had its origin. For lack of room the Society was compelled to seek other quarters. The University has thus lost the use of our valuable collection, which is becoming each year more valuable through exchanges with other Societies. Lack of means forbids the opening of our Library to the use of students of the University. Such a building as is proposed would greatly enlarge the facilities for study which the University could then control. Every friend of the Historical Society would gladly co-operate with friends of the University in the effort to secure means for the erection of the proposed memorial. Gov. Kirkwood was a fast friend of the State Historical Society, and to him the Society is greatly indebted for frequent contributions. A permanent fire-proof building is needed for our collections. Is not this the favorable opportunity to secure such a building and to place our collections in the hands of the University, that they may be available to students at all times? J. L. PICKARD. NOTES. THE Society of "Crocker's Iowa Brigade,” at its seventh Reunion, held at Ottumwa, September 26th and 27th, passed memorial resolutions expressive of its sorrow for the death of Governor Kirkwood, and of its appreciation of his character as a statesman and patriot. THE survivors of the 11th Iowa Infantry present at the "Crocker Brigade" Reunion at Ottumwa last month unanimously nominated W. H. Michael, who was transferred from the 11th to the Navy, as a worthy and proper representative of the Volunteer Navy from Iowa, to be honored with a place on one of the medallions of the proposed monument to the soldiers and sailors of Iowa. We who served with Captain Michael in the 11th Iowa and know him well, approvingly exclaim, Well done!-gallantly won and worthily accorded. FORT RILEY, Kansas, near the confluence of the Republican and Kansas rivers, where the Government has a large military post and a military “School of Application,” is said to be the geographical centre of the United States. WILLIAM B. MURRAY, referred to in Capt. Michael's article, in this number, "Iowa and the Navy during the war of the Rebellion," entered the Naval Academy from Iowa City, where members of his family still reside. He died at San Francisco in 1883. His father, Dr. Henry Murray, was the pioneer physician of Johnson County, where he settled in 1838. He died in Iowa City in 1880. WE thank Hon. J. P. Walton, President, for a copy of the proceedings of the Old Settlers' Association of Muscatine, at their annual reunion last September. We would like to copy from it at length, but have only room to note that Mrs. R. Madden, in her report of the work of the Soldiers' Aid Society during the war, mentions that a field of potatoes cultivated for the soldiers in 1861, although the summer was dry, was favored with plentiful showers and produced larger potatoes than any "patch" in Muscatine county. THE old settlers of Grinnell, on the 4th of last April celebrated the fortieth anniversary of the founding of their town. This was not done in the usual way by chance prospectors locating here and there in a scattered way, but by deliberate purchase of unoccupied government land intended to be devoted greatly, as it has been, to educational uses. On the anniversary referred to, a permanent "old settlers'" association was formed, and its committee, consisting of Prof. L. F. Parker, Mrs. Julia A. Grinnell and Mrs. A. J. Hamlin, has issued an address, urging the pioneers of that place, whether now resident there or not, to reduce their recollections of the early days to writing and send them to the committee for preservation and use in preparing the local history of that interesting city. HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF IOWA. This Society was instituted by the Legislature of 1857. A Library and Cabinet are rapidly accumulating, and the HISTORICAL RECORD is issued quarterly. To gather the rapidly wasting historical material of the State, the Curators of the Society solicit the following contributions. 1. Old letters, journals and manuscript statements of pioneer settlers, relative to the early history and settlement of the State, with sketches of prominent citizens of Iowa, either living or deceased, and acts relative to the Indian tribes, chiefs and warriors; and also Indian implements, ornaments and curiosities. 2. Newspapers, exchanges or papers of old and curious print and date, pamphlets, magazines, catalogues of institutions of learning, minutes of ecclesiastical associations, conventions, conferences and synods, with their origin and history. All such are placed on file and bound when volumes are completed. 3. Books of all kinds, and especially such as relate to American History, travels and biographies in general, and in the west in particular, family genealogies, maps, historical manuscripts, autographs of distinguished persons, coins, medals, paintings, portraits, statues and engravings. 4. Editors and publishers of newspapers, magazines and reviews, will confer a lasting favor on the Society by contributing their publications regularly for its Library, or at least such numbers as may contain articles bearing upon Iowa history, biography, geography or antiquities; all of which will be carefully preserved for binding. THE IOWA HISTORICAL RECORD. This is a quarterly publication, Its object is to collect and preserve in a permanent form, facts connected with the history of the State. Of the various classes of historical facts, it will be its special endeavor to publish 1st. Such as relate to transactions of its early days, which are liable to be soon lost by the passing away of the participants. 2d. Descriptive sketches of localities in the olden time, as their primal features are pictured upon the memory of observers. 3d. Biographical sketches of prominent citizens. 4th. The origin growth and development of the Institutions of the State, with their bearing upon the various interests which have called them into existence. 5th. From time to time such of the hitherto unwritten history of the great war of modern times as relates to the valorous deeds of Iowa soldiers, practicable for introduction, or which seems necessary to preserve it from passing from the knowledge of men. 6th. Reminiscences of early settlers of every character of fact pertaining to pioneer life. To aid in the accomplishment of this purpose, contributions are requested of those who have in memory any portion of the early history of the State, and those having material for history, or authentic manuscripts, will confer a favor by forwarding them to the Secretary. The subscription price of the HISTORICAL RECORD is one dollar a year, in advance. All subscriptions, communications and donations to the Library and Cabinet should be addressed to M. W. DAVIS, SECRETARY, |