INTRODUCTORY. The Historical Society of Berks County was organized on August 5, 1869, in pursuance of a call issued on July 9 preceding. A Charter of Incorporation was granted to the Society by the Court of Common Pleas of Berks County, December 13, 1869, and a permanent organization effected thereunder by the election of the following officers: President-William M. Hiester. Vice-Presidents—Jesse G. Hawley, Samuel L. Young, Hiester Clymer, J. Pringle Jones. Corresponding Secretary-Henry May Keim. Recording Secretary-Harrison Maltzberger. A code of By-Laws was adopted, under which the annual dues were fixed at ten dollars. The number of members originally associated and subsequently elected was forty-nine. Although the Society was composed of highly intelligent material and started with vigorous purpose, its meetings were discontinued after the lapse of one year from the date of organization. The only paper read before it was one on 'The Place of the Ringgold Light Artillery of Reading among the First Defenders," delivered by the President, Hon. William M. Hiester, on June 14, 1870, subsequently published, and now reprinted in the present volume. After a suspension of the operations of the Society for a period of twenty-eight years, a movement was started in the early part of 1898 for its reorganization under the original charter. Pursuant to a call issued on February 1 of that year a series of meetings was held at the rooms of the Reading Board of Trade at which the necessary steps were taken to secure such reorganization through the action of a competent number of the surviving original members. This plan being consummated on March 8, the work |