OLDEST BOOK IN TOWN. Several books have been mentioned in the Record as being probably the oldest in town, but they all have to take a back seat for one that is owned by Mrs. A. R. Brundage, to whom it has descended from her ancestor, Eliphalet Bulkeley. It is a copy of the famous breeches bible and is 302 years old. It derives its name from the fact that the verse in Genesis saying that Adam and Eve made themselves "aprons" out of figleaves, is translated so as to make their apparel "breeches" instead of figleaves. It is one of the rarest editions of the early bible and was printed in 1593. It is copiously illustrated and is in two volumes. It has a great many blank pages on which its pious owners have made references to their theological handbooks. It has a bookplate reading:

part of a family record are given the births of five children:

"Hoster Hadnot born June the 14 in the year 1717 at 5 a clok in the morn. "Samuel Hadnott born June the 10 at 4 a clok in the morning 1719.

"Ann Hadnot born Dec. 27 at 10 clok in the morning 1720.

"Mary Hadnott born Oct 28 at 6 a clok in the morning 1720.

"Rebeckah Hadnott born Oct the 18 at 4 a clok in the morning 1724."

HARD TO BEAT THIS.

All the books reported in the Record are juveniles compared with a lot in the library of the late Harrison Wright. The catalog shows that his valuable collection, gathered in Germany, contained not only scores of books printed prior to 1600, but no less than 25 prior to 1500. The oldest of these is dated 1471, at Nuremberg, and thus antedates the discovery of America 20 years.

This specimen dated 1471 is one of the very oldest printed books. Printing was not introduced into England until 5 years later, and into Scotland 30 years later. The first printing press set up in America was by the Spaniards in Mexico in 1536 and the first press in the present limit of the United States was brought over the ocean by Harvard College in 1638.

The art of printing from moveable types was invented just a little prior to that time, but historians make conflicting claims as to time and even the country.

CURIOUS OLD INDENTURE. Following is a copy of an indenture of a girl who was "bound out" in the last century, as printed in the Leader: Of the people mentioned Benjamin Bailey lived up on the Plains. The paper here copied was in the custody of Col. Zebulon Butler, grandfather of C. E. Butler, its present possessor:

(Copy of Indenture.)

This indenture made the 24th day of November, 1786, witnesseth that Caleb Newman, of Putnam, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania father and natural guardian to Dorothy Newman, who is a minor, doth by these presents bind out Dorothy Newman as an apprentice to Benjamin Bailey and Elizabeth, his wife, both of Wilkesbury, to dwell and live with them until she shall arrive at the age of eighteen years, which will be August 9, 1798, during which

term s'd apprentice her master and mistress shall faithfully serve, shall keep their secrets, she shall obey their lawful commands. She shall do her master and mistress no hurt, nor wilfully suffer others to do it, but shall forthwith notify her s'd master and mistress; she shall not waste, lend or embezel their goods; she shall not commit fornication nor enter into matrimony; she shall not leave master or mistress, nor at any time absent herself from them without their leave granted. She shall in all things demean and behave herself as a good and faithful apprentice ought to do, during the said term of her apprenticeship. And the master and mistress shall teach or cause to be taught their apprentice to read Eng.ish, so as to read the Bible, s'd master and mistress shall clothe their apprentice in a decent manner during s'd term and when her apprenticeship is finished they shall give her a new suit of apparel together with a new bed and bedding, and during her s'd apprenticeship master and mistress shall find and provide for her proper meat, drink and lodging.

Signed and sealed in presence of Putnam Catlin and Newton Smith.

Caleb Newman, Benjamin Bailey.

FOUND INDIAN RELICS.

(Daily Record, July 8, 1895.)

J. Frank Smith in excavating along his property on Wyoming avenue, Forty Fort, unearthed the stone work of a cellar which seems to be a mystery. The stone work seemed well preserved and in the wall he found Indian moccasins, arrows, hatchets, and other Indian equipments. Mr. Smith prizes his find quite highly.

HARRISBURG'S NOTES AND

QUERIES.

A new number, (No. 5, Vol. 2, 4th series) of Dr. W. H. Egle's Notes and Queries, published at Harrisburg has been received at the Record office.

On page 277 reference is made, (in a valuable series of articles devoted to the history of Sullivan county) to one Isaac Williams, who was taken prisoner by the Indians at the Wyoming Massacre, and kept in captivity six years. His grandson, Benjamin Tripp, was a Luzerne, (now Lackawanna) county man, who settled Pleasant Valley, Sullivan county, in 1855, whose children still reside in that county.

In same series, reference is made to another Luzerne county man who was a prisoner in Sullivan county. This Wilson, of Huntington who, in 1823, visited the headwaters of

was

Suffering with a rare disease which he knew to be incurable, Dr. Rees Davis of South Washington street has for many months been confined to his home awaiting, with a resignation and fortitude that robbed death of all the terror it has for some, the summons that came on Saturday morning, Aug. 10, 1895, at 7 o'clock.

Up to the time of his illness Dr. Davis was the picture of rugged health and he looked good for many years of life. After the death of his daughter Maude in 1892 he seemed weighed down by a sorrow that neither time nor circumstances could lighten and his closest friends attribute his illness to this extreme grief. His ailment was progressive muscular atrophy-a gradual wasting away of the muscles. About a year ago the disease manifested itself, attacking the muscles of the arms and neck and then those of the feet. The doctor continued, however, in the active practice of his profession until his condition became such that he could no longer manage to visit his patients. He then confined himself to office prac

tice and continued for several months. About three weeks ago he was compelled to take to his bed and since then, conscious all the time, without uttering a word of complaint, and keeping those about him as cheerful as possible, he has awaited the end. His last public act was that of a good citizen, and was performed last November, when he went to the polls and cast his ballot. He was not out of the house since that time. His mind was bright and clear to the last. Ten minutes before he

my

drew his last breath Mrs. Davis was by his side and placed her hand upon his wrist. "You are counting pulse," said the doctor. "No, that was not my intention," she said in reply. "Well, do so and let me know how it is." Mrs. Davis counted rapidly, as the pulse was then very high. The doctor noted its rapid action, and stopped her from counting. He understood the meaning. Ten minutes later he was dead.

Dr. Davis was 58 years of age, and was born at Warren, Bradford County, July 5, 1837. After being educated in the common schools of that place he prepared for college at Owego Academy and the Susquehanna Collegiate Institute at Towanda and attended Marietta College in Ohio for one year. He graduated at Hamilton College, in Clinton County, New York, in 1863. He then attended the medical department of the Michigan University for one year, and graduated at Bellevue Medical College in New York City in 1867. Dr.

Davis located in 1867 in Le Raysville, Bradford County, removed in 1869 to Scranton, and practiced there two years; settled in Wilkes-Barre in 1871, where he has practiced his profession ever since.

Deceased was a son of David and Elizabeth Davies, who were natives of Llanguicke, near Neath, Wales, and who emigrated to this country in 1831, and settled on a farm at Warren, Bradford County, Pa., where the old homstead still stands. The following children were born at the old home: John Davies, resides at Neath, Bradford County, Pa.: Mary, wife of Rev. John Davies of Dodgeville, Wis.; Philip Davies of Neath, Pa.; Evan H.; Annie, now the wife of Hon. H. Howell of Neath, Pa.; Hon. W. T. Davies, exlieutenant governor of Pennsylvania; Thomas, killed in a railroad accident at Mahanoy in 1881; Dr. Rees Davies of Wilkes-Barre; Elizabeth and Catherine Davies, who reside at the old homestead. David Davies, the father, died in 1882, and Elizabeth, the mother, died in 1856 Both were buried at Neath, Bradford County.

Dr. Davis married, in 1867, Maggie E. Williams, daughter of Philip and Harriet Williams of Pike, Pa., and four children were born unto them: Maude (died in 1892), Walter, now a medical student in the University of Pennsylvania; Harriet and Bessie.

Deceased was one of the most active members of the Luzerne County Medical Society, of which he has been president; was a member of the Pennsylvania State Medical Society, of which he was president in 1887; was a member of the Lehigh Valley Medical Society, and an honorary member of the Philadelphia Obstetrical Society. He has served as one of the staff of physicians of the Wilkes-Barre City Hospital from the time of its organization until his death. He has always been very active in eisteddfodic matters and was one of the prime movers in the Oratorio Society and was president for six years of the Mendelssohn Society, which at one time flourished in WilkesBarre. He was chairman of the committee of the mammoth eisteddfod held in the old market house in 1875, and engaged Eos Morlais, the great tenor from Wales, to sing at that time and to give forty concerts throughout the country.

Dr. Davis was of such a quiet and retiring disposition that there are

many who have no idea of the real eminence to which he attained. He had a great mind-thoughtful, analytical and full of knowledge, and his brothers of the medical profession and others with whom he came in close contact have always regarded him as a man among men. Had he forced his way to the front, as others have done who have been prominently before the public, his name would undoubtedly have been heralded from one end of the country to the other. These are not the words of exaggerated post mortem eulogy, but are a well founded and truthful tribute to real worth and real genius. Said a prominent physician of this city last evening: "Without detracting from the eminence of this city's noted physicians living or dead, I must say that Dr. Davis, as a surgeon and as a physician, stood at the head of his profession." He was one of the leading surgeons of his time and was in some respects a pioneer in abdominal surgery for this part of the country. Not many years ago he performed a very delicate operation along this line, the first that had ever been attempted, and the results, although the chances were very desperate, were of the best. The notes of this operation, which Dr. Davis published in a pamphlet, were translated into many languages and gained for him an international reputation. He was recognized by leading specialists as worthy of the greatest distinction. He was also especially eminent as a diagnostician, both in medicine and surgery, and his opinion in serious cases was always regarded with supreme respect by those members of the profession who sought his assistance in consultation.

Dr. Davis took considerable interest in sanitary matters and one of his last commendable works was his telling efforts in behalf of water filtration in this city. He was appointed by the Luzerne County Medical Society one of the committee to urge upon council the necessity for filters for the city's water supply and he worked with great enthusiasm until the ordinance was passed in the face of stern opposition.

Those who enjoyed intimate acquaintance with Dr. Davis found delight in conversing with him. Not only in medicine, but upon a variety of scientific and other subjects he was well booked and reasoned with great intelli

gence. Those who knew him best know how best to cherish his memory. Dr. Davis was a member of the First Presbyterian Church.

The funeral will take place on Tuesday at 2:30 p. m. The remains will be taken to the First Presbyterian Church, where services will be conducted by Rev. Rev. Dr. F. B. Hodge, assisted by Rev. E. J. Morris, pastor of the Puritan Church.

GEN. SAMUEL MEREDITH.

(Daily Record, July 10, 1895.)

Mrs. S. M. Meredith Graham of Tunkhannock has the distinction of being the granddaughter of Gen. Samuel Meredith, the first treasurer of the United States, and a man who figured prominently in the stirring events of young America The Merediths are natives of the county near Carbondale and recently when the agitation was at its height for the formation of a new county with Carbondale as the county seat Mrs. Graham addressed the mayor of that place setting forth some reasons why the new county should be called Meredith..

The letter Mrs. Graham wrote she has handed to the RECORD and is quite interesting as it stirs up incidents of historic value. She says:

"I am the granddaughter of Gen. Samuel Meredith, the first treasurer of the United States, appointed by Washington, and the daughter of Maj. Thomas Meredith, who lived at Meredith Cottage, near Carbondale, and wife of Capt, W. G. Graham. I have no doubt there are some still in Carbondale who remember me as Sarah Maria Meredith. My father got the charter for the D. & H. railroad you have in your midst, years before it was used. I am much pleased that you should think of naming your new county after the general that fought for his country in the revolutionary war; was our first treasurer, who on his health failing retired to live so near you, at Belmont Manor, in Wayne County, near Pleasant Mount; and there is buried the friend of Washington when friends meant something, who aided and supported Washington in every way, paid the soldiers and clothed them out of his own purse, for he was wealthy and our country was poor. He gave $10,000 in silver to carry on the war, he also loaned $190,000

to the new government, which he never got back and we owe to him much of our standing as a free government. Samuel Meredith was born in Philadelphia in 1741 and was educated in Chester. His services date from 1765, when he attended the meeting of the merchants of Philadelphia to protest against the importation of teas and other goods which were stamped. He signed the resolutions whieh were adopted Nov. 7, 1765. On the 19th of May, 1772, he Was married to Margaret Cadwalader of Philadelphia, daughter of Dr. Thomas Cadwalader, chief medical director of the Pennsylvania Hospital. He joined the "Silk Stocking Company" in 1775, and was made major. He distinguished himself in the battles of Trenton and Princeton, and October, 1777 was commissioned general of the 4th Brigade Pa. Militia. The troops under Gen. Meredith performed excellent service at Brandywine and at Germantown. At the close of the war he was twice elected from Philadelphia County to the Pennsylvania Colonial Assembly. The Merediths-Reese, Samuel and Thomas-were trusted friends of Washington. Samuel Meredith and his brother-in-law, George Clymer, each contributed $25,000 towards the support of the government, and that government, after all he has given to it, his life, money and staresmanship, has not even placed a monument over his remains. He was next appointed surveyor of the port of Philadelphia, served till September, when he resigned to accept the appointment of treasurer of the United States urged upon him by Washington. Treasurer Gen. Samuel Meredith entered upon duty at a time when the financial standing of the country was anything but encouraging; improvished by the expenses of war. The treasury was in a condition to need the most careful and conservative management, but Gen. Samuel Meredith's fitness for the trust was recognized by not only President Washington, but others prominent in the establishment of the government of the people. The following extract from a letter of Alexander Hamilton received at the time of Gen. Samuel Meredith's acceptance of the office is charcteristic of the times, indicating the esteem in which the new treasurer's attainments were held: TREASURER'S OFFICE, New York, Sep. 13, 1789.

Не

My father, Major Thomas Meredith, was born in Philadelphia in 1779. He was the only son of Gen. Samuel Meredith. studied law with his brother-in-law, John Read, and was admitted to the Philadelphia bar in 1805. He was prothonotary, register of wills and deeds for Wayne County from 1821 to 182 3, He married in 1822 Sarah Gibson, and after his father's death on account of mother's health removed to Carbondale, where he built Meredith cottage a short distance from Carbondale. There he made his home till his death, which took place in Trenton while visiting my sister, Elizabeth Meredith Mynde.

Bishop Potter, when visiting us at Meredith Cottage, spoke to me of my father in a way I shall never forget. I was so proud to have him appreciated. Father, when a young man, visited Gen. Washington in Virginia and the general came to the door to see him off and urged him to come soon again. Father was in the war of 1812 and made major. My patriotism showed itself in giving my husband to the service in the last war. He was returned to me just alive. I think my country has had all from me that should be required,