THIRTEENTH   ANNUAL   REPORT OF THE SECRETARY CF   THE "Society for the History Germans in Maryland." Mr. President and Gentlemen: During the past year the Society for the History of the Germans in Maryland held eight meetings, the December meeting being omitted by reason of insufficient attendance on the part of the members. No original article was furnished during this time and but few extracts of recent Historical Publications were read. The hour of meeting was generally fully occupied by the consider- ation of correspondence, which had largely increased. But though no original articles were furnished, the Society by the publication of Mr. L. P. Hennighausen's article: "Reminiscen- ces of the Political Life of the German-Americans in Baltimore During the Years 1850—1860," and of Vol. I of Mr. Herrmann Schuricht's manuscript, "History of the Early Germans in Vir- ginia," both of which had been read in previous meetings, was enabled to furnish a volume of such intrinsic value as to awaken an earnest interest in all parts of the Country. The daily Press, students of history, societies and individuals gave expression of their interest in this publication. The second volume of this valuable contribution of "The History of the Early Germans in Virginia" is to be published during the coming year. IV This Society having in previous years been very liberal in their gratuitous distribution of its publications, the demands for this last issue, a volume of 232 pages, without the offer of any return on the part of the supplicants, was quite large. The Society felt compelled to refuse these requests, except where we had the assurance that these publications would really serve their purpose or where corresponding returns were made. This action on the part of the Society is all the more reasonable in view of the fact, that each member being entitled to only two copies of the Annual Report, pays a much larger amount for these publications, than the price demanded from outsiders. Another erroneous impression that seems to have gone out is, that this Society is a kind of Information or Intelligence Bureau, able and ready to give answer to the most perplexing inquiries concerning individual immigrants of the former cen- tury and of whom in many cases nothing further was known than the name and even that often very uncertain as to its originality. Of course, this Society is most willing to render any assistance within its power in the research of historical facts, but as to minor details it cannot possibly afford either time or strength. Another pleasing feature of the past year worthy to be men- tioned is the successful restoration of the "Thomas H. Hicks Monument" by the efforts of this Society, aided by the Grand Army of Maryland. Said monument by an Act of the General Assembly of Maryland has been located during the summer in the Maryland Institute and an amount sufficient towards its future preservation has been secured. Among the Papers and Books received by our Library dur- ing the year are the following: 1. 13th Annual Report of the Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society. 2. History of Tucker County, W. Va.—By Henry Max- well. 3. History of Hamsphire County, W. Va.—By Henry Max- well and Swisher. v 4. Geschichte der Evang.-Luth.  Synode von Iowa.—By Rev. Deindoerfer. 5. The 78th, 79th and 80th Annual Reports of the New York State Library.     6. Second Annual Report of the New York State Librarian. 7. Obituary Record of Franklin and Marshall   College, Vol. I, No. 2. 8. Leben des General-Majors Andreas Jackson.—By J. H. Eaton. 9. Jahresbericht der deutschen Gesellschaft von New Or- leans. 10. Caspar Maier and his Successors. 11. History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers in the War of 1861—1865. 12. Volume VIII of the Pennsylvania-German Society. 13. The Manuscripts and Early Printed Books bequeathed to the Long Island Historical Society by Samuel B. Duryea. 14. The Dutch and the Iroquois.—By Rev. Ch. H. Hall, D.D. 15. Fund Publications Nos. 33—34, by the Maryland His- torical Society. 16. Historical Discourses at the Sesqui-Centennial Celebra- tions of the Ev. Luth. Jordan Church of Tulpehoken and the Ev. Luth. Church of Whitehall Township, Pa. 17. Das 155ste Jahresfest der Jerusalems-Kirche in Salz- burg Township, Pa. 18. Military Papers of Daniel T. Tompkins, Governor of New York 1807—1817.   Second War with Great Britain Series. Volume I. 19. The Huguenot Emigration to Virginia.—By R.A.Brock. 20. Bremisches Jahrbuch, Volume 18. VI The Society owes thanks to the following donors : The Enoch Pratt Free Library; Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society; St. Louis Mercantile Society; Historische Gesellschaft des Künstler-Vereins in Bremen; New York State Library ; Franklin and Marshall College; Historical Society of Maryland; Leland Stanford, Jr., University; Oelrichs & Co.; Long Island Historical Society; Pennsylvania-German Society; General Adjutant of Maryland; The Virginia Historical So- ciety; Mr. Hermann Schuricht; Prof. Hanno Deiler; Rev. Dr. Sadtler; the Proprietors of the "German Correspondent" and the "Baltimore Journal;" the Germania Club. The Society laments the loss of three of its active members by death during the year, viz: Mr. Jacob Gminder, who departed this life Sept. 10th, 1898. Mr. Frederick Walpert, who died Sept. 29th, 1898, and Mr. Charles Hilgenberg, who died Jan. 23d, 1899. Mr. W. A. Marburg and Prof. H. Froehliger resigned from their membership. Five new members were added; thus we enter upon the new year with the same number of active members as those of last year, viz: fifty-seven. Respectfully submitted, F. PH. HENNIGHAUSEN, Secretary. BALTIMORE, MD., February 21st, 1899.