1873, the society occupied rooms, rent free, in the Young Men's Association building, southeast corner of Main and Eagle streets. That building was far from fire-proof; but the new building of the Western Savings Bank, northwest corner of Main and Court streets, constructed in 1871-'2, did appear to offer the security which the society sought for its possessions. The annual income of the society at that time was between $500 and $600, not enough to pay the salary of the secretary, and it is not strange that there was hesitancy about moving to quarters for which a considerable rent must be paid. The matter was placed in the hands of Orlando Allen, Orsamus H. Marshall and Gibson T. Williams; and this committee reported, Dec. 10, 1872, that the Young Men's Association, in consideration of the surrender of the Historical Society lease, would pay to it $1600 in four years, in quarterly instalments. The Historical Society accepted the terms, named Orlando Allen, James Sheldon and Alonzo Richmond, a committee to circulate subscription papers, hoping that a sufficient fund might be guaranteed to warrant leasing the rooms in the Western Savings Bank building; and in January, 1873, feeling warranted in assuming the expense, moved to its new quarters. Here the society's home continued to be until January, 1887, when it took possession of the more ample roomsthough again on the third floor, reached only for many years by wearying stairs—in the new building of the Young Men's Association, now Buffalo Library building; from which it migrated in April, 1902, to take possession for the first time in its history, and just 40 years after its organization, of "a home of its own. For many interesting particulars regarding the early years of the society-its accumulation of books and relics, almost wholly by gift; its delightful club meetings, for which many a valuable chronicle of the earlier days was prepared; its slow accumulation of a permanent fund; and the changes which as the years passed brought in turn many a representative citizen to the head of the society; for these and related data the reader may properly be referred to the volume already cited. The object of the present notes is to deal more particularly with the later history of the society, and especially to tell the story of its new building. A word of appreciation may, however, fittingly be written of the men who, through many years of cramped resources and the indifference of a large part of the community, kept the society not only alive but progressive. The decade following the Civil War was not a propitious period for such an institution. There were times—not altogether remote, even now-when very few men kept up the organization and carried on a work in which they would gladly have had the coöperation of very many of their fellowcitizens. In this category of the faithful were Hon. James Sheldon, William Clement Bryant, Capt. E. P. Dorr, Hon. William P. Letchworth, William H. H. Newman, Hon. Elias S. Hawley, Hon. James M. Smith, William Hodge, William Dana Fobes, Emmor Haines, James Tillinghast, William K. Allen, George S. Hazard, Dr. Joseph C. Greene, Julius H. Dawes, and others, their associates in the management of the society's affairs for the last quarter of the nineteenth century. After the death of Millard Fillmore and others who had shared in the founding of the society, its interests suffered a decline for a period. A more vigorous era was begun under the presidency of William D. Fobes in 1884, who, in the words of the annual report made in January, 1885, retired from office "leaving the society 20 per cent. better than he found it, such have been the accessions made in the interval to the valuable archives of the society." It was during Mr. Fobes's presidency that the Fillmore family library, through the settlement of the contest of the will of Mrs. Caroline C. Fillmore, passed into the possession of the society. The arrangement which was made in April, 1884, with the Young Men's Association for free occupancy of the third floor of its projected building, was a great financial help. Prior to its removal to what is now the Library building, the society had been paying, since 1873, $400 a year rent for its quarters in the Western Savings Bank building. The board meeting of Jan. 4, 1887, was the first which the society held in the new Young Men's Association (now Public Library) building, which was to be its home for 15 years. It was at this meeting that Judge Sheldon, then completing his last term as president, proposed the name of Andrew Langdon for life membership. Mr. Langdon was duly elected, and at the annual meeting held on Jan. 11th, was chosen one of the board of councillors (now called board of managers). In 1894 Mr. Langdon was elected president, and he has been reëlected to that office-more than once in opposition to his expressed wish-every year since. Mr. Langdon's presidency marks a distinct era in the fortunes of the society. From the first he took an active interest in its affairs, and worked with untiring zeal to promote its prosperity. Its need of a building of its own was early apparent to him, as indeed it long had been to others; but none other was so constant in the effort to find a way—or if none could be found, to make a way-towards the desired consummation. These notes are not the place to detail the many plans, the many consultations and conferences and projects which came to naught. If they were dropped it was only because something more promising was hit upon; but it is fitting to put on record a word of appreciation for Mr. Langdon's persistent and undiscouraged efforts to put the society on a securer financial basis than it had ever known, and thereby to open the way for its legitimate work on broader and more effective lines. In his efforts he was ably helped by others, who shall be duly named. The building idea was an old one, and had had many forms even before Mr. Langdon's day. In his address on retiring from the presidency in 1883, William Hodge offered as "a suggestion": "Would it not be pleasing to many to perpetuate the memory of relatives and friends by giving some amount towards our building fund, or better still to purchase or erect a suitable building for the Buffalo Historical Society. Such noble deeds," he added, "have often been done." He had long thought, he said, that the old Waldon homestead, at Main, Edward and Franklin streets, was a suitable house for the Historical and other societies of the city. "The location may be considered by some to be too far up town, but to me it certainly seems not." How great |