THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF 
THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 
ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING MINUTE 
AT ITS ANNUAL MEETING, HELD FEBRUARY THE TENTH 
ONE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHT 
As Trustees of The American Museum of Natural History, we 
record with profound sorrow the loss we have sustained in the death of 
MORRIS KETCHUM JESUP 
As President for the last twenty-seven years, Mr. Jesup has guided 
the development of the Museum with rare ability and devotion and has 
become united to us by many warm ties of personal friendship. He 
carried into the office all of his finest qualities of character; he was 
sanguine, constructive, determined, trustful, appreciative and most kindly 
disposed toward those closely associated with him in the administration 
of the Museum. We realize now, even more clearly perhaps than 
when he was actually with us, his keen patriotism and controlling sense 
of the duties of citizenship, his idealism and his faith in the future 
development of our city and country. 
A review of our minutes shows that Mr. Jesup was one of the 
original incorporators of the Museum, December 30, 1868; that he 
was elected a Trustee, February 1, 1869; that he became a Fellow in 
perpetuity, February 13, 1871; that he was elected First Vice-President, 
May 10, 1880; that he was elected President, February 14, 1881. He 
was an active member of all committees from the inception of the 
Museum, especially the committee appointed to select the present site 
bese 
