and these two gentlemen, both lawyers as well as land 

 holders, together with Paul Kent (farmer), John Adams 

 (farmer), and Elish Mack (lawyer), were appointed a 

 committee to report a plan of organization for the soci- 

 ety. This was done at once, and Timothy Pickering 

 was chosen President. The first vice presidents were 

 William Bartlett of Newburyport (merchant), Thomas 

 Kittredge of Andover (physician), John Heard of Ips- 

 wich (merchant) and Ichabod Tucker of Salem (law- 

 yer), the first corresponding secretary was Leverett Sal- 

 stonstall of Salem (lawyer), and the first treasurer was 

 Nehemiah Cleveland of Topsfield (physician). I mention 

 the occupation of these first ofiBcers of the society to 

 show how largely the professional men of that day were 

 interested in farming, and what a prominent part they 

 took in the agricultural investigations of the time. 



It seems to me proper that we should here pay a just 

 tribute to the most conspicuous of those officers of this 

 society, who, by their distinguished public service have 

 recorded their names in the history of our country. 



Foremost among these in point of time and of illus- 

 trious public service, stands Timothy Pickering. His 

 patriotic career is known to you all. Commencing with 

 his gallant resistance to British aggression at the North 

 Bridge, in his own town of Salem, a successful armed 

 resistance made two months before the stand at Con- 

 cord, he served his country through the war of the Rev- 

 olution in military life, and through the administrations 

 of Washington and Adams in civil service. Bold, hon- 

 est and uncompromising, he represented all that stern 

 and defiant purpose which characterized the founders of 

 our government. No personal considerations ever con- 

 trolled his public action. Regardless at all times of 



