CHAP. 612 --An ACT to incorporate the Eastern Shore Historical Society of Virginia

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia,
That John W. Edmunds, John S. Wise, Abel T. Ashby, T.
H. Bayley Browne, Griffin C. Callahan, John E. West,
George W. Easter, and such other persons as may hereafter be associated with them, be, and they are hereby, incorporated and made a body politic and corporate under
the name of the Eastern Shore historical society of Virginia
, having for its object the collection, preservation, and
diffusion of knowledge, civil, literary and biographical,
and the collection of all historical facts usually recorded
in local history that may be connected or identified with
the past and present history of the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and to record events that shall occur in its future.

2. The said corporation shall have power to adopt a seal and to change the same, to sue and be sued, to acquire by
lease or purchase, a suitable building or room, library,
furniture for the uses of the corporation; to borrow money
for such purposes and issue bonds therefor, and to secure
the same by mortgage or deed of trust, and generally to
acquire by gift, devise, bequest or otherwise, and to hold,
transfer, and convey any and all such real or personal property as it may have and may be necessary to carry out
the purposes of this corporation: provided, it shall not
hold real estate exceeding in value the sum of fifty thousand dollars.

3. The said corporation shall have power to make and
adopt a constitution and by-laws not inconsistent with the
laws of the commonwealth, rules and regulations for the admission, government, suspension and expulsion of its members,the collection of fees and dues,the election of its officers,and to define their duties, and for the safe-keeping of its property and the management of its affairs, and to alter, modify and change such constitution, by-laws, rules, and
regulations from time to time.

4. All interest of any member of said corporation in
its property shall terminate and vest in the corporation
upon his ceasing to be a member thereof by death, resignation, expulsion, or otherwise.

5. The persons first named in this act, or such of them
as shall accept the provisions thereof, shall continue the
first board of directors of the said society. At such first
meeting and at every annual meeting so many directors
shall be elected as may be prescribed by the by-laws and
regulations of said society, who shall continue in office
until their successors shall be elected and qualified.

6. The annual meeting of the society shall be held at
such place and times as are prescribed by the constitution
and by-laws.

7. All taxes and debts due, or may become due, by said
society to the state of Virginia shall be paid in lawful
money of the United States and not in coupons.

8. This act shall be in force from its passage, but the
general assembly of the state of Virginia reserves the
right to modify, alter or repeal this act at any time hereafter.