??6 ■ Sfafc Horilnilfiiral SocictV, 



THE HISTORY, ACHIEVEMENTS AND MISSION OF OUR 



SOCIETY. 



(C. A. Dutcher, First Vice-President, Warrensburgi Mo.) 



The history of all that is great and good in this world is the history 

 Of growth from below up; from small beginnings to great achievements. 

 The sum total of all these beginnings can scarcely be enumerated by 

 those most interested at the time ; surely not by those who came years 

 afterward. The history of this Society is no exception ; for while it is 

 the history of great things achieved, the history of its small beginnings 

 forever form an integral part thereof. 



At Columbia, in December, 1898, my acquaintance with the Hon. 

 Norman J. Colman really began. He was present at that meeting and 

 the welcome accorded him was like that of a guest of honor. I did not 

 understand it, but soon learned that he, more than any other man, was 

 regarded as the father of our Society. 



Prior to 1859, in pursuance to a call for a meeting for the purpose 

 of advancing and directing the fruit growing interest of Missouri and 

 the west, a few persons met at Jefferson City, and organized by calliiig 

 Prof. G. C. Swallow to the chair. The names of eighteen gentlemen 

 are mentioned as being in attendance, but others are referred to as being 

 present. Of the eighteen, Mr. Colman himself remains unto this day. 



At that first meeting Mr. Colman was most properly elected Presi- 

 dent of the Missouri Fruit Growers' Association, the name then adopted. 

 1 his office he held till January, 1862. He was again President 1878 to 

 1880, succeeding J. C. Evans, who became President in 1876. The 

 history of Mr. Colman, then from 1859 to 1880 is the history of this 

 Society. At this time the Society was of age, being just twenty-one 

 years old. It may be interesting but sad to note that of all the grand 

 men who served in official capacities during this time, Mr. Colman and 

 Mr. Evans are the only ones now with us, or in any way active in the 

 Society. A short retrospect of these years would not, therefore, be out 

 of place. 



The year 1859 was a busy one, for in January they organized, in 

 September they held a call meeting in St. Louis, and their first annual 

 meeting in December at Jefferson City. The constitution adopted at the 

 organization provided that any person could become a member by paying 

 $1.00 annually. This was liberal enough; perhaps too liberal for a 

 Fruit Growers' Association. None were barred. Farmers, mechanics 



