II 



The thanks of the Institute were voted to Rev. Dr. Briggs, 

 for his valuable and interesting Memoir of our late President, 

 and a copy was requested for publication. (See Historical 

 Collections, VI, No. I.) 



Monday, January 25. Evening meeting. 

 The President in the chair. 



Donations were announced to the Library and Cabinets. 



Letters were read, from G. A. Ward accepting membership ; 

 from Corporation of Yale College ; Trustees of the New- 

 buryport Public Library ; and New Haven Colony Historical 

 Society, acknowledging the receipt of Publications : from R. S. 

 Rantoul, in relation to the naming of Forts in Marblehead 

 and Gloucester. 



George A. Ward read a communication, giving an account of 

 the formation of the Essex Historical Society, forty-two 

 years ago last June. 



Allusions having been made in Mr. Ward's communication, 

 to the existence of the frame of the original (: First Church/' in 

 Salem, on the land of David Nichols, rear of Boston street, 

 considerable discussion ensued, as to the proof of the above 

 mentioned frame being that of the "First Church." The 

 President, Francis Peabody. G. A. Ward, A. C. Goodell Jr., 

 and Rev. G. D. Wildes participated in the discussion ; the 

 arguments adduced seemed to favor the affimative of the ques- 

 tion. 



The thanks of the Institute were voted to Mr. Ward, for his 

 valuable communication and a copy was requested for publica- 

 tion. (See Historical Collections, VI, No I.) 



Monday, February 8. Evening meeting. 

 The President in the chair. 

 Donations to the Library and Cabinets were announced. 

 Letters were read, from Wm. Neilson accepting membership : 



