THE FERN BULLETIN 



Vol. XVIII JANUARY, 1910 No. 1 



JAMES ANSEL GRAVES 



James Ansel Graves, one of the founders of the 

 American Fern Society, once its President and for ten 

 years its efficient and energetic Treasurer passed away, 

 after a brief illness at his home in Susquehanna, Pa., 

 December 28, 1909 at the ripe age of 81 years. 



Mr. Graves was born in Blenheim, N. Y., Nov. 16, 

 1828 and his boyhood was spent in that town and in the 

 neighboring one of Roxbury, near the head waters of 

 the Delaware. 



He received a good common school education 

 and at the age of IS was given his teachers cer- 

 tificate. His first teaching was done in the "Old Red 

 Schoolhouse" where Jay Gould the noted financier and 

 the brilliant John Burroughs received their early edu- 

 cation. John Burroughs was one of his first pupils. 

 More than fifty years after that little class had gone 

 forth, several of them tc make their mark in the world, 

 the writer had the pleasure of introducing the now 

 famous Burroughs to his old teacher. 



For eighteen vears Mr, Graves followed the work of 

 teaching. Sometimes in later life he expressed a re- 

 gret, which all who knew him shared, that he had not 

 continued in that field. His was a mind of unusual 

 clearness and his ability and willingness to communi- 

 cate knowledge to others was one of his most winning 

 characteristics. In later life it was his custom to spend 

 his holidays and vacations with plant press and vascu- 

 lum botanizing about the surrounding region. Often 



