BOTANY AT ST. LOUIS — 250 
faithfulness contributed very largely to make the Garden and Tower 
Grove Park what they are to-day. Mr. Shaw, however, never abandoned 
his personal supervision, and he thus spent the last twenty-five years of 
his life perfecting what he had begun. Until the summer of 1885 he 
had not been out of St. Louis, except to drive out to dine with a friend, 
for about twenty years. At this time the hot weather caused a failure of 
his usual good health, and he went to northern Illinois and Wisconsin 
for some time. He returned much improved and resumed his accus- 
tomed avocations with renewed vigor. 
On the twenty-fourth of July, 1889, he received numerous visitors 
who congratulated him upon the beginning of his ninetieth year. Al- 
though weak, he was able to meet them in the drawing-room, and his 
mind was as clear as ever. This, however, was his last public appear- 
ance. An attack of malaria resulted in his death on August 25. On 
Saturday, August 31, he was laid 
to rest in the mausoleum which had 
been already prepared in the midst 
of the garden which he had created 
—not only for himself, but for all 
succeeding generations. 
Mr. G. W. Letterman is one of 
the few persons who have worked 
upon botany in the vicinity of 
St. Louis during their whole life- 
time. Mr. Letterman has worked 
especially in Missouri, but is also 
very familiar with the plants of 
the region included in eastern and 
northern Texas, Louisiana, Arkan- 
sas and Indian Territory. He has 
St. Louis is represented probably eae 
better than in any other private Fig, 17. Mr. Gzo. W. LerTerMan. 
herbarium. 
George Washington Letterman,” the son of John and Charlotte ( Blair) 
amily 
Dutch, and his mother of Irish descent. ip 
State College in Center County, but left before gradu 
Army, in which he enlisted as a private; serving until the end of the war he 
was mustered out of the service with the ran 
crossing the plains to New Mexico in 1866, he returne pee ee 
going west again to Kansas, with the idea of et a Resi cen eg aS 
state, he finally, in 1869, settled in Allenton, Missouri, a rai ees 
* Sargent, C. S., “ Silva of North America,” 13: 79-80, 1902. 
