ESSEX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY 7 



Meeting again on May 6th the Society chose Ichabod 

 Tucker, Treasurer, in place of Dr. Cleaveland, resigned, 

 and 



Voted, That all the ordained ministers of the Gospel, 

 who reside within the County of Essex be admitted Hon- 

 orary Members of the Society. 



A committee was chosen to petition for incorporation, 

 and the charter was granted June 12, 1818. 



On February 10, 1819, the Treasurer reported that 

 117 members were enrolled. David Cummings was chosen 

 Recording and Corresponding Secretary, Hon. Daniel A. 

 White, Treasurer. Frederick Howes Esq. succeeded Mr. 

 Cummings in February, 1820, and he was succeeded in 

 1821 by John W. Proctor of Danvers, who held the office 

 with distinguished ability for many years. Mr. White 

 resigned and Benjamin R. Nichols was chosen Treasurer 

 in 1823, Benjamin Merrill in 1824, and Dr. Andrew 

 Nichols in 1828, who held the office until 1841. 



It was a happy omen for the success of the Essex 

 Agricultural Society that its President and its inspiring 

 genius was the Hon. Timothy Pickering. A graduate of 

 Harvard in the class of 1763, he chose the legal profes- 

 sion and was admitted to the bar. After distinguished 

 military service in the Revolutionary War, he removed 

 from Salem, his birthplace and early home, to his wild 

 lands in Pennsylvania in the Wyoming Valley, where he 

 secured the organization of Luzerne County. Called from 

 his retirement in 1791, he became Postmaster General in 

 Washington's cabinet, Secretary of War in 1795, and in 

 December of the same year Secretary of State. At the 

 completion of his term of office, in 1800, he returned to 

 his lands in Pennsylvania, but soon removed to Essex 

 County, through the kindness of friends, who purchased 

 his land holdings. 



In his old home fresh honors awaited him. He became 

 Chief Justice of the County Court of Common Pleas in 



