THE ANNUAL MEETING. 211 



The reports of the several committees were accepted, adopted and ordered 

 printed in the minutes of the meeting. 



IN MEMORY OF J. P. THOMPSON. 



The programme had arranged for exercises in memory of Mr. J. P. Thomp- 

 son, and Mr. S. L. Fuller of Grand Kapids said : 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : — It is eminently proper that this 

 meeting should, before its close, pay a tribute of respect to the memory of 

 Jonathan Palmer Thompson, late President and Secretary of this society, whose 

 familiar face we miss at this, our annual meeting. Let us pause for a while 

 from the rush of business to snatch from the oblivion, which so speedily over- 

 whelms and swallows up the incidents of a life, so hurried as our own, something 

 of the story of our departed friend. 



Not very long ago it was said of a deceased member of the bar in Grand 

 Eapids : " His sins need no mantle of charity, and his deeds need no excuse." 

 These words seem equally applicable to our late friend, of whom I am asked to 

 speak to you on this occasion. I account myself honored in being bidden to 

 such a task, though I feel myself poorly able to accomplish so sacred a duty. 

 In the Detroit Post and Tribune of July 8, 1880, I find this notice: 



Mr. Jonathan Palmer Thompson, a well known editor and agricultural 

 writer of this State, and for many years agricultural editor of the Post and 

 Tribune, died Tuesday morning at 12 : 30, after a long, painful and hopeless 

 combat with that terrible illness, Bright's disease, during which, however, he 

 has continued his editorial work with courage and patience. He was born 

 July 24, 182G, in Bloomfield, Hartford county, about six miles from Hartford 

 city, Connecticut. Although left an orphan at a very early age, both of his 

 parents having died before he reached his sixth year, especial care was bestowed 

 upon his early education. While residing in Hartford his training was com- 

 mitted to the care of private tutors. Among those from whom he received 

 instruction was the Rev. Dr. Robinson, of Middletown, Orange county, N. Y., 

 who was succeeded by the Hon. William Bross, then principal of an academy 

 at Ridgebury, Orange county, since known as the founder of the Chicago Tri- 

 bune. Under his charge he passed through a course of studies covering several 

 years, embracing the usual collegiate branches. Some short period after this 

 he resided with his brother, Charles R. Thompson, of Stewartville, Warren 

 county, New Jersey, where he became a favorite student of Prof . Jno. S. Labar for 

 a number of years. He subsecpiently commenced to study law with Hon. Isaac 

 Toucey, who at that time was governor of the State of Connecticut, and finally 

 took a full law course at the Dane law school, Harvard. Profs. Greenleaf, 

 Story, William Kent, Theophilus Parker and other distinguished professors were 

 among the members of the faculty at the university at the period, and among 

 others with whom Mr. Thompson was at the time acquainted, and with whose 

 careers many pleasant personal recollections were associated, were Professors 

 Agassiz, Horsford, and Wyman. 



After graduating at the law school of Harvard, Mr. Thompson located in 

 Lansing, the capital of this State, in 1848. He met there an office confrere of 

 former days in the person of Judge Wm. H. Chapman, who still lives in Lansing. 

 Judge Chapman was one of the first residents at the State capital, having set- 

 tled there in March, 1848, and Mr. Thompson following in August of the same 

 year. They formed a law co-partnership at this period, Mr. Thompson having 

 purchased a fine law library in New York, on his road to Lansing. Neither of 



