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STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Pursuant to public notice, a number of citizens of Wis-
consin, convened in the the Senate chamber at Madison
on Monday evening, Jan. 30, 1849.

Mr. ELEAZUR ROOT, of Waukesha, was called to the
chair, and Gen. WM. R. SMITH. of Iowa, was appointed
secretary.

The object of the meeting was stated by Mr. John Y.
SMITH, to be that of forming an Historical Society of
the State of Wisconsin.
Mr. HOBART offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That it is expedient to organize a State
Historical Society.

And the resolution being under consideration, the
meeting was addressed by Judge LARRABEE, Samuel
Crawford. Wm. R. Smith, and Alfred Bronson. Esqrs.
The resolution was adopted.

GEORGE REED, Esq., moved that a committee of three
be appointed to draft a constitution for the society,
which was adopted.

Messrs. George Reed, John Y. Smith and I.A. Lap-
ham, were appointed such committee, who reported a
constitution, which was read section by section, amend-
ed and adopted.

The following gentlemen gave in their names to the
secretary as members of the Society:

Wm. R. Smith, Iowa County; Samuel Crawford, Iowa;
Erastus W. Drury, Fond du Lac; Alexander Botkin,
Dane; Julius T. Clark, Dane; George B. Smith, Dane;
Harrison C. Hobart, Sheboygan; John W. Boyd. Wal-
worth; J.M. Gillet, Fond du Lac; Thos W. Sutherland,
Dane; Alexander T. Gray, Dane; John Delaney, Port-
age; John Favill, Dane; E.M. Williamson, Dane; David
Atwood, Dane; Alfred Bronson, Crawford; William Hull,
Grant; George W. Bicknell, Pock; I.A. Lapham. Mil-
waukee; John Y. Smith. Dane; Charles Lord, Dane; Jo-
seph Bowron, St. Croix; William Dutcher, Jefferson; Pe-
ter W. Matts, Dane; Agoston Haraszthy, Sauk; J Gil-
let Knapp, Dane; Eleazur Root, Waukesha; Royal Buck,
Dane; Myron B. Williams, Jefferson; Joseph Kerr, Co-
lumbia; Michael Frank, Racine; E.T. Gardner, Greene;
John C. Crawford, Greene.

On motion of Mr. Crawford, a committee consisting
of Messrs. Crawford, Sutherland, Hobart, Bronson and
Lapham were appointed a committee to nominate offi-
cers of the society.
The committee reported the following names for offi-
cers:

For President - NELSON DEWEY.
For Vice Presidents - Morgan L. Martin, Brown Co.;
George W. Featherstonhaugh, Calumet; J.T. Lewis,
Columbia; Alfred Bronson, Crawford; John Y. Smith,
Dane; Hiram Barber, Dodge; John H. Rountree, Grant;
John C. Crawford, Greene; Mortimer M. Jackson, Iowa;
John E. Holmes, Jefferson; Charles Dunn, La Fayette;
_ Dake, La Pointe; J.H.W. Colby, Manitowoc; An-
son Dart, Marquette; Solomon Juneau, Milwaukee; John
Delaney, Portage; James D. Doty, Winnebago; Freder-
ick S. Lovell, Racine; Edward V. Whiton, Rock; Agos-
ton Haraszthy, Sauk; Harrison C. Hobart, Sheboygan;
Joseph Bowron, St. Croix; D.M. Keeler, Walworth;
Benj. H. Mooers, Washington; George Reed. Waukesha.

For Recording Secretary - Charles Lord, of Madison,
Dane Co.

For Corresponding Secretary - I.A. Lapham, of Mil-
waukee.

For Treasurer - E.M. Williamson of Madison.

For Executive Committee - John Catlin, Beriah Brown,
and Alexander Botkin, of Madison.

Your committee would also present to the society the
name of William R. Smith, of Iowa county, as a suita-
ble person to deliver an address before this society at its
next annual meeting, and Jonathan E. Arnold, of Mil-
waukee as a substitute.

All of which report was accepted and adopted.

Mr. Lapham offered the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Surveyors throughout the State
be requested to furnish this society with sketches from
actual measurement of the ancient mounds and artifi-
cial work in their vicinity.

Which was adopted.

Mr. Sutherland offered the following:

Resolved, That the editors of the newspapers
in the State be requested to publish the proceedings of
this meeting.
The meeting then adjourned.

ELEAZUR ROOT, Ch'n.

Wm R. Smith, Seely.

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CONSTITUTION

OF THE

Historical Society of Wisconsin

Section 1. This society shall be called
"The Historical Society of Wisconsin"

Sec. 2 The objects of the society shall
be to preserve the materials for a com-
plete history of Wisconsin, embracing the
antiquities, and the history of the Indian
tribes.

Sec. 3 The officers of this society
shall be a president, one vice president
in each county, and a recording secretary
who shall reside at the seat of government
a corresponding secretary, a treasurer,
and an executive committee of three mem-
bers residing at the seat of government.

Sec 4 It shall be the duty of the pre-
sident to preside in all meetings of the so-
ciety, and in his absence, the senior vice
president shall preside.

Sec. 5 The recording secretary shall
keep a fair and correct record of the pro-
ceedings of the society, and preserve all
books, documents, manuscripts' or other
things that may be presented to the soci-
ety.

Sec. 6 The corresponding secretary
shall conduct the corresponding of the
society.

Sec. 7 The treasurer, shall take
charge of the funds of the society and
pay them out on the order of the executive
committee.

Sec. 8. The executive committee
shall have charge of the affairs of the so-
ciety and shall make report of their oper-
ations and of the condition of the society
at each annual meeting.

Sec. 9. The society shall at each an-
nuel meeting appoint, and notify some
sutible person to deliver an address at
the next annual meeting.

Sec. 10. The several officers of this
society shall hold their offices for one
year and until their successors are duly
elected.

Sec. 11 Any person may become a
member of this society by signing the
constitution, or authorizing the secretary
to do so.

Sec. 12. There shall be an annual
meeting of the society held at the seat of
government, on the Wednesday next
succeeding the commencement of the an-
nual session of the legislature.

Sec. 13 The society may make
such by-laws for its own government as
shall be deemed proper and necessary,
and at any annual meeting, a majority
of the members present shall have power
to revise and amend the same.

Sec. 14. This constitution may be al-
tered or amended at any annual meeting
of society, on the vote of two-thirds of the
members present.