to take the convention oath, and held the position until his death. He was regarded as one of the best lawyers of the State in his time.

Wellesley Club.-A St. Louis club composed of those who have been students of Wellesley College, not necessarily graduates. On the occasion of the visit to St. Louis, early in 1891, of Mrs. Alice Freeman Palmer, formerly president of Wellesley College, a dinner was given in her honor by the young women of St. Louis who had attended Wellesley. Mrs. Palmer expressed her regret at the lack of a college organization, and it was decided by those present to form a Wellesley Club. The object was social intercourse and to keep in touch with Wellesley. The meetings were held monthly at the homes of members. A literary program was maintained for some time, but was dropped later, and the Wellesley Club has for some time past centered its energies on raising and increasing a fund for the purpose of sending and keeping a pupil at Wellesley. This annual scholarship is given as a prize, awarded through competitive examination. The first pupil for the year 1898-9 passed examination. on questions sent from Wellesley upon special application, and the St. Louis organization is the first Wellesley Association to undertake the maintenance of a student. The fund is raised from yearly dues and the proceeds of entertainments. Miss Fuller, Miss Adelaide Denis, Miss Hannah Case, Miss Allen, Miss Anna Vieths, Miss Louise McNair and Mrs. Frank Henderson have successively presided over the Wellesley Club, which numbers thirty members.

Welling, Charles, for many years a leading citizen of Cape Girardeau County, was born September 24, 1812, in Hunterdon (now Mercer) County, New Jersey, son of Charles and Mary (Sexton) Welling, who went from Long Island to New Jersey at an early date and settled near Trenton. The parents were of sturdy Welsh-Irish stock, and the elder Welling was descended from ancestors who settled on Long Island in colonial days and left numerous descendants. Charles Welling was educated in the common schools of New Jersey, and came west when he was eighteen years of age, reaching St. Louis County in 1830. In 1831 he went

to Jackson, Cape Girardeau County, where he clerked in the general store of Ralph Guild, in which he afterward became a partner. This copartnership was dissolved in 1848, and later Mr. Welling was associated in business with Joseph W. Russell, who was a nephew of a very wealthy citizen of St. Louis bearing the same name. At a still later date he formed a partnership with J. V. Priest, and they were associated together in merchandising operations for seventeen years. At the end of that time Mr. Welling purchased his partner's interest and continued the business until 1888, when he was appointed postmaster at Jackson by President Cleveland, which office he filled for one term. He was first cashier of the Cape Girardeau Savings Bank, and held that position until he retired from business. For twelve years he was treasurer of Cape Girardeau County, and earned the high commendation of his fellow citizens through his capable conduct of the office and his strict integrity as a public servant. When but seventeen years of age Mr. Welling enlisted in the United States Army, and was in the military service of his country until his discharge was secured through his relative, Wilson P. Hunt, one of the noted pioneers of St. Louis. It was through Mr. Hunt's influence that he came to Missouri, and from 1830 until his death, which occurred June 11, 1900, he lived continuously in this State. As a man of affairs he did much to promote the development of Cape Girardeau County, and in church and charitable enterprises he was an equally willing and effective worker. When the First Presbyterian Church was organized in Jackson, in 1856, he was made an elder of the church, and for many years was its only elder, superintendent of its Sunday school, and, in all that the term implies, was a pillar of the church. At the time of his death, both in age and length of service, he was the oldest elder of the Potosi Presbytery. He united with the church when he was fifteen years of age, and throughout his entire life was a perfect type of the Christian gentleman. gentleman. The city of Jackson evidenced in the most emphatic manner its appreciation of his worth as a citizen on the day of his burial, when by proclamation of the mayor all business houses were closed from 9 a. m. until 10 a. m. as a mark of respect to the deceased. July 5, 1838, Mr. Welling married