ISAACK ESLEECK SHELDON. ISAACK ESLEECK SHELDON, the president of the publishing house of Sheldon & Company, died suddenly at his country residence in Rye, N. Y., on the morning of June 30. He was born in Albany, N. Y., December 20, 1835, and was graduated from Rochester University in 1857. In the spring of 1858 he was admitted as a partner in the firm of Sheldon, Blakeman & Co., of which his father, Smith Sheldon, was the senior partner.*

Mr. Sheldon came from old New England stock, his ancestors having come to this country in 1634 and settled in Massachusetts. His maternal great-great-grandfather, Isaac Esleeck, was a wealthy merchant and shipowner in Rhode Island early in the 17th century. The family afterward removed to Albany, N. Y., where Welcome Esleeck, the late Mr. Sheldon's grandfather, was a prominent lawyer and practised in that city with great ability for many years.

Mr. Sheldon's grandfather on his father's side was Alexander Sheldon, a well-known physician who came from Connecticut about the year 1790 and settled in Charleston, Montgomery Co., N. Y. He was a graduate of Yale College, a man of much force of character, was a judge of probate, one of the regents of the University of the State of New York, and took an active part in politics, being speaker of the lower branch of the legislature for twelve terms. Smith Sheldon, his son, and the father of the late Mr. Sheldon, was born in Charleston, N. Y., in 1811. He entered upon a mercantile life, and after a successful career of seventeen years in the dry-goods business retired with a competency and with no thought or desire of again burdening himself with the cares and responsibilities inevitably connected with the conduct of business.

In 1854, however, he was induced by the repeated solicitations of prominent Baptists to come to New York City for the purpose of organizing a publishing house which, while liberal and unrestricted in its general features, might be considered as the representative book establishment of that denomination. Their united preferences indicated Mr. Sheldon as the one who, from his tact and business energy, and his extensive acquaintance with the denomination throughout the county (he being officially connected with nearly all the Baptist religious, benevolent and literary institutions,) seemed to be the best fitted to undertake so important an enterprise. Yielding, therefore, to the urgency of his denominational friends rather than to his own preferences, he took the initial step in his new vocation by purchasing the interest of Mr. Law in the firm of Lamport, Blakeman & Law, who eight months before had bought out Cornish, Lamport & Co., successors of the old firm of Nafis & Cornish.

The firm of Sheldon, Lamport & Blakeman was organized in the spring of 1854, and removed from 8 Park Place to 115 Nassau Street. Shortly after they bought out the firm of Lewis

*Mr. Smith Sheldon continued to be nominally the senior partner until his death September 1, 1884, at Nyack, N. Y. He took little active part, however, in the business of the firm after it became established, in 1876, at 8 Murray Street.

Colby & Co., who for several years had been carrying on a successful religious book business at 122 Nassau Street. By thus uniting the (Baptist) religious and theological business and connection of Colby & Co. with the schoolbook and miscellaneous business of Lamport, Blakeman & Law, the new firm entered at once upon a largely increased business.

The publishing of Spurgeon's sermons, which met with a wonderful success, far exceeding his home reputation, of Olshausen's "Commentaries," of which they sold thousands of copies, and of the New York Pulpit, which was issued during the great revival of 1858, following the panic of 1857, gave name and a determining influence to the future career of the house.

In the spring of 1856 Mr. Lamport retired from the firm, and Hezekiah Shailer and Melancthon M. Hurd were admitted as partners. Mr. Shailer, a native of Haddam, Conn., was born in 1816, graduated at Brown University in 1846 with high honors, was for six years the principal of the high school at Brookline, Mass., and then came to New York, where in 1853 he entered into partnership with Lewis Colby. When the latter sold out, Mr. Shailert remained in the employ of the purchasing firm until he was received as partner. The firmname then became Sheldon, Blakeman & Co. In 1858, as already noticed, the late Mr. Isaac E. Sheldon was admitted as partner. In 1859 Mr. Blakeman withdrew from the firm, and, with Albert Mason, a clerk in the establishment, formed the firm of Blakeman & Mason. In 1862 the firm of Sheldon & Co. removed to 335 Broadway, and two years later Mr. Hurd retired and with Mr. Houghton formed the firm of Hurd & Houghton. In 1865 Sheldon & Co. removed to 498-500 Broadway.

At the beginning of the war, in 1861, the house of Pratt, Oakley & Co., 21 Murray Street, which was extensively engaged in school-book publishing and did business mainly with the South, was obliged to succumb. Their large and valuable list, comprising some of the best and most successful text-books in use at that time, passed into the hands of Sheldon & Co. These publications included Dr. Bullions's series of Latin and Greek textbooks, Olney's geographies, Comstock's scientific series, and Professors Dodd's, Enos's, Benedict's, and Whitlock's mathematical works. Subsequently, also, they purchased a number of works pub'ished by Derby & Jackson.

Although already leaning strongly toward educational literature, the list of Sheldon &

* Lewis Colby was a retired clergyman, who com menced business in a small way, in 1844, and by his good property before he sold out. management had accumulated a very handsome little His list at that time comprised about fifty works, including those of Dr. Williams, Dr. Pharcellus Church. Dr. Dowling, Mrs. Judson, and Mrs. Conant. The "Co." was Edward H. Fletcher, who received his book education in the Boston house of Gould, Kendall & Lincoln and commenced business with Mr. Colby. In 1848, however, the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Fletcher removing to 141 Nassau Street, and from thence, in 1854, to the buildings on the site of the present Bible House.

+ Mr. Shailer retired from the firm in 1877, and returned to Haddam, Conn., where he came to his death in a singular manner, on July 9, 1878. On the day in question he was with his brother in the barn unloading hay. A violent storm came up and the barn was struck by lightning. Mr. Shailer was at the very top, and was either killed by the stroke or stunned beyond possibility of escape. The barn instantly took fire, and was burned to the ground, and only a few charred bones were found of Mr. Shailer's remains.

Co. at this time embraced many of the best standard works in the English language, and in juvenile literature ranked with the largest and most successful publishers in the country. Their series comprised the "Rollo Books," Abbott's series of "American Histories," "Aunt Fanny's" books, and those by Peter Parley, J. T. Trowbridge, Mrs. E. Stuart Phelps, and numerous others equally popular. From 1866 to 1877 they published The Galaxy, one of the best monthly magazines ever published in this country.*

As the methods of distributing text-books changed it was found impracticable to divide forces between the steadily growing schoolbook branch and the miscellaneous department. They therefore decided to sell out their miscellaneous stock, which was taken over by Charles T. Dillingham, while the plates passed into the hands of various other houses.

Six years ago Sheldon & Co. acquired the school and college text-books of the firm of Taintor Brothers & Co. In January of this year the corporation of Sheldon & Company also took over the business of E. H. Butler & Co., of Philadelphia, who already had absorbed the old school-book publishing house of Cowperthwait & Co. In 1896 the firm removed to 43-45 East Twelfth Street, and on February 1, 1897, the firm of Sheldon & Co., which continued publishing the few religious books and church hymn-books that had been retained by the old firm when it disposed of its miscellaneous publishing business, officially passed out of existence and the remaining books have since been published with the imprint of "I. E. Sheldon."

We have thus fully recalled the history of the firm because from the time Mr. Isaac Sheldon was admitted as a partner his life became very largely a part of the business. He was identified with all the movements toward bettering and elevating the trade, and was a leader in the early struggle for international copyright. Indeed, from the very day on which he became a publisher until 1891, when international copyright was assured, he kept ceaselessly at work in making propaganda for revising the copyright laws and securing recognition for the foreign author.

In his capacity as publisher Mr. Sheldon came into intimate relations with many men of prominence in this country. He was publisher for Generals Scott, McClellan, and Custer, and was their intimate friend. General Custer dined for the last time in New York at Mr.

* In 1859 Mr. Smith Sheldon with a number of others planned to publish in New York a daily religious newspaper-" a daily moral paper-that was to give all the news, to shut out the wretched criminal police reports, to ignore the slander suits and prurient divorce cases; not to shock the public with the horrid details of murders, but to give the news, such as ought to satisfy any reasonable being indeed, it was to be conducted on high moral principles, excluding even advertisements of theatres. Alexander Cummings, formerly of the North American of Philadelphia, was selected as editor and manager of the paper, which was entitled The New York World. The paper made its first appearance in June, 1860, and continued to appear as a religious daily until July 1, 1861, when it changed hands and became a secular paper-a worldly World, and has not since deviated from its new path." Two hundred thousand dollars was spent in the attempt to provide a thoroughly up-to-date, clean newspaper-but it was doomed to failure on the day of its appearance-because the very constituency for which it was intended would have none of it. Mr. Sheldon's connection with the management of the paper ceased shortly after the first number was published.

Sheldon's house before leaving for the front and his fatal battle with the Sioux under Sitting Bull.

During the war Mr. Sheldon was within the lines at Fortress Monroe at the time of the battle of the Merrimac and Monitor, and, standing at the fort, he viewed at close range the entire battle. The late Mr. Childs, editor of The Philadelphia Ledger, on learning of this fact, had the train upon which Mr. Sheldon had started for New York stopped, and insisted upon his going at once to the office of the Ledger and writing an account of the battle. This he did, and the account was published throughout the country, and was the first information received by the public of this great event.

Mr. Sheldon was a member of the Aldine Club, the American Yacht Club, and other clubs, and was one of the early members of the Fleetwood Club. He belonged to the distinguished group that for many years discussed breeding theories in the smoking-room at Stony Ford, and he was one of our oldest roadriders. He was a keen lover of the trotter, and on two occasions judged the light-harness classes at the National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden in New York City.

He leaves a widow (a daughter of the late Judge E. Darwin Smith, of the New York Supreme Court,) and two daughters, Mrs. Arthur Outram Sherman and Mrs. Henry M. Requa, Jr. A. G.

OBITUARY NOTES.

D. FRANK HAYES, manager of the late Boston Book Company of Brooklyn, N. Y., died on the 2d inst. at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Henry M. Spencer, of Dunmore, Pa.

REAR-ADMIRAL DANIEL AMMEN died at the Navy Hospital in Washington on the 11th inst. He was born in Brown County, Ohio, May 15, 1820. He was the author of The Atlantic

Coast During the Civil War" and "The Old Navy and the New."

PARKER PILLSBURY, who was prominently identified with the anti-slavery movement forty years ago, died in Concord, N. H., on the 7th inst., aged 89 years. Pillsbury was born in Hamilton, Mass, September 22, 1809. He published Acts of the Anti-Slavery Apostles," and various reform pamphlets.

44

GEORGE S. CONOVER, the well-known historian of the Seneca Indians, died at Geneva, N. Y., on the 5th inst., aged 74 years. Mr. Conover began the study of Iroquois Indian history, especially that of the Senecas, nearly fifty years ago, and was recognized as one of the leading authorities on the Indian occupation and pioneer settlement of Western New York. His pamphlet on "Red Jacket" and Sayenqueraghta, or "Old Smoke," the King of the Senecas, are considered to be of great historical value. Mr. Conover's greatest work was a manuscript history of Western New York, in four immense volumes. This was started many years ago as a history of Kanadasaga, a Seneca Indian village, which stood where Geneva now stands, but the scope of the work broadened until it became the largest and one of the most valuable manuscript records on that part of the country. There were five copies made from the original work, one of which is in the State Library at Albany.

gentler sex-to fill one car took the Staten Island boat at the foot of Whitehall Street for St. George, where the car was waiting. The trip was direct to Midland Beach, where the party spent over two hours. Before returning home Mr. Douglas photographed the company in groups and also altogether in the car. Leaving Midland Beach a more extended trip was taken along the route of the Midland Trolley, returning to St. George. The weather cleared up shortly before the ride began, so that there was nothing to mar the comfort and enjoyment of the party, which got back to New York at 8 o'clock in the evening.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC NOTES.

DR. SAMUEL A. GREEN has prepared and published through John Wilson & Son, University Press, Cambridge, Mass., "A Supplementary List of Early American Imprints belonging to the Massachusetts Historical Society, with the dates of two early commencements at Cambridge." (15 p. 16°.)

BERTRAM DOBELL, of Charing Cross Road, London, Eng., has in preparation, for early publication, the first part of his "Catalogue of Early Dublin-Printed Books, 1601 to 1700." It has been compiled by E. R. McC. Dix, and has an historical introduction and bibliographical notes by C. Winston Dugan.

The Book Buyer for July contains the third instalment of an interesting series of articles on "The Best Musical Books," prepared by Frank H. Marling, well known to the book trade as one of the representatives of the Scribner staff. The series is written in an attractive style and will prove suggestive to the student of music as well as to the general reader.

G. Hedeler, 18 Nürnbergerstrasse, Leipzig, has just issued the third part of his "List of Private Libraries," containing in alphabetical order the names and brief descriptions of 817 important collections in Germany. An index to subjects enables the reader to determine which collectors devote themselves to the specialties indexed. The first part, published a year ago, gives the same information of 601 of the more important American private libraries. The second part will be devoted to the private libraries of Great Britain, and will also contain the additions to the first and third parts that may have accumulated at the time when the second part is ready for publication. The information in every case is given in English, German, and French. (104+10 p. interleaved. 8°, pap., $2.50.)

G. BERGHMAN has brought out in French a 'Supplément à l'Ouvrage sur Les Elzevier de M. Alphonse Willems," which he dedicates to M. Willems. Twelve years ago Dr. Berghman published a work on Elzevirs. While engaged upon a revision of this he studied the catalogue of Damascène Morgand, which is conceded to be the most complete in existence. He differs from many of Morgand's statements and has freely criticised the work of the latter while adding to

his own work all the new titles contained in the catalogue. To this catalogue of Morgand's M. Willems wrote the introduction, which is a model of just, fearless, and appreciative criticism.

Dr. Berghman found that M. Willems could not bring out a new edition of his great work revised to date according to the newest discoveries, and offered to put his own studies in the form of a supplement to Willems' work. This has now been published at the Imprimerie Iduns Tryckeri Aktiebolag, Stockholm, and embodies practically all the learning on the subject of Elzevirs at present available. (18+ 173 p. 8°.)

CATALOGUES OF NEW AND SECOND-HAND BOOKS.― Albert Britnell, 248 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ont., Special clearance catalogue of Canadiana, Americana, periodicals, theology, etc. (No. 14, 1034 titles.)-Francis Edwards, 83 High Street, London, W., Standard editions of popular authors, examples of early printers, early wood engravings, etc. (No. 233, 677 titles.)—Ellis & Elvey, 29 New Bond St., London, W., Summer catalogue of choice books and manuscripts. (No. 89. 516 titles.)-George D. Fearey, 606 Wyandotte St., Kansas City, Mo., First editions, rare imprints and fine bindings. (74 p. 16°.)—A. C. McClurg & Co., Chicago, Selected list of books suitable for school Ave., N. Y., Translations from the French, a libraries. (86 p. 16°.)—C. S. Pratt, 161 6th 8°.)-Librairie C. Reinwald, (Schleicher frères,) few old English novels and rare books. (4 p. Général. (28 p. 8°.)-A. Russell Smith, 24 15 Rue des Saints-Pères, Paris, Catalogue Great Windmill St., London, Eng., Early English literature, old military treatises, theology, sports, etc. (No. 5, 950 titles.) E. Steiger & Co., 25 Park Place, N. Y., Monatliche übersicht d. bedeutenderen erscheinungen des deutschen buchhandels. (Nos. 65, 66, May-June, 65-96 p. 16°:)

BUSINESS NOTES.

ALVIN, TEX.-S. R. Ashby has opened "Ashby's Bargain Store," where he will keep books, stationery, etc. He will be pleased to receive catalogues and announcements from book publishers.

BALTIMORE, MD.-The Medical and Standard Book Company has been incorporated by H. T. Ducker, E. Slye, A. C. Chase, J. G. Hickes, and J. M. Hawkins.

CHICAGO, ILL.-C. M. Barnes Co. have made arrangements with T. J. Brett, formerly with A. C. McClurg & Co., to represent them in the State of Illinois.

DENVER, COLO.-J. H. Warren, of the Warren & Walker Book and Stationery Company, has severed his connection with that firm, and is now in charge of the book and stationery departments of Daniels & Fisher.

HOUSTON, TEX.-The estate of George W. Baldwin, bookseller and stationer, is paying all claims in full.

MEADVILLE, PA.-Hall & Lippert, booksellhave assigned.

ers,

been appointed receiver of the Kingdom Publishing Company, on the petition of the American Book Company.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.-Walter M. Carroll has

MT. PLEASANT, MICH.-Fred Vowles & Co. have bought B. A. Isabell's book business.

NEW YORK CITY.-The latest addition to the ranks of publishers is the firm of Hadley & Mathews, which has just been formed between William B. Hadley, recently president of the New Amsterdam Book Company, and E. Roscoe Mathews, who has for some time past been connected with Charles Scribner's Sons. They will devote their attention primarily to the importing of editions of English books and the publication of the best class of literature. Their headquarters are at 156 Fifth Avenue.

NEW YORK CITY.-E. R. Herrick Co. has divided into the two separate publishing houses of J. Parker White and the E. R. Herrick Co.

NEW YORK CITY.-An interesting news item to the publishing world is the reorganization and incorporation, on July 1, of the Frank Leslie Publishing House, founded in 1855 by Frank Leslie, and since 1880 the exclusive property of Mrs. Frank Leslie. The president of the new company is Mrs. Frank Leslie, while Frederic L. Colver, who has managed the property for the past three years, is secretary and treasurer. Extensive improvements will be made in the printing plant and all departments of Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly this fall.

NEWTON, KAN.-W. J. Puett, bookseller, has been succeeded by W. H. Converse.

NORFOLK, VA.-M. G. Nusbaum, the head of The Nusbaum Book and News Company, has secured the book and stationery stand in the new Monticello Hotel, which will be opened on October I next. Mr. Nusbaum will carry on this stand under the firm-name of The Monticello Book and News Company.

LITERARY AND TRADE NOTES.

D. APPLETON & Co. will publish in the fall an historical novel dealing with the relations of Great Britain and the United Statis in the years 1811-1815, written by Joseph A. Altsheler.

PETER ECKLER, 35 Fulton Street, New York, has published "Voltaire's Letters on the eminent writers who have been accused of attacking the Christian religion, addressed to His Highness the Prince of ***."

THE FUNK & WAGNALLS PUBLISHING Co. will publish in the fall the complete poems of Richard Realf, with a memoir by his friend and literary executor, Col. Richard J. Hinton, author of John Brown and His Men."

THE LANDON PRINTING AND PUBLISHING Co., 20 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio, anof North American Birds," by Oliver Davie, nounce the fifth edition of "Nest and Eggs greatly enlarged and thoroughly revised.

G. T. RIDLON, SR., South Hiram, Me., author of Saco Valley Settlements and Families," will publish shortly The Bannocks of Buttertown" and "The Quaint Saints of Buttertown," two interesting works on rustic life in New England.

THE WILLIAMS & WILKINS COMPANY, of Baltimore, have just issued "Some of Our People," a book of tales by Lynn R. Meekins, author of "Robb's Island Wreck," which contains a portrait sketch of the author by Castaigne. A new edition of "Robb's Island Wreck" is also announced.

ELMWOOD, the home of James Russell Lowell, is to be turned into a memorial park after all. The enthusiastic men and women who had the matter in hand were obliged to raise the money for its purchase within a given time, and contributions came in so slowly that they were in despair, but now they have the full amount and a little over.

DETECTIVE WILKINS, of Easton, Pa., sent to Heart Lake, near Montrose, Pa., to recover the rare books which George H. Stephens, the former professor at Lafayette College, confessed to taking before he set fire to Pardee Hall, found in several boxes addressed to Stephens at his home 127 volumes of rare books which Stephens had taken from the va

NORTH BALTIMORE, O.-G. W. Wilkinson succeeds W. R. Post & Co., booksellers. PHOENIX, ARIZ.-The Irvine Company, booksellers and stationers, is offering a 25 per cent. cash settlement.

noted by us, were printed a short time ago in successive issues of the Boston Transcript. In answer to numerous inquiries on the sub

Co.

ROCKLAND, ME.-A. F. Addison has opened a bookstore here.

SAULT STE. MARIE, MICH.-Conway & Rudeel have opened a news and book store here. SPARTA, WIS.-F. G. French, bookseller, has been succeeded by Thorbus & Gross.

place of revenue stamps, except such as have states that postage stamps cannot be used in been imprinted by the Government with the letters "I. R." If the ordinary postage stamps not so imprinted are used for internal revenue purposes the documents or articles to which they are applied will be regarded unstamped and treated accordingly. Attention is also called to the fact that imprinted stamps cannot be used in payment of postage.