OBITUARY. 



DEATH OF PROFESSOR JAMBS RENWICK, LL.D., CORRES- 

 PONDING SECRETARY OP THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



A special meeting of the American Institute was held on Fridaj'-, 

 January 16, 1863, at its rooms in the Cooper Union Building, at 

 2i o'clock, p. M., the president of the Institute (Wm. Hall) in the 

 chair. 



Mr. JiREH Bull. — I rise to perform a melancholy duty ; the 

 graves of Bunting, Reese and Meigs are fresh in our memories ; 

 we are now called to add another to the list of those who have 

 been identified with the toils, the prosperity and the success of 

 this Institute. 



James Renwick, our corresponding secretary, died at his resi- 

 dence, No. 21 Fifth avenue, in this city, surrounded by his family, 

 on Monday evening, January 12, aged seventy-one years. The im- 

 mediate cause of his death was disease of the lungs. His illness 

 was not of long duration, and it was hoped until quite recently 

 that he would be able to resume those duties which he had so satis- 

 factorily discharged, not only as our corresponding secretary, but 

 also as an efiicient member of the standing committee of manu- 

 factures, science and arts ; but the Great Disposer of Events has 

 otherwise ordered. 



Professor Renwick became a member of this Institute on the 

 10th day of May, 1841. He Was elected its president in the year 

 1859. By his courteous intercourse with its members, he won 

 their esteem, confidence and regard. His name is not unknown to 

 fame in this country, nor elsewhere wherever science is appreciated. 



He was born in the year 1792, and was graduated in Columbia 

 College in 1807. In 1817, at the early age of twenty-five years, 

 he was elected professor of chemistry in that institution, which 

 position he occupied till the year 1854, though he did not devote 

 the whole of his time to the laboratory. During the Presidency 

 of Mr. Van Buren, he was selected by him as one of the commis- 

 sioners to explore the northeastern boundary line between the 

 United States and the British provinces, which resulted in the 

 treaty made by the lamented Webster and Lord Ashburton in the 

 year 1842. 



