THE RETROSPECT OF THE TEAR. 65 



John James Bdbson, a prominent citizen of Gloucester, 

 died on Tuesday, April 13, 1886. Born in Gloucester, 

 June 15, 1809. He occupied many positions of trust. 

 For many years cashier of the Gloucester Bank and for 

 more than forty years a member of the school committee, 

 being chairman for twenty-five years. Bank commissioner 

 of Massachusetts in 1864 and 5, and member of both houses 

 of the State Legislature. The historian of Gloucester 

 and a trustee of the Sawyer Public Library ; a member of 

 Mass. Hist. Society and of the N. E. Hist. Gen. Society, 

 and was in all an active worker. An original member. 



Aaron Perkins died in Salem, on Wednesday, April 

 14, 1886. He was the son of Aaron and Sarah (Stani- 

 ford) Perkins, and was born in Ipswich, June 16, 1799, 

 and came to Salem when a youth. He learned the trade 

 of a sailmaker, and afterwards by himself, and subse- 

 quently with William B. Brown, carried on an extensive 

 clothing and furnishing business on Derby street. For 

 many years, he was an active participant in the public 

 affairs of his day, a director and afterwards President of 

 the Mercantile National Bank. He was a member of both 

 boards of the City Government and a Representative of 

 the Massachusetts Legislature in 1846 and 1847, and an of- 

 ficer of various charitable and other institutions. Ad- 

 mitted to membership, April 16, 1866. 



MEETINGS. Regular meetings were held on the first and 

 third Monday evenings of each month. The follow! no- 

 communications and lectures may be specified. 



From Edward 8. Morse, a familiar talk on "The Study 

 of Natural History. 



Chase Palmer, a lecture on "Combustion." 



William D. Northend, on "The Bar and the Legal Pro- 

 ceedings in Essex County." 1 



* See Hist. Coll., E. I, xxu, 161. 



