ON. WILLIAM L. MAY, president of the Nebraska Fish Commission, is a native of Ohio, and was educated in the public schools and academies of that state.

He came to Nebraska in 1861, started as a clerk and afterwards became a member of the wholesale grocery firm of May Bros. of Fremont. In 1878 and 1879 he was president of the State Sportsmen's Association, origi-

nated the idea, prepared and secured the passage of the law establishing a fish commission, and was appointed and elected as its first president. In 1888 he was chosen president of the American Fisheries Society, and was again honored with that position in 1893. Since 1883 he has been a member of the executive committee of the last named organization, and is now its chairman. He was a member of the departmental jury of judges of the fisheries department of the World's Fair, and served with marked ability and distinction. For eighteen years he has been connected with our state fish commission. He initiated the plan of fish exhibits at the Nebraska state fairs, and has had supervision of these interesting and useful object lessons. He was prominently urged as the choice of the west for United States commissioner of fish and fisheries, and was strongly supported by Secretary Morton of the last administration. Commissioner May most happily combines the qualities of business and enthusiasm in his administration of this important department.

UDGE JOHN S. KIRKPATRICK, member of the Nebraska Fish Commission, was born in Fayette county, Iowa, October 23, 1858. His parents were of Scotch-Irish descent, but the family for three generations had been native Americans. His father served in the war of the rebellion as a member of the Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and the family moved to Madison county, Iowa, immediately after the war, remaining

until 1873, when they came to Clay county, Nebraska, where they now reside. John S. was educated in the common schools of Iowa and Nebraska, took a two years' course in Western College, Iowa, and taught several terms in the central west. He began the study of law in St. Paul, this state, in the spring of 1880, was ad-

mitted to the bar, and located in Broken Bow, where he practiced with success for thirteen years. He was employed as county attorney by the commissioners of Custer county in the spring of 1882 and served until the passage of the law constituting that position an elective office, after which he was elected, served one term, and declined a re-election. In 1896 he was unanimously nomi-