

[Vol. 2 



6 ANNALS OF THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 



Banquet 



mr. edwards whitaker 



Toastmastcr 



Ladies and Gentlemen: This being an epoch in the history 

 of the Missouri Botanical Garden, it was thought that a short 

 biography of its founder and benefactor would be interesting. 



Henry Shaw was born in Sheffield, England, July 24, 1800. 

 He received his primary education at Thome, a village a few 

 miles distant from his birthplace, and at this early age 

 developed a fondness for flowers and plants. Completing his 

 course at Thorne, he continued his education at Mill Hall, 

 twenty miles distant from London, where he was a student for 

 six years. 



In 1817 he entered the service of his father, who was a 

 manufacturer and dealer in metal wares, such as andirons, 

 grates, etc. 



In 1818 his father sailed from England with his family for 

 America, landing in Canada. We are without reliable inform- 

 ation as to the exact place in which he located. The same 

 year, probably in the late fall, he sent his son to the city of 

 New Orleans to familiarize himself with the planting and 

 growing of cotton. The climate of New Orleans did not suit 

 him and the business was not to his liking, and his stay in 

 Louisiana was short. He decided to seek his fortunes else- 

 where, and so took passage on the "Maid of Orleans," and 

 landed at St. Louis, May 3, 1819. 



With the assistance of his uncle, James Hoole of Sheffield, 

 he started a cutlery and hardware business in a room on the 

 second floor of a building in the business district, which served 

 as warehouse, show-room, office, and dwelling, doing his own 

 cooking and housework, as he was without, and never was 

 blessed with, a better half. 



His business was successful and uniformly profitable, and, 

 at the age of 39, he had amassed a fortune, as he thought, large 

 enough for any one and sufficient to gratify his taste for 

 botany and the sciences. 



