WILDER, Marshall Pinckney, merchant, born in Rindge, New Hampshire, 22 September, 1798; died in Boston, Massachusetts, 16 December, 1886. He received a common-school education, and engaged in farming, but in 1819 became a partner of his father, who was a merchant in his native place. In 1825 he removed to Boston, where he established a wholesale business in West India goods, and in 1837 he became a member of the commission firm of Parker, Blanchard and Wilder. He acquired a large fortune, and served also as a director in many commercial or financial companies. Mr. Wilder served in the legislature in 1839, in the governor's council in 1849, and in the state senate, of which he was president, in 1850, and he was one of the founders of the Constitutional Union party in 1860, being chairman of the Massachusetts delegation to its National convention of that year, which nominated Bell and Everett. Throughout the war he was a firm supporter of the United States government. He took special interest in agriculture and horticulture, was president of the Massachusetts agricultural society for eight years, of the Norfolk agricultural society for twenty years, and for six years of the United States agricultural society, of which he was the founder. He was also a founder of the American pomological society, and became its president on its organization in 1848, continuing many years in office. The value of his researches in hybridization and fruit-culture were recognized not, only in the United States but abroad. Mr. Wilder was also president of the New England historic genealogical society from 1868 till 1886, and was a leader in the movement that gave to Boston the Natural history rooms and the Institute of technology. He published a large number of historical, agricultural, and other addresses, including those " On Laying the Corner-Stone of the First Massachusetts Horticultural Hall" (Boston, 1844)" "On the 225th Anniversary of the Settlement of Dorchester" (1855)" annual addresses before the Historic-genealogical society (1868-'73)" lectures on "California" (1871)and "The Hybridization of Plants" (1872) ; " On the Progress and Influence of Rural Art" (1872)" and addresses before the American pomological society (1848-'73) and the United States agricultural society (1852-'6).