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NECROLOGY 
 
 OF THE 
 
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 AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY, 
 
 PREPARED BY 
 
 NATHANIEL PAINE, 
 
 FOR THE SEMI-ANNUAL MEETING, APRIL, 1892. 
 
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NECROLOGY. 
 
 Two American members and one foreign member have 
 died during the past six months : Dom Pedro, late Emperor 
 of Brazil ; John Gr. Metcalf, M.D., of Mendon, Mass., and 
 John E. Mason, M.D., of Washington, D. C. 
 
 As full biographical notices have already appeared in 
 various publications in regard to the late Emperor, it is not 
 deemed necessary to present an extended notice at this 
 time. 
 
 Dom Pedro II. de Alcantara was born at Rio de 
 Janeiro, December 2, 1825, and was the son of Dom Pedro 
 I. of Braganza and Bourbon (King of Portugal and Brazil), 
 and of Leopoldina, Archduchess of Austria. Brazil having 
 declared itself independent in 1822, Dom Pedro I. was pro- 
 claimed constitutional Emperor, and four years later, abdi- 
 cated the throne of Portugal in favor of his infant daughter. 
 Donna Maria de Gloria. In 1831, having grown weary of 
 the strong revolutionary tendencies of the Brazilians, he ab- 
 dicated that throne also, in favor of his son, then only five 
 years of age. A Council or Regency administered the gov- 
 ernment until May, 1840, when Dom Pedro was declared of 
 age though only in his fifteenth year. The young Emperor 
 had received the best education, and care had been taken to 
 make him worthy of the high position he was to occupy. In 
 1843, he was married to Princess Theresa Christiana Maria, 
 sister of Francis I., late King of Naples. From this union 
 there were four children, of whom only one survives him, 
 Isabelle, wife of Comte D' Eu, son of the Due de Nemours 
 of the French house of the Bourbon and Orleans line. In 
 1852, Dom Pedro assisted in the overthrow of the dictator 
 
Rosas of the Argentine Republic, and thereby acquired not 
 only an extension to the boundary of his Empire, but the 
 free navigation of the Rio de La Plata, a great advantage 
 to the business interests of the country. The most impor- 
 tant event of his reign was the issuing of an imperial decree 
 in 1871 for the gradual but total abolition of slavery in 
 Brazil. Other enactments of a like nature were made after- 
 wards, and in 1880, during the absence of the Emperor, 
 the Crown Princess Isabelle, then acting as Regent, freed 
 all the remaining slaves by royal proclamation. 
 
 In 1860, Dom Pedro travelled in all parts of his Empire, 
 making himself familiar with the wants of his people, and 
 in 1871, made an extended tour in Europe. He was accom- 
 panied by the Empress, and was with her the recipient of 
 many honors and attentions, but as a rule declined such 
 public demonstrations as are usuall}^ paid to royalty, prefer- 
 ring to travel as a private gentleman. In 1876, he visited 
 the United States to attend the Centennial Exhibition at 
 Philadelphia, and also visited the principal cities of the 
 country both North and South. He was specially interested 
 in studying the various institutions of the United States, 
 industrial, benevolent and social. While in this country, 
 the Emperor visited Boston, and an invitation was extended 
 to him to visit the rooms of this Society at Worcester, but 
 other engagements prevented his acceptance. He after- 
 wards visited Europe again, making a most favorable im- 
 pression for his energy, scientific zeal and public spirit. 
 
 Dom Pedro had the reputation of being one of the most 
 enlightened sovereigns of his time, and he was endeared to 
 his own people and commanded the respect of all civilized 
 nations. While Emperor, great advances were made in the 
 material civilization of Brazil. Railways were constructed, 
 ocean commerce promoted, and the great river of the 
 Empire was opened to steam communication. Schools 
 were established, and much done for the intellectual growth 
 and welfare of the people. Dom Pedro was a man of irre- 
 
proachable character, great intelligence, cultivated tastes, 
 of polished manner and a patron of the arts and sciences. 
 He was a believer in progress, and a patriot whose first 
 thoughts were for his country and not for self. 
 
 He was crowned Emperor July 18, 1841, his reign lasting 
 nearly half a century, and terminating with the declaration 
 of a Repul)lic, November 15, 1889, when he was banished 
 from the country with all the members of the royal family. 
 Dom Pedro went to Lisbon with his family, and later to 
 France where he s})ent the remaining years of his life in 
 the neighborhood of Paris. The Empress, overcome by 
 the cares and anxiety of these critical times, died shortly 
 after their banishment from Brazil. 
 
 Dom Pedro died at Paris December 5, 1891, at one 
 o'clock A. M., and his body, after lying in state at the 
 church of the Madeleine, was taken to Lisbon for burial. 
 He was elected a member of this Society, April 28, 1858. 
 
 John George Metcalf died at his residence in 
 Mendon, Mass., January 12, 1892, at 5 P. M. He was 
 born in Norfolk, now a part of Franklin, Mass., Sept. 10, 
 1801, and graduated from Brown University in 1820. He 
 studied medicine in Franklin, and in 1826, moved to 
 Mendon, where he practiced for over fifty years. He was 
 a member of the Massachusetts Medical Society, and at one 
 time served as Vice-President, and was one of the founders 
 of the Thurber Medical Society of Milford, Mass. At the 
 time of his death, he was the oldest living member of the 
 Worcester County Medical Society. 
 
 Very soon after his settlement in Mendon, he became 
 interested in town aflliirs, and for nearly fifty years acted 
 in some official capacity. For a quarter of a century he 
 was town treasurer, resigning that office in his 84th year, 
 at which time complimentary resolutions were adopted by 
 the town. He was a School Committee man for about 
 forty years, and for many years was practically manager 
 
of the town schools. In November, 1857, he was elected 
 a State Senator for the Southeast District of Worcester 
 County, as a republican, in opposition to the late Hamilton 
 B. Staples, who was the democratic candidate, beino- the 
 first election for Senator under the amendment to the Con- 
 stitution ratified by the people in May of the same year. 
 He was re-elected in the following year. For many years 
 he held several town offices at once, and was a member of 
 most of the important committees of the town for a period 
 of fifty years or more. His great interest in the town, and 
 the respect and confidence in which he was held by his 
 fellow-citizens caused him to be selected to preside at the 
 Bi-Centennial Celebration in 1867, at which time he gave 
 an address of welcome. 
 
 During the late Civil War, Dr. Metcalf was one of the 
 most patriotic of Mendon's citizens, giving a great deal of 
 time to raising money and recruits, and in securing relief 
 for the families of the soldiers who had died in service. 
 His interest in the war was so great that it caused him to 
 make a large collection of newspaper cuttings, and to 
 preserve letters and other manuscript matter relating to it. 
 These collections, which were begun at the first intimation 
 of the impending conflict, are contained in fifty-six thick 
 octavo volumes, which after the war were presented to the 
 American Antiquarian Society by Dr. Metcalf, and now 
 form a valuable and important part of our historical matter 
 relatinof to the war. The volumes are entitled: — "The 
 Irrepressible Conflict ; a Scrap Book of the Great Rebel- 
 lion of 1861, By John G. Metcalf, M.D., Member of the 
 American Antiquarian Society, the New England Historic- 
 Genealogical Society and the American Social Science 
 Association." 
 
 Dr. Metcalf was a religious man, and was deeply inter- 
 ested in the Unitarian Society of Mendon, serving for 
 many years as Superintendent of its Sunday-School. He 
 was one of the early Abolitionists, and when the Free-Soil 
 
party was formed, was active in its work, and has been 
 identified with the Republican party since its organization. 
 The town records show abundant evidence of his anti-slav- 
 ery and anti-rebellion sentiments, in the numerous resolu- 
 tions of a patriotic nature proposed by him. He was a 
 member of the Masonic fraternity, and at one time was 
 Master of Montgomery lodge at Medway, since removed to 
 Milford, Mass. Dr. Metcalf compiled the "Annals of the 
 Town of Mendon, 1659-1880," which is a volume of over 
 seven hundred pages published by the town, and which 
 contains a vast amount of facts in relation to the town 
 and its early residents. He also prepared the notice 
 of Mendon in the "History of Worcester County," pub- 
 lished in 1879, by C. F. Jewett & Co. He was elected 
 a member of this Society, April 24, 1867, and was in the 
 habit of attending its meetings till advancing years pre- 
 vented. At the meeting of April, 1871, he acted as 
 Recording Secretary ^?'o tempore. 
 
 Dr. Metcalf retired from active practice of his profession 
 in 1886, and for the last five or six years of his life, owing 
 to the infirmities of old age had become somewhat of an 
 invalid, and for about two years had not left his house. 
 He was most highly respected by his fellow-citizens, a 
 man of great strength of character, of honest convictions 
 which he was not afraid to express, of studious habits 
 and greatly interested in historical studied. It is said that 
 although very decided in his views, he had the faculty of 
 seldom making enemies ; that he was especially fond of 
 young people, and that there was hardly one in his neigh- 
 borhood who did not often ride with and visit him. As a 
 Christian gentleman, and a valued member of our Society, 
 we are glad to pay this brief tribute to his memory. 
 
 John Edwin Mason, of Washington, D. C, was 
 elected to membership in this Society April 28, 1869. He 
 was born in Petersham, Mass., September 28, 1831, and 
 
8 
 
 was the son of Luther (born at Greenwich, Mass.) and 
 Persis (Haskins) Mason. Most of his education was 
 obtained at New Salem Academy in which he always main- 
 tained a deep interest, being for many years president of 
 the Alumni Association. After leaving the Academy, he 
 went to New Haven, Conn., where he was engaged for a 
 time in literary and newspaper work, and was successful 
 in both. 
 
 Later in life he was a civil engineer, residing in Manches- 
 ter, N. H., where he made a good record in that profession. 
 He surveyed the State of New Hampshire and made many 
 of the maps as they exist to-day, also publishing several 
 county maps. 
 
 At the breaking out of the late civil war, he enlisted in 
 the Ninth New Hampshire regiment, and served as a lieu- 
 tenant of that regiment and in various other capacities in 
 the army till 1864, when he was discharged on account of 
 physical disabilities. He was at one time acting on the 
 staft* of General Samuel D. Sturges as assistant adjutant 
 general, and left the service with the rank of captain. 
 After the war he returned to Manchester, remaining there 
 a short time, but finall}' settling in Washington, and study- 
 ing medicine at Georgetown University, where he received 
 the degree of M.D. in 1868 ; but he did not actively 
 practice his profession although he was at one time exam- 
 ining surgeon for the pension office. 
 
 He was a prominent member of the Masonic and Odd 
 Fellows fraternities, also of the Grand Army of the Republic 
 and the Order of the Loyal Legion, the New Hampshire 
 Medical Society and the New Hampshire Historical Society. 
 He was a member of All Souls (Unitarian) Church at Wash- 
 ington, and interested in its welfare. In politics he was a 
 strong republican, and was often active in campaign work. 
 
 On his election to membership in the Antiquarian Society 
 in a letter to Rev. Alonzo Hill, D.D., the Recording Secre- 
 tary, he said : 
 
9 
 
 " It will be my aim to render myself in some way worthy 
 of the trust confided in me, and become useful to the 
 Society, in all ways that lie in my power. My leisure 
 time has been occupied in the last fifteen years, in making 
 collections and reading and studying antiquarian subjects, 
 and my taste and inclinations lead me to still farther pursue 
 such investigations in my own humble way." 
 
 Dr. Mason died at Washington, D. C, March 5, 1892, 
 at 8 o'clock A.M. His funeral was under the charge of 
 the Masons, Odd Fellows and Grand Army organizations, 
 who held appropriate services at his grave in Arlington 
 National Cemetery. He leaves a reputation for great na- 
 tive strength of character, was of a very genial disposition, 
 full of fun and good humor, and commanded the respect 
 of all who knew him. 
 
 Dr. Mason was a worker, very enthusiastic, of great 
 energy, and entered into the work of the organizations with 
 which he was most intimately connected with a determina- 
 tion to do his full share in carrying out their objects. 
 
 At the time of his death he was a clerk in the pension 
 office, and had previously been connected with the General 
 Land Office at Washington. He l)equeathed his library to 
 the Odd Fellows Literary Association of Washington, and 
 five hundred dollars to All Souls Church of the same city 
 for the erection of a tablet to his memory as a former trus- 
 tee of the Church. 
 
 Since the foregoing notices of deceased members were 
 written, the Council have received the information for the 
 first time, of the death of Mr. Charles B. Salisbury, who 
 died nearly four years ago. 
 
 Charles Babcock Salisbury was born at "Ever- 
 green Terrace," Scott, Cortland Co., N, Y., August 20, 
 1821, and was the son of Nathan and Lucretia (Babcock) 
 Salisbury. 
 
 After leaving school, he prepared himself for entering 
 Union College, N. Y., in the class of the second year, but 
 
10 
 
 some of his school-mates having gone to Oberlin College, 
 Ohio, he decided to go to that institution. Not being 
 pleased, however, he remained but a short time, and having 
 a strong desire to see more of the country west of Ohio, he 
 made an extended tour through the West, and became es- 
 pecially interested in the Archaeological history of that part 
 of the country. He was for a time somewhat broken in 
 health and did not return to college studies as he had 
 anticipated. In 1850, Mr. Salisbury was appointed assist- 
 ant in Analytic Chemistry in the State laboratory of New 
 York, under the State geological survey, and retained that 
 position for about four years. 
 
 During the years from 1858 to 1861, he was engaged in 
 connection with his brother. Dr. James H. Salisbury (now 
 of New York City) , in exploring the earthworks and mounds 
 of the Ohio Valley. He opened many mounds, obtained 
 numerous valuable relics and implements and also made 
 surveys and drawings of the ancient earthworks. In 1862-3, 
 Mr. Salisbury and his brother presented to the Antiquarian 
 Society valuable manuscripts with several illustrative, 
 drawings. One is entitled, "Ancient Pictographic or Sym- 
 bolic Rock and Earth writings, in Licking, Fairfield, 
 Belmont, Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties, Ohio," another, 
 "Ancient Monuments and Inscriptions on and near the 
 Summit between the head waters of the Hockina: and 
 Licking Rivers, Ohio." These contributions and others sub- 
 sequently presented were accompanied by numerous plans 
 and sketches. Special notice of these contributions was 
 made by the librarian (Dr. Samuel F. Haven) in his report 
 of April, 1863. Still farther contributions were made by 
 the brothers Salisbury in 1870, and were considered of 
 such value and importance as to be referred to a special 
 committee consisting of Francis Parkman, J. Hammond 
 Trumbull and Samuel A. Green, who unanimously recom- 
 mended that portioi^s of the manuscripts be published, with 
 such plans and sketches as seemed necessary to illustrate 
 
11 
 
 them. It is to be regretted that the resources of the Pub- 
 lishing Fund, then hardly enough to print the Semi-Annual 
 Proceedings, were insufficient to warrant their publication. 
 
 Mr. Salisbury was from early manhood to his later years 
 deeply interested in geological, botanical and archisological 
 investigations, and has left evidence of this in a large 
 collection of minerals, fossils and antiquarian relics. He 
 was a most careful, truthful, and pains-taking investigator, 
 and has made by far one of the most exhaustive surveys 
 of the ancient earthworks and mounds in Ohio. 
 
 He was elected a member of the American Antiquarian 
 Society October 21, 1863. 
 

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