Latin American countries have now been received, five trade-marks from Cuba having now been registered.

Dr. Irizar sent Mr. Rockwood, as a souvenir, a copy of the first Cuban trade-mark to be registered.

The article referred to has been favored by many complimentary reports from outside the office and will probably be published in other journals interested in or devoted to patent matters; Dr. Irizar states that he intends to publish it in the next issue of the Bulletin of his office.

JAMES T. NEWTON.

It is with much genuine sorrow and regret that this number of the Journal announces the resignation of the 32nd Commissioner of Patents, Hon. James Thornwell Newton. He has left a long public service to take charge of the American business of the great English patent firm of Marks & Clerk.

Mr. Newton was born on a plantation in Morgan County, Georgia, July 17, 1860. His great, great grandparents came from England. His great grandfather, Rev. John Newton, was born in Pennsylvania, but later located in North Carolina. Still later he removed to Georgia and established the first Presbyterian church in that State, in Oglethorpe County, near Lexington. His wife was Miss Catherine Lowrance. Commissioner Newton's paternal grandfather was Elizur Lowrance Newton, whose wife was a Miss Eliza Taylor Callier. His father was Dr. William H. Newton, eldest son of Elizur Lowrance and Eliza Newton. His mother was Miss Kitturah Walker, daughter of Edmund Walker of Morgan County, Georgia.

Mr. Newton was educated at the University of Georgia, located in the City of Athens of that State. He received the degree of Bachelor of Science at 19 years of age. He was principal of a school at Cuthbert, Georgia, and taught for five years. His first government position was a clerkship in the War Department.

Mr. Newton came to the Patent Office March 10, 1891, as a 4th Assistant Examiner. He was promoted to a 3rd Assistant Examiner and thereafter has served successively as a Law Clerk, Chief Clerk, Primary Examiner, Assistant Commissioner, First Assistant Commissioner, Examiner-in-Chief and Commissioner.

As Primary Examiner from April 13, 1895, to November 14, 1913, Mr. Newton had charge for many years of the different classes of adding machines, registers, horology and sound reproducing devices. For a long time he also had charge of the trade-mark and design work of the Office. In 1896 he compiled and published a digest of trade-mark decisions, and for a quarter of a century his mind has been a potent factor in shaping our trademark law and practice. His latest work in this direction is a revision of the Trade-Mark Rules, approved May 28, 1920, to conform with the very latest trade-mark legislation in this country, the Act of March 19, 1920.

More than to anything else, Mr. Newton possibly owes his success in life to the possession of a generous fund of plain common sense and to a rare knowledge of how to apply it. His greatest weakness is kindheartedness; his chiefest grace, good fellowship. Indefatigable in industry, always absolutely frank, with a beaming appreciation for things really worthy, and a scornful contempt for things merely vain, he possesses a character which has left delightful and abiding impressions upon those who have known him as he is.

Mr. Newton leaves the Patent Office with the good will not only of its employees but also of the inventors and of the patent bar of the entire country. His administration as Commissioner has extended through the most troublesome period of the World War. He has been constantly confronted with unique problems and most abnormal conditions. With these he has dealt astutely and he has consistently striven for means to enable the Office to satisfactorily render the great public service expected of it. He carries with him a universal wish for his future

success.

RECEPTION TO THE RETIRING COMMISSIONER.

On Tuesday, July 20th, a farewell reception was tendered to Commissioner James T. Newton by the employees of the Patent Office.

The rotunda was tastefully decorated with plants, flowers, and flags, and as the Commissioner was escorted to the platform, the entire assembly arose to their feet and applauded.

Mr. M. L. Whitney, acting as Chairman of a committee of employees, introduced Sidney F. Smith, President of the Patent Office Society, as presiding officer, who in a short address reflected the sorrow and regrets of the employees over the loss to the government service of one so intimately associated with them during so long a period, and then expressed best wishes for his future.

Dr. W. A. Kinnan, Chief of the Classification Division, was then called upon, who briefly reviewed the efficient work of the Commissioner, and, in behalf of all the employees of the Office, presented him with a beautifully engraved gold watch and chain as a testimonial of their appreciation, and a remembrance to him of their friendship.

Mr. William Lee of the Interference Division, on behalf of the colored employees of the Patent Office, presented the Commissioner with a large leather traveling bag as a token of their esteem and appreciation and with regrets for the severance of official ties.

Mr. Newton was quite overcome by the testimonial speeches and remembrances but managed to feelingly express his acknowledgements. He dwelt especially on his pride in the Office and its personnel, his pleasure in the long association with present and past employees, and stated his purpose, so far as possible, to continue the association.

All the employees then had an opportunity to shake hands with the Ex-Commissioner and wish him God speed and success in his new work.

MORTIMER D. LEGGETT.

BY C. C. REIF.

General Mortimer D. Leggett, the thirteenth Commissioner of Patents, while demonstrating unusual ability in several fields of activity, came into his greatest prominence in his military career and it is as a soldier that he is most widely known. Gen. Leggett was one of that stalwart group of leaders which the state of Ohio contributed to the Union cause in the Civil War. He was a warm friend of Gen. U. S. Grant and it is said when Grant became president Gen. Leggett was offered several desirable positions, but stated that there was but one particular office which he would like to hold and if it became vacant he would be glad to be considered for it, and that was the office of Commissioner of Patents. When this office became vacant by the resignation of Mr. Fisher, Gen. Leggett was appointed, his term extending from Jan. 16, 1871, until his resignation Nov. 1, 1874.

While a true product of Ohio, Mr. Leggett was by birth a native of New York state, his parents Isaac and Mary (Strong) Leggett having settled in Ohio in 1836. The future general was at that time fifteen years old, having been born at Ithaca, New York, April 19, 1821. His ancestors came from England about the middle of the previous century. As was the case with many other leaders from the same section, Mr. Leggett's education was not obtained without a struggle. Working hard during the days helping his father wrest a farm from the surrounding forest, he did his studying at night, as he himself related, by the light of hickory bark fires. By the assistance of his elder sister Eliza, he prepared sufficiently to enter the Kirkland Teachers' School from which he later graduated at the head of his class.

Mr. Leggett had an idea of practicing law and specializing in medical jurisprudence. After attending a law school, therefore, he also took a course in Willoughby Medical School at Willoughby, Q. His entry into the legal arena, however, was delayed as he became at this time

deeply interested in the matter of common schools. It is rather unusual to read that any great effort was necessary to establish a free common school system in the section whose charter was made famous by the clause that "schools and means of education should forever be encouraged". But it, was the case then as now and always that even laudable and meritorious things cannot be accomplished without energetic and devoted leadership. A group of men with vision and an appreciation of the value of education were making a fight in Ohio for free schools, and Mr. Leggett joined them in the movement. A party comprising Dr. A. D. Lord, Lorin Andrews, M. F. Cowdry and young Leggett stumped the state at their own expense in a campaign for free schools. Their efforts were at least partially successful and in the early forties a special law was passed for Akron, Ohio. Mr. Leggett, then but quite a young man, was called there and there he organized the first system of graded schools west of the Alleghenies. Mr. Leggett also was later in 1849 called to Warren, Ohio, and organized the school system at that place. It was here that in 1850 he began the practice of law.

It is said by an intimate acquaintance of Mr. Leggett's that the subject of schools and education was really his great hobby. It is not strange, therefore, that in 1857 he removed to Zanesville, Ohio, and became superintendent of schools at that place. He had previously been made professor of pleading and practice at Ohio State College located at Poland. It is not improbable that his career would have been in the educational field had not the coming of the Civil War so changed the course of his activities.

Commissioner Leggett's tendency and capacity for organization soon found expression in his career as Commissioner. It is worthy of note just at this time, when the Patent Committee of the National Research Council has recently made recommendations for the improvement of the patent system, that practically the same recommendations were made by Commissioner Leggett. On February 23, 1872, in a special communication to the Secretary of the Interior, then Mr. C. Delano, Commissioner Leggett recommended that the Patent Office be