1897. April 21. Henry A. May, Roslindale, Mass., writes for information concerning the Society. He states that he is a descendant through his mother, Roxanna Butler of Pelham, N. H., from James Butler, the planter of Lancaster, Mass. (1653), who came from Ireland, and was the largest land owner in what is now Worcester county. He owned land in Dunstable, Woburn, and Billerica, where he died in 1681. His son, Deacon John Butler, was the first child of Irish parentage born in Woburn, Mass., and John was the first settler of what is now Pelham, N. H., and lies buried there. A monument was erected to his memory on “Pelham Green,” in the centre of the town of Pelham, in 1886, by his descendants, some 1,200 being present at the dedication in June of that year. 1897. April 29. Death of Col. Jeremiah W. Coveney, postmaster of Boston, the first member of the Society to pass away. 1897. April 30. C. H. Meade states that his father, the president-general, is in a critical condition. 1897. May 4. Death at Washington, D. C., of the president-general of the Society, Rear Admiral Richard W. Meade, U. S. N. 1897. May 5. Edward A. Moseley, Washington, D. C., a member of the Executive Council of the Society, pens a letter of condolence to Richard W. Meade, Jr., on the death of the latter’s father, the Society’s president-general. 1897. May 6. Edward A. Moseley, just mentioned, writes to Secretary-General Murray relative to the obsequies of the president-general. Mr. Moseley states that the matter of a floral tribute from the Society has been arranged. 1897. May 7. Letter from Richard W. Meade, Jr., to Mr. Moseley, thanking the Society, through him, for the floral emblem contributed, and stating that it “now rests on my father’s grave.” 1897. May 15. First meeting of the Executive Council of the Society held, Boston, Mass. Present: Thomas J. Gargan, Boston, Mass.; John C. Linehan, Concord, N. H.; Thomas Hamilton Murray, Lawrence, Mass.; Joseph Smith, Lowell, Mass.; James Jeffrey Roche, Boston, Mass., and Thomas B. Lawler, Worcester, Mass. Mr. Gargan presided.