38 BULLETIN OF THE ESSEX INSTITUTE. 



especially interested him for their novelty, — and now and 

 again accepting the chair. From the first he has rendered 

 enthusiastic service on important committees. He was 

 chosen President at a special meeting in June, 1893, 

 and then at the annual meeting in May, 1894, with the 

 stipulation that the Institute must content itself with such 

 attention to the office, as his many preoccupations would 

 permit, and at the annual meeting in May, 1895, he was 

 again elected and accepted the office in warm and well- 

 chosen words still lingering in our ears. During these 

 years he was the President of the Salem Athenaeum and a 

 Vice-President of the New England Historic Genealogi- 

 cal Society as well. What advantage was to accrue from 

 the official influence of so rare a personality, holding so 

 preeminent a place in public feeling and thought, was 

 hardly to be demonstrated in the months which have in- 

 tervened. The members of the Essex Institute record 

 their loss with profound regret, and hold it to be a mat- 

 ter of pride that they are able, even for so short a term, 

 to enroll amongst the incumbents of their his^hest office, 

 the name of Edmund B. Willson. 



Voted: That this report be spread in full upon the 

 records and that a copy of it be transmitted wMth the 

 deepest sympathy of the Essex Institute to the family of 

 the late President. 



Voted: That Vice President Rantoul be requested to 

 prepare a memorial of Mr. Willson to be presented in 

 October next. 



Necrology of Members. 



Henry Blaney, son of Benjamin and Abigail (Bow- 

 man) Blaney, was born in Boston, Jan. 3, 1822 ; elected 

 a member of the Essex Institute, Nov. 16, 1891, and died 

 in Salem, Feb. 2, 1896. 



