THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
157 
Obituary. 
Elisha Nye Pierce, the “ Eastern Lily King” died on October 30th 
at his home in Waltham, Massachusetts. Mr. Pierce was the head 
of the well known firm of florists, E. N. Pierce & Sons, extensive 
growers of lilies and chrysanthemums. He was G5 years of age. 
The friends of the venerable Dr. Herman Schroeder of Bloomington, 
Illinois, will regret to learn of the death of his wife, who has been, as Dr. 
Schroeder puts it, his ‘‘love companion” for fifty-six, long, happy years. 
Dr. Schroeder is now in his eighty-fifth year but still takes an active 
interest in fruit growing, in which he is assisted by his son. 
MR. JOHN JEFFERIES. 
The Garden (English) for July 23, records the death of Mr. John 
Jefferies. This gentleman was the senior member of the firm of Jef¬ 
feries & Son, nurserymen who hold an enviable reputation for the 
growth of forest and ornamental trees and Cotswold roses. 
A correspondent who knew Mr. Jefferies, says that few men knew 
hardy plants and trees better than Mr. Jefferies, especially was this the 
case with hardy flowers. 
WILLIAM D. BARNS. 
The death of W. D. Barns of Middle Hope, N. Y., on October 18th, 
at the age of 76 years, removed from the Hud¬ 
son River Valley, a noted figure in the horti¬ 
cultural history and progress of that section. 
For many years, Mr. Barns has been regard¬ 
ed as an authority on subjects pertaining to 
intensive fruit growing. On his hundred 
acre farm at Middle Hope, not far from New¬ 
burgh, he, with his son, has made a shining 
success of fruit growing practically and 
financially. Nowhere in the country was a 
better example of intensive up-to-date 
methods to be found than on the Barns 
homestead. The writer had an opportunity 
to examine this place carefully last summer, 
under the guidance of the subject of this 
sketch, and was greatly struck by the evi¬ 
dence of skill, perseverance and intelligent 
labor apparent on every hand. 
A year ago, Mr. Barns while at Ithaca, at¬ 
tending a religious conference, gave the stu¬ 
dents in horticulture at Cornell University 
an im promptu address on his experience as 
a fruit grower, which proved one of the most 
interesting and valuable lectures given on this 
subject at the university in many years. Mr. 
Barns’ good judgment coupled with his earn¬ 
estness and sound enthusiasm, made him a safe guide and coun¬ 
sellor of young men. 
During his life he held many important public positions. For a 
number of years he was a member of the Board of Controllers of the 
New York Experiment Station and frequently he represented New 
York in the council of the National Farmers’ Congress. 
It is pleasing to know that his place is being filled by a worthy son 
and that a grandson is growing up, whose interest in fruit growing, 
farming and home-making in the picturesque Hudson region is as keen 
as that of his father and grandfather. J. C. 
WILSON J. PETERS. 
Wilson J. Peters of the firm of George Peters & Company, died of 
typhoid fever at his home in Troy, Ohio, on November 1st, 1904. The 
death of Mr. Peters will be keenly felt by his large circle of friends 
and acquaintances not only in his own immediate neighborhood but in 
the larger circle of the American Nurserymen’s Association. He was 
bom August 3d, 1849. He was the son of George and Hannah 
Smith Peters. His boyhood home was in Adams County, Pennsyl¬ 
vania, near Gettysburgh. 
“ The Buckeye,” of Troy, says: “In 1869 Mr. Peters moved with 
his parents from Pennsylvania to Ohio, apd his father and he 
established a nursery near New Carlisle, the father owning and 
managing the business, the son assisting him. In 1876 the 
Peters family moved to Troy and established a nursery near this 
city. Here the father and son were partners until 1883, when the 
father dying, the elder son in accordance with his father’s wishes con¬ 
tinued the management of the nursery under the name of George Peters 
A: Company for eight years. At the expiration of that time, he and his 
brother, Norris B. Peters, formed a partnership but kept the old firm 
name, the elder brother continuing to be the manager of the business.” 
While Mr. Pet ers was an exceedingly busy man, carrying large business 
responsibility, yet he was a regular church goer and supporter and an 
active teacher in the Sunday School. As a citizen, he took an energetic 
part in the welfare of his immediate neighborhood and an intelligent 
interest in affairs at large. It is conceded by local authorities, that Mr. 
Peters did more for the town of 1 roy than any other man of his genera¬ 
tion. As a business man, he was straight-forward and reliable and as an 
employer he was highly respected by those in his service. Mr. Peters 
was married in 1872 to Miss Jenny Foresman of Yellow Springs, Ohio. 
One son, Charles Norris, survives him. His brother continues the 
business. 
Mr. Peters was a prominent member of the Masonic Order and the 
beautiful services of the Scottish Rite Order were rendered at the inter¬ 
ment. The absence of Mr. Peters at the 
forthcoming meeting of the Association of 
American Nurserymen will cause a note of 
sadness among the friends who had expected 
to grasp his vigorous hand and meet his kind 
presence. The American Association of 
Nurserymen was represented at the funeral 
by a large delegation, among whom were 
noticed Messrs. Thos. B. Meehan of Phila¬ 
delphia, Pa.; J. H. Skinner, Topeka, Kan.; 
E. Albertson, Bridgeport, Ind.; Fred D. 
Green, Perry, Ohio; J. H. Dayton, Paines- 
ville, Ohio; J. W. Gaines, Xenia, Ohio; 
N. H. Albaugh, Phoneton, Ohio; S. R. Fer¬ 
gus of Tippecanoe City, Ohio; Frank Free¬ 
man, Rex, Ohio; F. A. Fissell and W. N. 
Scarff, New Carlisle, Ohio; Peter Bohlander, 
Tadmor, Ohio; T. J. Dinsmon, Tippecanoe 
City, Ohio; J. W. McNary, Dayton, Ohio. 
WORDS OF APPRECIATION. 
The death of Mr. Peters removes from the 
trade the strongest personality in the bus¬ 
iness. He was recognized as one of the most 
energetic and forceful of men, masterful and 
strong, rigid in his requirements, but withal a 
man of large heart, kind and generous. He was universally loved 
and respected in the community in which he lived, by the rich and 
poor alike, and with one accord they paid last respects by mournfully 
attending his funeral. 
Xenia, 0. J- W. McNary. 
“In the death of Wilson J. Peters we feel that we have lost one of the 
truest and best members in the nursery fraternity, and we personally 
feel that we have lost one of our best friends and associates in the busi¬ 
ness. We have been intimately acquainted with him in business for the 
past twenty years, and have always found him loyal and true. It was 
with sad heart that the writer left home to pay his last tribute of respect 
and love for his departed friend, and we feel that in his death nursery¬ 
men generally have sustained a loss that will be felt for many years. Our 
hearts go out in sympathy to his family; and to the reorganized firm 
we trust that the future will continue the well earned successes of so 
worthy a founder. Bridgeport, Ind. Albertson & Hobbs. 
By the death of Wilson J. Peters the nurserymen have lost a noble 
man and a very dear friend. We met some fifteen to twenty years 
ago, when I first began attending the Nurserymen’s Convention, and 
the acquaintance began at that time became more intimate as each 
year rolled by. He was a man who attracted people by his genial 
nature, his honesty and sterling business qualities. In business mat- 
