6 
The classification of the James Aitken Meigs Library is as fol¬ 
lows:— 
Anthropology,. 
913 
Geography,. 
... 74 
Medicine,. 
. 708 
Physical Science, . . . 
... 70 
Literature,. 
656 
Geology,. 
... 40 
History and Biography, . . 
, 628 
Botany,. 
... 32 
Anatomy and Physiology, . 
535 
Useful Arts,. 
... 28 
Journals,. 
382 
Chemistry,. 
... 18 
General Natural History, . . 
184 
Bibliography, . . . . 
... 8 
Religion,. 
172 
Entomology,. 
Philology,. 
160 
Mammalogy,. 
... 6 
Philosophy,. 
154 
Mineralogy,. 
... 4 
Voyages and Travels, . . . . 
110 
Conchology,. 
2 
Sociology,. 
104 
Miscellaneous, . . . . 
... 18 
Fine Arts . . ... 
76 
5,089 
It will thus be seen that an important section of the library is not 
strictly in place in the Academy, and, as has been already stated, when 
carefully arranged and catalogued, a large number of duplicates will 
doubtless be found. The gift, notwithstanding, is the most important 
the library has received, exclusively, since the I. V. Williamson 
Library Fund came into the possession of the Academy, and a brief 
account of the legacy, as a matter of permanent record, may not be 
out of place. 
Mr. John G. Meigs was born in Philadelphia in 1801. He was 
engaged during his active life in the manufacture and sale of shoes, 
his place of business being on the west side of Fifth Street above 
Chestnut. He was so well regarded by his friends and customers, 
because of his honorable dealing, as to have acquired the enviable 
name of “Honest John Meigs.” By strict attention to his work 
and judicious investments in real estate, he laid the foundation of a 
fortune which enabled him later to retire from the cares of business 
life. While not himself a man of college education, he was fully 
aware of the desirability of intellectual training. His son, James 
Aitken Meigs, was therefore encouraged to take advantage of the 
public school system of education, culminating in the Boy’s Central 
High School, from which he graduated in 1848. He then matricu¬ 
lated in Jefferson Medical College, from which he obtained his 
diploma as Doctor of Medicine in 1851. He was elected a member 
of the Academy the following year, and was immediately placed 
