26 



labor with us some two or three years, when death overtook 

 him and he expired, after a very short and distressing illness, 

 on Thursday, January 26, 1837, at the age of 30. 



His cheerful temper, warm heart and cultivated mind, en- 

 deared him to all who knew him ; — an ardent lover and enthu- 

 siastic observer of Nature, he constantly saw in her wondrous 

 beauty the reflected image of its Benevolent Giver. He was 

 the yougest son of William and Mary (Bradshaw) Ives, and 

 was born at Salem, November 8th, 1806. 



The 2d, William Oakes, of Ipswich — well known as the 

 most distinguished Botanist of New-England. He was the son 

 of Caleb Oakes of Danvers, and was born in that town, on the 

 first of July, 1799. During his residence at the University 

 of Cambridge, from w^hich he received the degree of A. B. in 

 1820, his fondness for the pursuit of Natural History was de- 

 veloped under the instruction of the late Prof. Peck. 



After having studied the profession of the law, he removed 

 to Ipswich, where he remained until his decease, which took 

 place on the 31st of July, 1848. The practice of the law, not 

 being congenial to his taste, he relinquished it in the course of 

 some two or three years, and devoted his time almost wholly to 

 the study of Natural History ;■ — in this he soon excelled, parti- 

 cularly in the department of Botany. 



The 3d, Aa^drew Nichols, of Danvers,^one of the foun- 

 ders of our Societ3^ He presided at the meeting of organization, 

 December 16th, 1833, and was successively elected the Presi- 

 dent until his resignation in June, 1845. Since that time he 

 had frequently been called to preside over our deliberations. 



He was the son of Andrew and Eunice Nichols, and was 

 born in the northern part of Danvers, on the 22d of November, 

 1785. He attended the district school there, and worked on 

 his father's farm until the age of eighteen ; — at that time, 

 evincing a decided taste for the study and investigation of the 

 ■works of nature, and possessing a great desire to become a phy- 

 sician, he repaired to the Academy at Andover, and devoted 

 two years to general study, preparatory to entering upon that 

 of the profession. On the 11th of April, 1805, he entered 

 the office of Dr. Manning, at Billerica, and continued with him. 



