, of New York, in 1849, $5,000.
3.	The Grosvenor Fund. The legacy of Seth Grosvenor,
of New York, in 1858, $10,000.
4.	The Wheeler Fund. The legacy of David E. Wheeler,
of New York, in 1870, $1,000.
5.	The Barron Fund. The legacy of Thomas Barron, of
New York, in 1875, $10,000.
6.	The Mount Fund. The legacy of Richard E. Mount,
of New York, in 1880, $1,000.
7.	The Edward Bill Fui\d. The legacy of Edward Bill,
of New York, in 1881, $5,000.
8.	The Augustus Schell Fund. The legacy of Augustus
Schell, of New York, in 1884, $5,000.
9.	The Mary Rogers Fund. The legacy of Mrs. Mary
Rogers, of New York, in 1891, $1,000.
10.	The Evans Fund. The legacy of Captain James
Francis Evans, of New York, in 1893, $1,000.
These Funds aggregate $39,300, the interest of which is
applicable to the general purposes of the Society. The So-
ciety possesses in addition the following Special Funds :
11.	The John D. Jones Fiend. Founded by John Divine
Jones, of New York, in 1879, for the publication and sale by
the Society of works relating to the early history of New
York and the other American provinces. This Fund now
amounts to $3,137.04.
12.	The Fund of the Sons of Rhode Island, the gift of the
Association in New York known by that name during the
Civil War, presented in 1866, and devoted to the purchase
of works for the Library relating to the history of Rhode
Island, $600.
13.	The Stephen Whitney Phoenix Fund. The bequest
of Stephen Whitney Phoenix, of New York, in 1882, for the(io)
maintenance and increase of the Phoenix Collection of Her-
aldry and Genealogy, $15,000.
14. The Publication Fund. Established by the Society
in 1858, for the publication of its Proceedings and Collec-
tions. Of the shares of the capital stock of this Fund, lim-
ited in number to 1,000, 808 have been sold, up to the pres-
ent time, realizing $23,300.
The Twenty-fourth volume of Collections issued by this
Fund, published in October last, contains the official Muster
Rolls of the Provincial Troops who served the Province of
New York during the war with France, from 1755 to 1763.
These rolls give the name, personal appearance, nativity, and
occupation of the soldier enlisted, and are a most valuable
contribution to the Colonial and social history of the State.
The Committee beg leave to call attention to the fact
that there remains in the Treasury 192 shares of the capital
stock of the Fund. It is desired to increase the capital of
the Fund by their sale. They are offered (every share be-
ing entitled to a complete set of the twenty-four volumes of
Collections already issued) at the low price of $100 each.
These shares are transferable and entitle the holder to one
copy of each successive annual volume of the series. No in-
vestment could be more desirable, as the purchaser acquires
a most important series of volumes relating to the history of
America, not to be obtained in any other way, as the publi-
cations are the dividends earned by the stock, and are deliv-
erable only to stockholders.
The twenty-four volumes issued contain the following
valuable material:
Vol. I. 1868. The Continuation of Chalmers’s Political
Annals of the American Colonies, 1685—
1696. The Colden Letters on Smith’s
History of New York, 1759-1760. Docu-
ments relating to the Administration of
Jacob Leisler, 1689-1769.Vol. II.
1869.
(II)
<(
<c
iC
<<
a
u
a
III.,
IV.	,
V.	,
VI.
VII.	,
VIII.
X,’
XT,
XII,
The Clarendon Papers, relating to New
York and New England, 1662-1667.
The Destruction of Schenectady, 1690.
Montague’s Arguments on Acts of
New York Assembly, 1701. Col den’s
Letter on Smith’s History of New
York, 1759. Plowden’s New Albion,
1632-1650. Gardiner’s History of
East Hampton, New York, 1798.
Collection of Evidence and Vindica-
tion of the rights of New York to the
New Hampshire Grants.
1870. Territorial Rights of New York against
the Government of New Hampshire, a
brief, by James Duane. Old New York
and Trinity Church, 1730-1790. Sermon
by the Rev. Francis Makemie, 1707.
l871']
1872.	i The Papers of Major-General Charles
1873.
1874.
1875.
Lee, 1754-1811.
1876.
1877-
Letters of General Pattison, Comman-
dant of New York City, 1779-1780.
Letters to General Lewis Morris, 1775—
1782.
jf Official Letter-Books of Lieutenant-
\ Governor Cadwalader Colden, 1760-
i 1775-
1878.	Papers of Charles Thomson, Secretary
of the Continental Congress, 1765—
1816. Letters of Colonel Armand,
1777—179T* Letters to Robert Mor-
ris, 1775-1782.
1879.	Trial of General Schuyler, 1778. Trial
of General Robert Howe, 1781. Jour-
nal of Commissary Rainsford, enlist-
ment of Hessian Troops, 1776-1778.Vol. XIII,,
1880,
“ XIV.,
“ XV.,
“ XVI.,
- XVII,
‘ XVIII,
12
Trial of General St. Clair, 1778. Jour-
nal of Occurrences at Quebec, 1775-
1776, Case of William Atwood,
Chief-Justice of New York, 1703.
Vesey’s Sermon in Trinity Church,
at the Funeral of Lord Lovelace,
1709. Letter of Domine Michaeli-
us, First Minister in New Nether-
land, 1628. Records of the Court
of Lieutenancy, New York Militia,
1686-1696.
1881.	Journals of the Engineer officers Col-
onel James and Captain John Mon-
tressor, of services in America, 1757-
1778.
1882.	Journal of Lieutenant V011 Krafft, of
the Hessian Army, 1776-1784. Let-
ter-Book of Captain Alexander Mc-
Donald, of the Royal Highland
Emigrants, 1775-1779.
1883.
1884.
Papers of Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen
Kemble, Adjutant-General of the
British Army in America, Journals
and Correspondence, 1775-1789.
General Orders of the British Ar-
my in America, 1775-1778. Jour-
nals, Documents, and Correspond-
ence of the Expedition to Nicaragua,
:	1780-1781.
1885. The Burgher Right and Roll of Burgh-
ers of New Amsterdam, 1648-1661.
Roll of Freemen of New York City,
1675-1866. Register of Indentures
of Apprentices of New York City,
1694-1708.(15)
XIX.,	1886.'
XX.,	1887.
XXI.,	1888. -
XXII.,	1889.
XXIII.,	1890.
XXIV.,	1891.
The Deane Papers,] Correspondence,
official and private, of Silas Deane,
1774-17S9.
Muster Rolls of New York Provincial
Troops, 1755-1764.
15. The Building Fund, For the erection of a building
suitable for the uses of the Society.
The Committee regret to state, that owing to the contin-
ued depression in business affairs during the past year, the
Special Committee authorized to solicit subscriptions has not
been appointed ; and consequently no increase has been made
to the Fund. The urgent need of larger accommodation for
the treasures of the Society admits of no further delay. As
the beginning of a new era of National, State, and City pros-
perity is now seen, the President will appoint the Special
Committee early in the ensuing year. It will present to the
members, and the community in general, the absolute neces-
sity of providing for the construction of a new building, ade-
quate to the proper exhibition and use of the valuable collec-
tions of the Society in Art and Antiquity as well as of its
Library, one of the largest in the country relating to the
history of North and South America, the West Indies, the
United States, and especially complete in state, county, and
town histories and American genealogy.
The location for the new building, situated on Central
Park West, with a frontage of 204 feet on Eighth Avenue,
and a depth of 125 feet on Seventy-sixth and Seventy-
seventh Streets, respectively, is universally commended as the
one most suitable for the Society’s future growth and pros-
perity, and has met the hearty approval of our members, and
of the public generally.
The balances to the credit of the Society are as follows:
I. In the Bank of the Metropolis, annual dues, in-
terest, etc., for current expenses.. ............ $1,705.24(i6)
2. In the New York Life Insurance & Trust
Company, funds for investment and inter-
est of Publication Fund............... $5,263.65
3.	In the Institution for the Savings of Merchants’
Clerks, interest of the Phoenix Fund......	414.28
4.	In the Central Trust Company, Building Fund 5,687.21
The Librarian’s report shows an increase during the year
of 3,953 volumes of books, 1,881 pamphlets, 246 bound vol-
umes and 254 numbers of old newspapers, 61 volumes and
864 separate manuscripts, 20 volumes and 93 single maps, 29
broadsides, 14 original drawings, 157 engravings, and 32
photographs. The Museum has received 16 articles of inter-
est. To the Phoenix Collection of Heraldry and Genealogy
134 volumes were added by purchase.
The Gallery of Art has been increased by a view of a Sea-
port in Holland, painted in 1640, by Adam Willaerts, pre-
sented by Mrs. Susan C. Warren, of Boston; a view of the
Yosemite Valley, painted in 1865, by Thomas Hill, presented
by Mr. Charles T. Harbeck; two sepia drawings of Broad-
way, New York City, executed about 1810, by William
Strickland, a noted architect of Philadelphia; and a small
bust in bronze of General J. Watts de Peyster.
The Gallery now contains 861 paintings and 65 pieces of
sculpture.
Respectfully submitted,
Edward F. De Lancey,
Chairman.ABSTRACT OF TREASURER’S REPORT, 1897.
General Account:
Receipts............................................ $8,613	22
Payments................................................. 6,907	98
Balance in	Bank of the	Metropolis. $1,705	24
Phoenix Fund (Interest) :
Receipts............................................ $842 16
Payments............................................ 427	88
Balance in	Institution for Savings of Merchants’ Clerks. $414	28
Publication Fund (Interest) :
Balance in New York Life Insurance & Trust Co.... $1,926 11
Investment of Funds.
Grosvenor Fund :
Bond and Mortgage, at 5 per cent...................$6,000 00
Demilt Fund
Bill Fund
Schell Fund
Wheeler Fund
Thomas Fund
Sons of R. I.
Phoenix Fund
Mount Fund
Rogers Fund
Evans Fund : I
	$10,000 00
at 4i per cent		10,000 DO
at 4^ per cent		5,000 00
at 4i per cent			5,000 00
at 4^ per cent		5,000 00
at 5 per cent		1,000 00
at 5 per cent		300 00
at 5 per cent		600 00
at 4-^ per cent		15,000 00
at 4i per cent		1,000 00
at 5 per cent.				1,000 00
1 Street, Manhattanville	
at 6 per cent		1,000 00
Jones Fund:
Bond and Mortgage, at 5 per cent.........$1,750 00
In New York Life Insurance & Trust Co____	1,387 54
Publication Fund:
Bond and Mortgage, at 5 per cent.........$20,350 00
‘ ‘	“ at 4^ per cent........... 1,00000
In New York Life Insurance & Trust Co....	1,950 00
$3>I37 54
$23,300 00
Building Fund in Central Trust Co........................ 5>^7 21
Total........................................$87,024 25MEMBERSHIP.
Members, on their election, pay an initiation fee
of Twenty Dollars, which includes dues for the cur-
rent year, and annually thereafter Ten Dollars as
dues; or, a life-membership fee of One Hundred
Dollars, in lieu of all other dues and fees.
Nominations are to be sent by members to the
Recording Secretary.
Members have the privilege of introducing visi-
tors to the rooms of the Society by their card or a
note, and of bringing two persons with them to the
monthly meetings.
FORM OF A BEQUEST.
I Give and bequeath to “The New York Histor-
ical Society "founded in the year 1804, and incor-
porated by the Legislature of New York in the year
1809, the sum of	dollars.