This pear is a native of the town of Huron, New York. The original tree stood on the premises of Major Sheldon, having sprung from seed brought by his father from Washington, New York, about 1815. The fruit was first exhibited at the Pomological Convention in Syracuse in the autumn of 1849. In 1854, Sheldon was mentioned by the American Pomological Society as promising well, and in 1856 it was given a place in the Society's fruit-catalog. Tree large, vigorous, upright-spreading, rapid-growing, hardy, moderately productive; trunk stocky; branches thick, reddish-brown, overlaid with dull gray scarf-skin, marked with large lenticels; branches thick, dull brown, glabrous, with numerous slightly raised, conspicuous lenticels. Leaf-buds large, above medium in length, obtuse or somewhat pointed, appressed. Leaves 2-1/2 in. long, 1-1/4 in. wide, oval, leathery; apex taper-pointed; margin finely serrate; petiole 1-1/2 in. long. Flower-buds conical or pointed, free; flowers 1-1/8 in. across, in dense clusters, 13 or 14 buds in a cluster; pedicels 1/2 in. long, thick, pubescent, greenish. Fruit matures in October; large, 2-3/4 in. long, 2-1/2 in. wide, uniform in size and shape, turbinate, often with a tendency to oblateness, symmetrical; stem 3/4 in. long, thick, nearly straight; cavity obtuse, deep, slightly furrowed, occasionally lipped; calyx large, open; lobes very broad, obtuse; basin wide, obtuse, symmetrical; skin thick, granular, tender, roughish; color dull greenish-yellow, with a brownish-red blush, overspread with russet nettings and streaks; dots numerous, small, russet; flesh whitish, somewhat granular, tender and melting, very juicy, sweet, and vinous, with a rich and pleasantly aromatic flavor; quality very good to best. Core large, closed, with clasping core-lines; calyx-tube short, wide, conical; seeds acute. [Illustration: SOUVENIR DU CONGRÈS] SOUVENIR DU CONGRÈS =1.= _Pom. France_ =4=: No. 162, Pl. 162. 1867. =2.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._ 34. 1875. =3.= _Flor. & Pom._ 37, Pl. 1875. =4.= _Jour. Hort._ N. S. =38=:120, fig. 19. 1880. =5.= _Hogg Fruit Man._ 647. 1884. =6.= _Cat. Cong. Pom. France_ 350, fig. 1906. _Andenken an den Congress._ =7.= _Oberdieck Obst-Sort._ 237. 1881. =8.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 168. 1889. =9.= _Deut. Obstsorten_ =6=: Pt. 16, Pl. 1910. _Souvenir._ =10.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._ 24. 1897. =11.= Ont. Dept. Agr. _Fr. Ont._ 179. 1914.