Mr. President arid Gentlemen 



of ike Academy of Science of St. Louis, — 



Your committee appointed to give expression to the feelings of this 

 Society upon the death of our associate and co-worker, Albert Todd, beg 

 leave to submit the follow^ing report :— 



Albert Todd was born in Otsego county, New York, in 1S13 ; graduated 

 at Yale College in 1S36; selected and studied the law as a profession, and 

 settled in St. Louis in 1840, and in a short time thereafter acquired an ex- 

 tensive and lucrative practice. Adding to a vigorous and well trained mind 

 great industry and a thorough preparation of his cases even to the minut- 

 est details, he soon rose to the front rank of his profession, and became a 

 worthy compeer of such men as Gamble, Bates, Geyer, Field, and others. 



Perhaps the most marked peculiarity of Mr. Todd's character and career 

 as a lawyer, was the indomitable energy and zeal with which he labored 

 for the interest of his clients. No opposition or reverses dismayed him ; — 

 they served only to stimulate him to greater exertions to vindicate the 

 right as he saw it. 



Yet this sturdy battling in his cases did not lead him to forget or over- 

 look the courtesies and amenities of his profession. He was ever ready to 

 lend a helping hand to his juniors, and encourage in them every laudable 

 effort toward growth and development. The writer hereof takes especial 

 pleasure in referring to this pleasant phase of his character, to which many 

 others, no doubt, can equally bear witness. 



After twenty years of active practice in the various branches of the law, 

 during which cases of the greatest difficulty and magnitude were intrusted 

 to his care, and in which the confidence reposed in his learning, ability 

 and skill was never betrayed or forfeited, he gradually, by reason of the 

 loss of the sight of one eye, withdrew from the trial of cases in court, and 

 confined himself to office work for a few attached clients who insisted on 

 retaining him in their services. 



As a citizen he was patriotic and public-spirited, thoroughly informed 

 on all prominent and leading questions, and served his country in various 

 important and responsible positions in framing our present State Consti- 

 tution and the Scheme and Charter of our city. 



He gave time, gratuitously, to instruction in the Law School connected 

 with Washington University, and was peculiarly open to all new enter- 

 prises that aimed to educate and enlighten, or ameliorate the condition of 

 any and all classes of society. Though in the best sense conservative, he 

 was nevertheless, in an especial degree, free from bigotry, and was always 

 ready to consider and welcome all new measures on their merits ; and, 

 when satisfied of their utility, he embraced them with ardor and enthu- 

 siasm. 



His reading was extensive and varied; not only in history and general 

 literature, but in many departments of science. He was one of the most 

 active members of the Missouri Historical Society, and contributed many 

 items and useful facts to its treasury of historic materials. 



