ABNER CHENEY GOODELL. 887 



chusetts, and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 

 He was awarded the honorary degree of Master of Arts by Amherst 

 College, and was elected an honorary member of the Harvard Chapter 

 of the 4> B K. He was a Corresponding Member of the New York, 

 New Hampshire, Maine and Rhode Island Historical Societies. 



During a period of about thirty years Mr. Goodell was connected 

 with the publication of the Province Laws and for seventeen years he 

 filled the office and actually performed the functions of Editor. It 

 was in deference to his ideas that the system of annotation was 

 adopted which prevails throughout the five volumes of the public 

 Laws. It was his purpose to furnish material illustrative of the 

 conditions in the community which caused the legislation to which 

 the notes were appended. In the search for material of this char- 

 acter, he ransacked the Archives, searched the records of the Courts, 

 examined contemporary publications and caused similar searches and 

 examinations to be instituted at the Records Office in England. His 

 interest in the work, great at all times, increased with its progress. 

 His care and attention were directed not only towards the faithful 

 reproduction of all this contributory material, but he also developed 

 a corps of assistants whose work was characterized by phenomenal 

 accuracy. He may be said to have become thoroughly identified 

 with the work and upon its reputation among future students will 

 depend his fame. It is quite certain that the careful study by way 

 of preparation of these notes made him unquestionably the best in- 

 formed man in Massachusetts on the customs and modes of life 

 during the days of the province. 



Mr. Goodell's connection with the publication of the Province Laws 

 was abruptly severed in 1896. This was brought about by impatience 

 at delays in bringing forth the volumes, delays which were caused by 

 his desire for completeness and accuracy. Even before the work was 

 finally stopped, he was compelled to abandon his system of annotation 

 and to revert to that set forth in the original resolution, marginal 

 references. The methods by which the publication was closed were 

 of a nature to leave ill-will between the parties concerned. Never- 

 theless, three years thereafter, when the renewal of the publication 

 was under consideration, the Governor and Council consented to the 

 tender of the Editorship to Mr. Goodell. He declined however to 

 accept the position. 



He was married in 1866, and when he died he left surviving him, 

 a widow and two sons. His house was always open to his friends and 

 here surrounded by the attentions of a devoted family, he passed 



