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 .N631 
 Copy 1 
 
 ■^ 
 
 
 
 BY-LAWS 
 
 
 UJb 
 
 IN THE CITY OF BROOKLYN. 
 
 (As Adopted May 6th, 1881.) 
 
 Officers, Directors, Standing Committees 
 AND Council of the Society. 
 
 ^ — : . ^ 
 
BY-LAWS 
 
 — OF — 
 
 rHE NEW ::':-la::: society 
 
 4 
 
 IN THE CITY OF BROOKLYN. 
 
 (As Adopted May 6th, 1981.) 
 
 Officers. Directors, Standing Committees 
 AND Council of the Society. 
 
2 
 
 CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION. 
 
 State of New York, \ 
 County of Kings, ^ss.: 
 City of Brooklyn, ) 
 
 We, the undersigned citizens of the United States and citizens 
 of the State of New York, to wit : Benjamin D. Silliman, Calvin 
 E. Pratt, Ripley Ropes, Charles Storrs, Hiram W. Hunt, William B. 
 Kendall, and John Winslow, do hereby certify, that we desire 
 to form a Society pursuant to the provisions of an act entitled "An 
 Act for the Incorporation of Societies or Clubs for certain lawful 
 purposes," passed May 12, 1875. and of the act extending and 
 amending said act. 
 
 That the corporate name of said Society is to be The New 
 England Society in the City of Brooklyn, and the objects 
 for which such Society is formed are to encourage the study of New 
 England History, and for such purpose to establish a Library, and 
 also for social purposes, and to promote charity and good fellowship 
 among its members. 
 
 That the term of existence of the said Society is to be fifty 
 years. 
 
 That the number of Directors who shall manage the concerns 
 of said Society shall be twelve, and <the names of such Directors for 
 the first year are the following, 1(0/\^ft : Benjamin D. Silliman, John 
 Winslow, Calvin E. Pratt, Henry W. Slocum, Wm. B. Kendall, 
 Charles Storrs, Wm. H. Lyon, Ripley Ropes, Geo. H. Fisher, 
 Hiram W. Hunt, A. S. Barnes, A. W. Tenney. 
 
 That the name of tjie City in which the operations of such 
 Society are to be carried on, is the City of Brooklyn, in the County 
 of Kings, and State of New York. 
 
 - Witness: BENJ. D. SILLIMAN, 
 
 John Heydinger, Jr. C. E. PRATT, 
 
 RIPLEY ROPES, 
 JOHN WINSLOW, 
 HIRAM W. HUNT, 
 CHAS. STORRS, 
 WM. B. KENDALL. 
 
 (Jifb 
 
 3 U:\:i. 
 
State of New York, ) 
 County of Kings, ^ss.: 
 
 City of Brooklyn, .) 
 
 On this 20tli day of February, A. D. 1880, before me personally 
 appeared, Benj. D. Silliman, Calvin E. Pratt, Ripley Ropes, Chas. 
 Storrs, Hiram W. Hunt, William B. Kendall, and John Winslow, 
 to me known to be the individuals described in and who executed 
 the foregoing certificate, and they severally, before me signed the 
 said certificate, and acknowledged that they signed the same for 
 the purposes therein mentioned. 
 
 JOHN HEYDINGER, Jr., 
 
 j Notarial I Notary Public, 
 
 Kings County, N. Y. 
 
 I hereby approve the within Certificate, and consent that it be 
 
 filed. 
 
 J. W. GILBERT, 
 
 J. S. C. 
 
 Filed in the office of the Clerk of the County of Kings and in 
 
 the Office of the Secretary of State, at Albany, February 27th, 1880. 
 
 for the Incorporators, by 
 
 JOHN WINSLOW. 
 
 For particulars concerning eligibility, admission, membership, 
 fees and dues, see Article Two, page 7. 
 
 A. E. LAMB, Secretary, 
 
 377 Fulton St., Brooklyn, 
 
 WM. B. KENDALL, Treasurer, 
 
 100 Worth St., New York. 
 
4 
 
 OFFICERS, 
 
 President : 
 BENJAMIN D. SILLIMAN. 
 
 First Vice-President : Second Vice-President : 
 
 JOHN WINSLOW. CHARLES STORRS. 
 
 Treasurer : 
 WILLIAM B. KENDALL. 
 
 Recording Secretary : 
 ALBERT E. LAMB. 
 
 Corresponding Secretary : 
 Rev. a. p. PUTNAM. 
 
 Historiographer : Librarian : 
 
 ALDEN J. SPOONER. Rev. W. H. WHITTEMORE. 
 
DIRECTORS. 
 
 For One Tear. 
 
 John Winslow, 
 Calvin E. Pratt, 
 A. W. Tenney. 
 
 For Three Years. 
 
 Benjamin D. Silliman. 
 Hiram W. Hunt. 
 George H. Fisher. 
 
 F)'om December, 1880. 
 
 For Two Years. 
 
 Ripley Ropes, 
 A. S. Barnes, 
 Henry W. Slocum. 
 
 For Four Years. 
 
 William H. Lyon. 
 Wm. B. Kendall, 
 Charles Storrs. 
 
 COUNCIL. 
 
 Alexander M. White, 
 A. A. Low, 
 Horace B. Claflin. 
 John B, Hutchinson, 
 Charles Pratt, 
 S. B. Chittenden, 
 Joshua M. Van Cott, 
 John F. Henry, 
 R. Cornell White, 
 Albert Woodruff. 
 Amos Bobbins, 
 E. H. R. Lyman, 
 Leonard Richardson, 
 Charles E. Bill, 
 William Coit, 
 
 Henry E . Pierrepont, 
 John Greenwood, 
 Charles E. West, 
 Charles L. Benedict, 
 George G. Reynolds, 
 8. L. Woodford. 
 Thomas H. Rodman, 
 Ben J. F. Tracy, 
 E. R. Durkee, 
 Gordon L. Ford, 
 
 D. L. Northrop, 
 
 E. S. Sanford, 
 Arthur Mathewson, 
 Augustus Storrs, 
 James How. 
 
6 
 
 STANDING COMMITTEES. 
 
 FINANCE : 
 
 Charles Storks, William H. Lyon, 
 
 George H. Fisher. 
 
 Ripley Ropes, 
 
 CHARITY : 
 
 A. W. Tenney. 
 
 Henry W. Slocum, 
 
 INVITATIONS: 
 
 Benjamin D. Silliman, Rev. A. P. Putnam, 
 
 John Winslow. 
 
 ANNUAL FESTIVAL: 
 
 Wm. B. Kendall, Calvin E. Pratt, 
 
 Hiram W. Hunt. 
 
 John Winslow, 
 
 PUBLICATIONS . 
 
 Charles Storrs. 
 
 A. S. Barnes, 
 
BY-LAWS. 
 
 ARTICLE 1. 
 
 OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY. 
 
 The New Eiigliind Society in the City of Brooklyn is 
 incorporated and organized, to commemorate the Umding 
 of the Pilgrim Fathers; to encourage the study of New 
 England history ; to establish a library, and to promote 
 charity, good fellowship and social intercourse among its 
 members. 
 
 ARTICLE IL 
 
 MEMBERSHIP, ADMISSION" FEE AND DUES. 
 
 Any male person of good moral character who is a native 
 or descendant of a native of any of the New England 
 States, and who is eighteen years old or more is elegible to, 
 and may be elected a member of the Society at any meeting 
 thereof, or at any meeting of the Board of Directors : 
 Provided^ that no person so elected shall have or exercise 
 any right or privilege of membership before paying the 
 admission fee to the Treasurer. 
 
 The admission fee shall be ten dollars. 
 
 The dues shall be five dollars a year, and shall be pay- 
 able in the month of January in each year. 
 
 Dues not paid on or before the first day of November 
 in each year shall be deemed in arrears. 
 
8 
 
 No member in arrears shall vote at any meeting of the 
 Society or be elegible to any office therein. 
 
 If the dues of any member shall remain unpaid for a 
 period exceeding one year, the Board of Directors may 
 expel such member for non-payment of dues. 
 
 Any member of the Society in good standing may be- 
 come a Life Member on paying to the Treasurer the sum 
 of fifty dollars; or on paying a sum Avhich in addition to 
 dues previously paid by him shall amount to fifty dollars, 
 and thereafter such member shall be exempt from further 
 payment of dues. 
 
 If. for any cause, any person shall cease to be a member 
 of the Society, all the right, title and interest of such per- 
 son in and to the funds and property of the Society, shall 
 revert to and be vested in the Society. 
 
 AKTICLE III. 
 
 ANNUAL MEETING OP THE SOCIETY AND ELECTION 
 
 OF DIRECTORS. 
 
 The Annual Meeting of the Society, for the election of 
 Directors, and other business, shall be held the first Wed- 
 nesday in December, at such hour and place as the Direc- 
 tors may determine. The Recording Secretary shall publish 
 (in two daily newspapers in the City of Brooklyn) a notice 
 of such meeting, six consecutive days prior thereto, and 
 shall send a copy of such notice by mail, post-paid, to 
 each member of the Society. The twelve Directors elected 
 at the first Annual Meeting of the Society, having been 
 divided into four classes of three Directors each, as provi- 
 ded by law, it is hereby provided, that at every Annual 
 
9 
 
 Meeting hereafter, the members of the Society shall elect 
 by ballot, three Directors who shall hold office for four 
 years, or until their successors are elected. 
 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 OFFICERS AND THEIR ELECTION". 
 
 The Officers of the Society shall be a President, First 
 Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Treasurer, Record- 
 ing Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Historiographer 
 and Librarian. 
 
 Such Officers shall be elected by the Directors at the 
 first meeting of the Board after the Annual Meeting of the 
 Society, and shall hold office for the term of one year, or 
 until their successors are elected. 
 
 ARTICLE V. 
 
 DUTIES OF DIRECTORS. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Directors to control and 
 manage the affairs and funds of the Society ; to elect 
 officers ; to fill vacancies in the Board ; to elect members 
 and honorary members to and Standing Committees and 
 Council of the Society ; and to do all lawful things which 
 they may deem expedient and proper to promote the objects 
 of the Society. Seven of the Directors shall be a quorum. 
 
 ARTICLE VL 
 
 DUTIES OF PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENTS. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all 
 meetings of the Society and of the Board of Directors. 
 
]0 
 
 In bis absence tbe First Vice-President, or in bis absence 
 tbe Second Vice-President, or in tbe absence of all sncb 
 officers, at any meeting of tbe Society, one of its members 
 may be selected to preside tbereat. In tbe absence of all 
 such officers, at any meeting of tbe Board of Directors, 
 one of tbe Directors may be selected to preside tbereat. 
 
 At the Annual Meeting of the Society, it shall be tbe 
 duty of tbe President to make a report, stating such mat- 
 ters as he may deem of interest or importance to tbe 
 Society. 
 
 ARTICLE VII. 
 
 DUTIES OF TREASURER. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Treasurer, to take charge of 
 tbe seal, money, funds and securities of the Society ; to 
 pay all bills and accounts ; to collect all sums of money 
 and accounts, fees and dues; to keep a record of all moneys 
 received and paid, and render an account thereof to the 
 Board of Directors ; to report to tbe Society at tbe Annual 
 Meeting, and to perform such other duties as may be 
 assigned him by the Board of Directors. 
 
 ARTICLE VIIL 
 
 DUTIES OF RECORDIifG SECRETARY. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Recording Secretary to call, 
 as herein provided, all meetings of the Members, Directors, 
 and Council of tbe Society ; to make and keep a record of 
 the acts and proceedings of such meetings ; to notify all 
 persons of their election as Members, Directors, Officers, 
 
11 
 
 Council or Standing Committees of the Society ; to fur- 
 nish the President data for his Annual Report ; to prepare 
 and have printed annually a pamphlet containing the 
 names of the Officers, Directors, Council, Members and 
 Committees of the Society, the By-Laws, and an account 
 of the proceedings at the x\nnual Meeting and Festival ; 
 and to perform such other duties as may be .assigned him 
 by the Board of Directors and the Standing Committees. 
 
 ARTICLE IX. 
 
 DUTIES OF CORRESPONDING SECRETARY. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secretary to 
 conduct such correspondence as may be required by the 
 Board of Directors and the Standing Committees. 
 
 ARTICLE X. 
 
 DUTIES OF THE HISTORIOGRAPHER. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Historiographer to prepare 
 the necrology of members, to keep a record of the deaths 
 of members, the place and date of their birth and death, 
 and the date of their admission to the Society ; and on 
 the last day of November in each year, to make a copy of 
 such record for the preceding year, and to deliver such 
 copy to the President three days before the Annual 
 Meeting. 
 
 ARTICLE XL 
 
 DUTIES OF THE LIBRARIAN. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Librarian to classify, cata- 
 logue and take charge of all books, pamphlets and relics 
 
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 which may become the property of the Society ; to 
 acknowledge all donations of books, pamphlets and relics, 
 and to make and deliver to the President three days before 
 the Annual Meeting, a report of the condition of the 
 Library. 
 
 ARTICLE XIL 
 
 ELECTION AND DUTIES OF THE COUNCIL. 
 
 The Directors shall elect, annually, a Council of thirty 
 members who shall hold office for one year from their 
 election, or until their successors are elected. Members of 
 the Council may advise and consult with the Directors and 
 Officers on matters of interest or importance to the Society. 
 
 ARTICLE XIIL 
 
 STANDING COMMITTEES. 
 
 In the month of January or February in each year, the 
 Board of Directors shall elect five Standing Committees, 
 consisting of three persons each: a Committee on Finance; 
 a Committee on Charity ; a Committee on Invitations ; ^ 
 Committee on Annual Festival; a Committee on Publica- 
 tions. Each of such Committees may consist of two 
 Directors and one member of the Society, and shall hold 
 office for the term of one year or until their successors are 
 elected, and shall be subject to the control of the Board of 
 Directors. 
 
 ARTICLE XIV. 
 
 DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Committee on Finance, to 
 audit all Bills and Accounts of the Society, in the months 
 
13 
 
 of June and November in each year, and to perform such 
 other duties relating to the accounts, funds and finances 
 of the Society, as may be assigned them by the Board of 
 Directors. 
 
 ARTICLE XV. 
 
 DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON CHARITY. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Committee on Charity, to 
 distribute and disburse such moneys as may be appropriated 
 by the Board of Directors for charitable purposes, as pro- 
 vided by Article Twenty-four, and to render an account of 
 all such distributions and disbursements to the Board of 
 Directors. 
 
 ARTICLE XVI. 
 
 DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE OJ^" IN"VITATIONS. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Committee on Invitations, to 
 invite and receive all guests of the Society at the. Annual 
 Festival ; to select the speakers, and prepare and assign 
 the toasts. 
 
 ARTICLE XVII. 
 
 DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON AN'NUAL FESTIVAL. 
 
 It shnll be the duty of the Committee on Annual Festi- 
 val to make all arrangements, and to do and procure each 
 and everything therefor, not herein otherwise provided to 
 be done and procured. 
 
 ARTICLE XVIIL 
 
 DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE o:N" PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Committee on Publications 
 to supervise such publications as the Recording Secretary 
 
14 
 
 is required to make by Article Eight, and perform such 
 other duties as may be assigned them by the Board of 
 Directors. 
 
 ARTICLE XIX. 
 
 ANNUAL FESTIVAL. 
 
 The Annual Festival of the Society shall be held in the 
 month of December, on such day as may be designated by 
 the Board of Directors. 
 
 ARTICLE XX. 
 
 SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
 
 On the request in writing of any five members of the 
 Society, the President, or if he be absent from the city, 
 either of the Vice-Presidents, shall request the Secretary 
 to call a special meeting of the Society. In compliance 
 therewith, the Secretarv shall cause a notice of such meet- 
 ing to be published in two daily newsijapers published in 
 the City of Brooklyn, for three consecutive days prior 
 thereto, and shall send (by mail, post-paid) a copy of such 
 notice to each member of the Society. 
 
 ARTICLE XXL 
 
 MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. 
 
 The President, or if he be absent from the city, either 
 of the Vice-Presidents, or any three Directors, may request 
 the Secretary to call a meeting of the Directors. In com- 
 pliance therewith, the Secretary shall send (by mail, post- 
 paid) to each Director, a notice of such meeting, at least 
 one day prior thereto. 
 
15 
 ARTICLE XXII, 
 
 ORDER OF BUSINESS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF 
 
 THE SOCIETY. 
 
 1st — Reading of Minutes of last Annual Meeting. 
 
 2(3 — Election of Members. 
 
 3d — Reports of Standing Committees. 
 
 4th — Report of Treasurer. 
 
 5th — Report of the President. 
 
 6th — Other Business. 
 
 ARTICLE XXIIL 
 
 ORDER OF BUSINESS AT DIRECTORS' MEETINGS. 
 
 1st — Reading of the Minutes. 
 2d — Report of Committees. 
 3d — Election of Members. 
 4th — Report of Treasurer. 
 5th — Other Business. 
 
 ARTICLE XXIV. 
 
 CHARITIES. 
 
 If in the judgment of the Board of Directors, they are 
 in need of it, the widow or children of any deceased mem- 
 ber shall receive from the funds of the Society, a sum 
 equal to five times the amount such deceased member has 
 paid to the Society ; such sum to be paid in equal annual 
 payments for five successive years after the decease of such 
 member. The said annuity shall not be paid to any such 
 
16 
 
 widow after she shall have married again, but shall be paid 
 to such of the children as are not able to earn their 
 subsistence. 
 
 ARTICLE XXV. 
 
 RESIGNATIONS. 
 
 All resignations of membership in the Society shall be 
 in writing and shall be delivered to the Recording 
 Secretary. 
 
 ARTICLE XXVL 
 
 AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS. 
 
 The By-Laws of the Society may be altered or amended, 
 by vote of two- thirds of all- the Directors, provided that a 
 written notice of such projoosed alteration or amendment 
 shall have been presented at a meeting of the Board held 
 one month or more previous to the adoption thereof. 
 
 A true copy as adopted May 6, 1881. 
 
 A. E. LAMB. 
 
 Recording Secretary. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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