FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE 11 



fathers of the Massachusetts society disclaim in their 

 petition any pretence as originators; but their praise 

 is that they were in the world's front rank as "ad- 

 vanced thinkers" on the important subject for promot- 

 ing which they organized, and, as respects public 

 opinion, they were, as one of the later official publica- 

 tions of the society declares, "ahead of the age." 



Two names are at once recognizable in the list of 

 petitioners as of the highest distinction and of national 

 renown, Samuel Adams, "the father of the Revolu- 

 tion," and Benjamin Lincoln, the companion in arms 

 and personal friend of Washington. If the shadows 

 of forgetfulness have in varying measure crept over 

 the others it is fitting that, for the present occasion, 

 they be singled out from the long roll of one hundred 

 years, as pre-eminent, the fathers and founders, the 

 brethren ab urbe condita. 



John Avery, Jr., the first secretary of the society, 

 was at the time of its organization also the secretary 

 of the Commonwealth. He was of the Truro family 

 of that name; born in 1739; graduate of Harvard, 

 1759 ; secretary of State from the adoption of the con- 

 stitution in 1780 to his decease in 1806. He does not 

 appear to have been a practical agriculturalist, but 

 engaged in a subordinate way in the form of "ven- 

 tures" in commerce. 



Thomas Russell, the first president of the society, 

 was one of the foremost, busiest and most prosperous 

 citizens of Boston. He was born in 1740; died in 

 1796; represented Boston in the General Court, and 

 the constitutional convention of 1788; was member of 

 the governor's council during the next three years. 

 He was the first president not only of this society but 

 of the Massachusetts Bank, when it was organized in 



