102 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
WILLIAM THOMAS HILDRUP. 
William Thomas Hildrup was born 
January 6, 1822, at Middletown, Conn., 
where he spent the first 19 years of his 
life, and received his education. He 
started out in life as a carpenter, studied 
mechanics and rose rapidly from one po¬ 
sition to another. While still compar¬ 
atively young, he was made superintend¬ 
ent of the Bradley & Rice car works at 
Cape Cincent, N. Y. In 1852, he estab¬ 
lished a car wheel factory at Elmira, N. 
Y., and a year later, moved to Harris¬ 
burg, Pa., and organized a Harrisburg 
Car Manufacturing Company. During the 
war, he aided in supplying the govern¬ 
ment with horses. He also ran the first 
train over the Baltimore and Ohio Rail¬ 
road, after the battle of Antietam. He 
was active in the organization of the 
First National Bank and The Common¬ 
wealth Trust Company, of Harrisburg, 
and was a director in each of them. He 
was, for many years, a warden and ves¬ 
tryman of St. Stevens Episcopal Church, 
of Harrisburg. 
Mr. Hildrup had for some years past, 
a winter residence at Welaka, Fla., at 
which place he passed away on January 
21, 1909, at the ripe age of 87 years, 
and was interred in the family vault in 
Harrisburg, Pa. His wife Emma J. Hil¬ 
drup survives him. He was a man of un¬ 
usual ability and will be missed by a host 
of friends. 
All of which is respectfully submitted, 
G. L. Tabor, 
J. A. Stevens, 
Committee. 
RESOLUTIONS—LEGISLATIVE. 
Whereas, It was deemed necessary for 
the good of our Society to ask for State 
aid in printing our minutes, and 
Whereas, a Legislative Committee was 
appointed and presented a bill to the Leg¬ 
islature ; therefore be it 
Resolved by the Florida State Horticul¬ 
tural Society in convention assembled, 
That we thank our Legislative Commit¬ 
tee for their efforts in getting an appro¬ 
priation for the publishing of our annual 
reports and trust that they will be success¬ 
ful ; and be it further 
Resolved, That we acknowledge and 
appreciate the service of Capt. Rose in 
getting the bill presented. 
S. H. Gaitskill, Chairman; 
W. S. Hart, 
M. C. Gillette. 
(The Secretary regrets to report that 
the bill died on the calendar.) 
