MacLean, Prof. C. L. Martzolff, Prof. B. F. Prince, Mr. E. O. Randall, Gen. George B. Wright and Prof. G. Frederick Wright.

It

Letters regretting absence were received by the Secretary from Judge M. D. Follett and Bishop B. W. Arnett. Prof. G. Fred. Wright acted as temporary chairman, and Mr. E. O. Randall as temporary secretary. The election of the various officers of the Society for the ensuing year was then held. resulted as follows: Gen. R. Brinkerhoff, President; Gen. George B. Wright, First Vice President; Mr. George F. Bareis, Second Vice President; Mr. E. O. Randall, Secretary and Editor; Hon. S. S. Rickly, Treasurer; Mr. Edwin F. Wood, Assistant Treasurer; Prof. W. C. Mills, Curator and Librarian. The following were selected as members of the executive committee: G. Fred Wright, W. H. Hunter, B. F. Prince, A. R. McIntire, D. J. Ryan. With these as ex-officio members, will serve Geo. F. Bareis, R. Brinkerhoff, E. O. Randall, S. S. Rickly, George B. Wright. The Board of Trustees thereupon adjourned with the understanding that the Executive Committee would meet at the call of the Secretary.

AMERICAN INDIANS.

In the evening, under the auspices of the Society, in the auditorium of the Ohio State University, a lecture was delivered by Dr. J. A. Leonard, of Mansfield, on the American Indian. Dr. Leonard was for many years United States Inspector of Indian Tribes, and is perhaps one of the highest authorities in the country on the subject of the modern aborigine. His lecture was intensely interesting and profitable.

REPORT OF THE CURATOR,

The report of Prof. W. C. Mills, Curator of the Society, was as follows:

It gives me much pleasure to make my annual report upon the condition of the Museum and Library and on the Archæological explorations of the Society.

During the first part of last year the field work was carried on at the Baum prehistoric village site where for two sea

sons prior to this, work had been carried on. The object of a further examination was to gain some idea of the extent of this village and to further examine the burials and refuse pits. The northern portion of the village was examined and here very interesting burials were discovered. Heretofore no burials. having pottery placed with them were found, but in this section quite a number of burials had pottery placed in the graves. Of the hundred or more skeletons removed from this village prior to this examination not a single piece of copper was found, but this year a single grave rewarded us with two copper beads and many objects made of bone and shell. The examination of the village during the present year has somewhat enlarged the former boundary lines. At present the village extends almost one-fourth of a mile along the terrace due north, and about the same distance south of the mound and almost the same distance directly east of the mound. The part west was no doubt uninhabited by aboriginal man as the land was low and swampy. A complete report of the animal remain burials, and implements will soon be in press.

The latter part of the season was spent in examining the Gartner mound, which is situated about six miles north of Chillicothe. It is located upon the line between the farm of Mr. Gartner and the farm of Miss Elizabeth Leevy. The mound was 7 feet high with a diameter of 75 feet. This mound contained very many interesting things that were new to science. Of the 44 skeletons unearthed, 18 were placed below the base line; all the others were buried on an average of 3 ft. above the base line. This mound was made up of three distinct mounds; the first or original mound having no burials beneath the base and only six that were placed on an average of 3 feet above the base. However, six inches above the base line was made a platform of earth which seemed to be made from puddled clay firmly tamped into a level floor, which upon examination proved to be 23 feet wide by 43 feet in length. Upon this floor were placed ashes, varying in depth from 6 inches to 2 feet. Beneath the floor was found the remains of an old home, the fire places, refuse pits and post holes of the tepees being plainly visible. With the burials in the other

portions of the mound were found pipes, ocean shell gorgets, beads, perfect pieces of pottery and large quantities of perforated teeth of various animals. But perhaps the most interesting of all the things taken from these graves was the puddles and tempered clay ready to be made into pottery. This clay was placed in a nitch in the grave near the head. In several instances small boulders accompanied the clay and were piled over it in a small heap. These were no doubt used in cooking their food. In another grave was found a small shell gorget with a hole in the center in which was inserted a freshwater pearl.

During the winter 1902-03 the Ohio State University tendered to the Historical Society rooms in Page Hall. These rooms were accepted by the Executive Committee at the January meeting and I was instructed to proceed with the transfer of the collection of the Society as well as that of the University from Orton Hall to Page Hall. But it was the first week in February before the work could begin as the basement rooms were not quite ready for occupancy and the floor in the main Museum had to be put in shape; and it was almost the first of March before the specimens could be removed.

The University during the year supplied the Museum with upwards of $745 worth of cases; some of these were for new cases while $578 was in lieu of cases that could not be removed from Orton Hall.

At the present time the Archaeological exhibit occupies a room containing 4,000 square feet and the Library and office occupies about 1,800 square feet, the Historical room and Photograph Gallery on the first floor, each 900 square feet, and about 2,500 square feet of basement room which will be used for storage. Although we have a very large room for the archæological exhibit yet at the present time I find that this room is crowded and it will be a very short time until we will be compelled to have more commodious quarters. I would respectfully recommend that the Legislature be asked to supply us with a new building to take care of the great number of collections that are coming to us unsolicited. I further recommend that

this building be placed on the University campus as the most available site.

During the year several thousand specimens have been added to the Museum and a new card catalogue is now being made. It will take about a year to complete this catalogue as each specimen of importance will be labeled as well as drawings made and placed upon the card. An historical file is also being made in which the history of each collection of specimens is carefully preserved. The library has made quite a growth during the past year and 325 volumes have been added to our list. We have received about 300 pamphlets in exchange for our publications. We have 138 exchanges but hope to increase them during the coming year.

During the year specimens and material that was stored at the State House and various other places throughout the city have been gathered together and placed on exhibition in the Museum of the Society. The most interesting historical object procured during the year is the model of the John Fitch engine, presented by Mr. A. N. Whiting. Another interesting gift is the first printing press ever used in Franklin county, presented by Col. James Kilbourne. We are now in a position to receive many historical relics and we hope the members will take it upon themselves to add to the collection.

"REFUGEES TO AND FROM CANADA AND THE REFU

GEE TRACT."

BY EDWARD LIVINGSTON TAYLOR.

All that part of the City of Columbus which lies east of the Scioto River and between Fifth Avenue on the north, and Steelton on the south, a distance of four and one-half miles, is on what is known in law and history as the "Refugee Tract," which was, as we shall hereafter see, set apart by the government for the benefit of "Refugees from Canada and Nova Scotia." This territory comprises at least nine-tenths of the wealth and population of the City of Columbus. Every title to property within these limits goes back to and is based upon this Refugee grant, and it is safe to say that very few of the various owners of these valuable lots and lands have any accurate knowledge of the origin of their titles or the occurrences which brought about their origin.

The common thought which prevails in the public mind of the present day is that during the Revolutionary war the people of the colonies were as a unit in opposition to the rule of Great Britain, and actively supported the efforts of the Colonial army in the struggle for independence. Nothing could be further from the truth, and this general impression could not now exist but for the reason that our American youths have for a hundred and twenty years been taught American patriotism, and have been imbued with American sentiments and ideas and have observed the wonderful growth and development of our country, until they have come to assume, as a matter of course, that no considerable number of residents in the colonies could but have been enthusiastically in favor of the revolt against the mother country and in favor of a free and independent government. It is fortunate that this has been the case, but the assumption is wholly against the facts of history.