He was well known to the members of the Bar of Baltimore City for his thorough and accurate work, and his extreme patience and good nature. His law practice was more in the line of conveyancing than any other field, and he was rated as among the best conveyancers in Baltimore City. He was associated during the whole of his legal career with the office of Hinkley & Morris, becoming a partner after the death of Mr. John T. Morris, in 1909, at which time the firm of Hinkley, Spamer & Hisky was formed, his associates in that firm being John Hinkley, Thomas Foley Hisky, Louis J. Burger and Frederick J. Singley.

Mr. Spamer was a Union Veteran of the Civil War, having served in the Third Maryland Volunteer Infantry from March 22, 1864, until his discharge, on July 31, 1865, having participated in the battles of the Wilderness and of Spottsylvania Court House. He was much interested in the Grand Army of the Republic, and was appointed by Governor Warfield on the commission which erected a monument to the Union soldiers and sailors, which was dedicated in 1909.

Mr. Spamer's death occurred at Baltimore on January 7, 1912.

HATTERSLEY W. TALBOTT.

Hattersley W. Talbott was born in that part of Anne Arundel County now included in Howard County on August 26, 1842. His family had been identified with. Maryland history since its earliest beginnings. He was educated in the preparatory schools of Howard County, and entered St. John's College, at Annapolis, but left during his junior year, in May, 1861, when the college was closed by the opening of the Civil War. He taught school in Howard County until February, 1865, during which time he pursued the study of the legal profession, and in November, 1866, after having spent two years in West Vir

ginia in business and in the practice of his profession, he moved to Rockville, in Montgomery County, where he began the practice of law, and continued to exemplify the highest ideals of that profession until his death, which occurred on the first day of May, nineteen hundred and twelve.

Mr. Talbott was a man of studious habits, fond of books, and one of the best read men on Maryland and American History in the State. He was a member of the Maryland Historical Society, and of the Society of the War of 1812, and took great interest in the work of these Associations. He was fond of visiting the scenes of the great conflicts, both of the War for Independence and of the Civil War, and his fund of information with regard to those great events and their physical surroundings was accurate and extremely interesting. But he was in no sense a recluse, being fond of social life, a good story teller, an entertaining companion and charming in the ordinary social intercourse. He was fond of his fellows, and fond of being with them, and was much interested in all public affairs. In politics he was an ardent Democrat, serving for many years as chairman of the State Central Committee for his county, and for four years as chairman of the State Committee. In 1893 he was elected to the Senate of Maryland, and served during the sessions of 1894 and 1896, where he won for himself a place in the esteem and affection of all those with whom he was there associated, forming some friendships with members of both parties, which lasted for his life. From 1900 to 1904 he was Commissioner of Immigration for the State of Maryland.

To all these offices he brought the same conscientious and careful application and the same fair mind and earnest labor that characterized his professional career. He was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in 1884 and in 1888; was a presidential elector for the Sixth District; but, while outspoken in his advocacy of the principles of his chosen political faith, his personal friendships

were never affected thereby, and, among his most valued business and social friends were many of the leading Republicans of his county and Stote.

In home affairs he was prominent in all lines of business and professional activities. In 1885 he was made a director on the part of the State of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, a director of the Montgomery County National Bank, of Rockville, since its organization, in 1884, and its vice-president from 1894; a member of the Board of Trustees of the Rockville Academy, and for many years prior to his death its president; and, since 1900 president of the Montgomery County Bar Association. Mr. Talbott was a Mason, and a past master of his lodge. He was attached to the Protestant Episcopal Church, and since 1870 a vestryman of Christ Church, at Rockville.

On February 10, 1874, Mr. Talbott married Laura Williams Holland, the daughter of Lieutenant Zachariah Holland, of the United States Navy, and Laura Williams Holland, the latter a descendant of General Otho Holland Williams, of Revolutionary fame. Two sons were born to that marriage; one is an electrical engineer, living in the City of New Orleans, and the other a lawyer, practicing his profession in Rockville.

Mr. Talbott was a member of this Association, having been one of its vice-presidents, and was always interested in its objects and helpful in the administration of its affairs.

No better evidence can be had of the estimate held by his associates of his personal character and professional attainments than the fact that, without his knowledge, every resident member of the Montgomery County Bar, regardless of political affiliation, united, at the death of Judge McSherry, in a written request to Governor Warfield to appoint him to the office of Chief Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Maryland. Written between the lines of such an endorsement was the very highest possible testimonial of the learning, ability, integrity and character

of that one whose appointment was sought with such unusual unanimity.

Of his connection with, and position at, the bar no more discriminating expression can be given than the minute adopted by the Bench and Bar of Montgomery County at the term of Court coming next after his death, which is here incorporated:

"In the death of Hattersley W. Talbott the Bar of Montgomery County has lost its oldest member in active practice, whether we count by the years of his life or the years of his service. For forty-six years he practiced his profession in our midst with industry and rectitude that won success and crowned his life of three score and ten years with the respect and confidence and affection of his fellow

men.

"The dominant traits of his character were faithfulness to the trusts reposed in him, and zeal in promoting the just interests of his clients. Avoiding as far as possible the conspicuous contests of the court room, he devoted his time and talents to the arduous and exacting labors of the office, and ripened into the careful, painstaking lawyer and the sound and reliable adviser of that class of clients who shun litigation and seek counsel in the conduct of the common, but important, business affairs that arise from day to day in the lives of men. In the evolution of our industrial conditions and material development the field he chose is, perhaps, when enduring results are considered, more substantial in its benefits and more far-reaching in its consequences than the spectacular, and often splendid, and always more attractive, conflicts of the forum, into which neither his tastes nor his temperament prompted him to enter. And in his chosen field he displayed the capacity, the common sense, the conscientious hard work, the justice and the regard for the rights of those with whom he had to contend, which distinguished the well-equipped lawer and the trusted counsellor.

"As a citizen he was public-spirited, ready at all times to contribute his time and means to advance the welfare of the community to which he came as a young man to meet the struggle of life, which he faithfully served for ten years as Mayor, and in which, at the close, he occupied a foremost position..

"He won a prominent place in the councils of his party and filled offices of high trust and responsibility at the hands of the people, in all of which he displayed the efficiency and integrity which established him firmly in the esteem of those who had called him to serve.

"His was a clean, useful and well spent life, the outgrowth of a kind heart and generous nature; and we pay this tribute to his merit in recognition of an example that is worthy to be followed, and in loving memory of associations that were imtimate and sincere."

FRANCIS GANTT.

Francis Gantt died at his home in Prince Frederick, on February 5, 1912, after an illness of nearly five months.

Mr. Gantt held a number of positions of trust and responsibility. Early in his career he taught in one of the public schools of the county, during which time he continued the study of law, having taken it up while principal of Friendship High School, in Anne Arundel county, and started practice here in 1890, and that year was appointed by the court State's Attorney, succeeding Judge Briscoe who was elevated to the Bench. Under the former system of collecting the taxes he was a tax collector in the Third district. Afterwards he was elected State's Attorney of the county, and at the time of his death was counsel to the Board of County Commissioners and Examiner in Equity in the Circuit Court. He also represented the county for two sessions in the House of Delegates. Mr. Gantt was 64 years of age, and is survived by his wife, who was Miss Margaret Waring Hall, of Woodville, Prince George's