ribbons and bonnets.

But I do know there are some excellent members of our town's municipal family who, seeing what he has been engaged in, have had their doubts raised about his intellectual uprightness, and who would hardly be more perplexed and more parsimonious in their contributions to it of money, had he been engaged in building a nice dancing hall, or a spacious race course, or even an elegant drinking saloon.

Nevertheless in the face of all this indifference and coldness he has gone straight ahead putting into it his time, his money, his faculty, his good nature, his unrivalled taste, and his own personal hand-work. I do not forget the aid he has received from his genial fellow members of the Historical Society and from a few large minded friends at home and abroad. But all will testify that without his leadership the work would never have been done or even started. The tribute of the lady, a stranger, visiting the place awhile ago, and finding him hard at work, yet ready politely to answer all her questions, "I met there a very intelligent painter," was how well deserved. And whatever other names the place may bear as to its original builders and occupants, we are glad to think that it will stand, if not at once, yet in the long coming years, as the memorial also of the man who has so self-sacrificingly and so modestly given himself to its preservation.

Recognizing thus the value of this old house and of the work which has been put into it, we dedicate it to the memories of the past, to the uses of our Historical Society and to such mementoes of ancient Ipswich life as shall from time to time be gathered within its rooms. In doing so, we feel that we place it alongside of the town's venerable hills and river and ocean shore as one of its ornaments; alongside its schools and its public library as one of its educational institutions: alongside its markets and workshops and factories as adding to it a wealth finer than gold; and alongside its churches and homes as co-operating fitly with him who compared the kingdom of Heaven to a man who out of his treasury brought forth new and old and who himself came to mankind that they might have life and have it more abundantly. May the interest and support of the town's citizens be gathered into it more and more; and as they, too, shall grow old, may it be to them an emblem of the beauty, the dignity and of the treasures out of the past that our human old age may have, and a reminder of that other house, older than all time, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, within which we all at last hope to be gathered.

Hon. Robert S. Rantoul of Salem, President of the Essex Institute, made a few congratulatory remarks, and was followed by Prof. Edward S. Morse, with a bright address, full of wit and wisdom. Mr. James Appleton Morgan of Westfield, N. J., author of the well-known poem, "I love to think of old Ipswich town"

spoke with much feeling of his Appleton ancestry, and predicted wide-spreading and enduring fame for the ancient house in its new role as the home of the Historical Society. The company then adjourned to the great kitchen, where tea was served by the ladies and great good cheer prevailed.

Beside the liberal delegation from the Essex Institute which had arranged a field meeting in town for the earlier portion of the day, Col. David Low, president of the Gloucester Historical Society, Chas. Woodberry, vice-president of the Beverly Historical Society, John Prince, president of the Essex Historical Society, and Mr. Rufus Choate of the same Society, Andrew Nichols of the Danvers Historical Society and representative of the Methuen Historical Society were also present.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The first annual meeting of the corporation was held at the house on Winter street on December first, 1898 at 8 p. m.

The following officers were elected by ballot: President, T. Frank Waters; vice presidents, John Heard, Frederic Willcomb; clerk, John W. Goodhue; treasurer, Joseph I. Horton; directors, Charles A. Sayward, Everard H. Martin, John H. Cogswell; corresponding secretary, John H. Cogswell; librarian, John J. Sulli

van.

The following amendment to the Constitution was adopted:

"Any person not a resident of Ipswich, who has contributed or may contribute five dollars to the Society may be elected an honorary member of the corporation, and shall be entitled to all the privileges of the Society except that of voting at its meetings." The report of the president was read and accepted. The report of the treasurer was read and accepted.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT.

At the last annual meeting of the Ipswich Historical Society, the project of purchasing the ancient Whipple House and fitting it for the use of the Society, was considered, and a committee was chosen "to inquire into the feasibility of the plan." No words of mine are needed to tell in detail the result of their deliberations. Tonight we meet under its ancient roof. The title deeds are held by our Society as a corporate body. The work of repair and restoration is complete. Our collections are arranged in these great rooms. With becoming enthusiasm our mansion has been formally dedicated to its new and honorable use as an historic landmark, and the home of the Society. Already the fame of this ancient building has gone abroad. Many strangers have come to see it and the unanimous verdict is, that the house is of extraordinary intrinsic value, and that our Society is most fortunate in securing possession.

As a specimen of seventeenth century architecture, this house is an object of just pride. The size and quality of these superb oak beams, their finely finished moulded edges, the substantial oak floor joists, the great posts with their escutcheons so laboriously wrought, the noble size of these four great rooms, proclaim that this was a home of wealth and refinement, and make it easy for us to believe that it was the finest mansion of the town. Many ancient houses have disappeared, but the most tenacious memory of the oldest inhabitant cannot recall such strength and elaborate finish as we find here. So far as I am familiar with the oldest houses now remaining, none can compare with this for a moment.

The question of its age is constantly raised, by town-folk and stranger alike. The other question of its ownership is still vigorously argued. I think I can do no better service at this time than tell the story as I have been able to discover it, by long and careful and repeated research.

Many remember Mr. Abraham Bond, the father of Mr. Jas. W. Bond, from whom our Society purchased the property. He bought the house and about an acre of land of Caleb K. Moore, October 7, 1841 [Essex Co. Deeds, 327:157.] and made his home here for the remainder of his life. Mr. James W. Bond re

members that in his boyhood, the floor joists were exposed as we see them now, but fashion decreed that a more modern style was to be preferred, and vandal hands chipped and hacked the venerable timbers, nailed laths upon them, and covered them from sight with very commonplace plastering. The old fireplace in the kitchen in the leanto was bricked up within his remembrance, and the latest addition on the northwest corner was built.

Mr. Moore had purchased the house with an acre and eleven rods of land from Mr. Nathaniel Wade and others, heirs of the estate of Col. Joseph Hodgkins, in 1833, October 31st [Essex Co. Deeds, 271:164]. This was only half of the Hodgkins estate, however, and on Aug. 11, 1841, the heirs sold the balance of the property, measuring an acre and eleven rods, to James Estes. As the deed describes it, this piece of land extended down Winter street, to the barn and land of Joseph Farley, now occupied by the buildings of the Ipswich Mill, followed the' line of the Farley land to the river, extended along the river bank to the Samuel Wade property, and followed this line to Moore's boundary line. The Hodgkins property thus extended from the main road to Topsfield to the river, and measured two acres and twenty-two rods. [Essex Co. Deeds, 326:215.]

Col. Hodgkins had married for his third wife, Mrs. Lydia Treadwell, relict of Elisha Treadwell and daughter of Dea. John Crocker. Her brother, Joseph, at his death owned and occupied the house, and the other heirs sold their interest to her husband. The original deed of sale, bearing date of May 16th, 1813, is before'