Society News

SOCIETY NEWS During the winter season of 1960 61, a series of four Genealogical Round Table Conferences were held in the Hall of the Historical Society. Three of these were devoted to open questions and answers. Subjects covering a wide variety of problems were discussed, and ranged from the sources and use of Philadelphia maritime and military records to German immigration. Mr. Francis James Danett, Jr., librarian of the Athenaeum and member of the Society's Board of Directors, and Dr. Don Yoder of the Department of Religious Thought of the University of Pennsylvania, were most helpful in supplying useful answers to the problems presented. Mr. Raymond B. Clark, Jr., editor of the Maryland and Delaware Genealogist, was guest speaker at the fourth Round Table Conference. He discussed at length "Genealogical Research in Maryland," citing available sources and their uses. It is hoped that his excellent talk will be available for publication in the near future. At the Sixty-Ninth Annual Meeting of the Society on Tuesday, 21 March 1961, Dr. Samuel B. Sturgis, a member of the Society's Board and former Governor of the Swedish Colonial Society, presented a most informative and interesting address on "Where Pennsylvania History Began." He pointZd out in detail just how much Pennsylvania owes to the early Swedish colonists along the Delaware. Mr. Dallett during the past year was elected a Director of the Chester County Historical Society and presented the Annual Address to that Society in May; his subject, most appropriately, was "The Athenaeum Age in Chester County." He has also been re-elected a Director and Secretary of the Radnor Historical Society. He is a member of the Surrey (England) Archeological Society. In the spring Dr. Wallace E. Davies, also a member of the Genealogical Society's Board, was elected Vice-President of the American Studies Association of the Middle Atlantic States, after having served a term as President. His unpublished paper, "Dr. Takamine's American Marriage," has been translated into Japanese and was published in Japan at Kanazawa in 1959. At the Philadelphia Art Alliance he gave a talk entitled "Three Silent Women—of the Screen," and during the winter presented over Philadelphia radio station WHYY, a course in American History for college credit. Dr. J. Bennett Hill, elected Secretary of this Society in 1960 upon the resignation of Rev. Carl T. Smith, was before his retirement Director of Research and Development for the Sun Oil Company. He was granted - 147 148 The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine his Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1916 by the University of Pennsylvania. In January 1961, he received from the Franklin Institute one of the first of the newly established President's Citations for his "untiring efforts and invaluable service" as chairman of the committee to raise funds for the building of an outstanding educational exhibition in chemistry for the Institute's Science Museum. The author of numerous scientific papers and a collaborator in several technical books, he is also the author of "The Simon Kollocks of Sussex in the Eighteenth Century" which appeared in the April 1960, issue of Delaware History. With his wife Margaret Howe Hill, he presented the study of "William Fisher and his Descendants" which appeared in this MAGAZINE in 1960. Mrs. F. Spencer Roach, member of the Society's Board and Historian of the Elfreth's Alley Association, was elected to the Board of that Association at its annual meeting in March. The Society takes pleasure in announcing the acquisition of four important genealogical collections: The Warren S. and Josephine I. Ely Collection, by the will of the late Mrs. Ely; the May E. Enders Collection, by the Bucks County Historical Society; the Edward W. Hocker Collection, by Mr. Hocker, retired librarian of the Germantown Historical Society; and the Heber G. Gearhart Collection, by Mr. Gearhart's will. These four extensive collections will add materially to the resources of the Society, covering as they do not only families in Bucks County, Germantown, and central Pennsylvania but hundreds of related lines. Until they are catalogued and sorted, however, they will not be available for use. Volunteer help in this matter would greatly expedite their accessibility. Recent Fellows elected by the Society's Board are Mrs. Courtland B. (Ruth L.) Springer, outstanding authority on early Swedish colonists on the Delaware; Mr. Francis James Dallett, Jr., for his wide knowledge and interest in genealogy, and Mr. Edward W. Hocker, long known as the best authority on Germantown history and Germantown families. His retirement from active work leaves a gap that will be hard to fill. * • * Erratum: Number 1 issue of this Volume XXiI: Page 29, 2nd column, line 32: delete [89] FRANK WORTHINGTON MELVIN It is with profound regret that the Genealogical Society reports the death of Frank Worthington Melvin on 18 August 1961. Born 7 August 1884, he was the son of Bascom 'Worthington Melvin and his wife, the former Amanda Louisa Merritt, and married on 24 June 1911 Bertha Priscilla HaMes, who survives him. A member of many patriotic societies, during his long and distinguished life he filled a wide variety of positions of trust and service, and received many honors. His association with the Genealogical Society began in 1921 with his election to life membership. From 1923 to 1935 he served as the Society's historian, and from 1928 to 1938 was a member of the publication committee. From 1935 to 1952 he served as recording secretary, and in the latter year was elected an honorary vice-president, ad vi/am. With his passing, the Society loses more than just a valued member; it loses still another of that devoted group of friends which guided the Society through the years of its greatest expansion and development. RAYMOND L. SUTCLIFFE Members and friends of the Genealogical Society were shocked to learn of the sudden death of Raymond L. Sutcliffe on Friday, 14 July 1961, at the age of 41. Assistant in charge of the Reading Room at the Historical Society since 1957, he had been on the staff of that society since 1938. His very real interest in genealogy and heraldry, and his wide knowledge of source material, both genealogical and historical, will be sorely missed by all who gamed through his warm spirit of helpfulness. As a measure of appreciation, a Memorial Fund, for the benefit of his four minor children, has been established. We urge that all who would like to express their gratitude for his co-operation and long service, send their contributions to Mrs. Sarah B. Pomerantz, payable to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 149