ADDRESS
J. H. BENTON, Jxa,  

DEDICATION

BRA Ill“ 01%|) l’Ul%3lJI(3 lJ|%lL}R,A%|%%Y B U llJl)|N(

]3RADF()I%1I), V]33R1V.[ONT, JULY 4, 11895.

A H Isosswomg
AI‘)1)ISC)N C3. C5‘rE’1,‘C1-*II*3I..I4, I’I?.I.N"l‘I33%I?.,‘A
No. ‘:85 FR.AN’I.<’£I..IN S'mmm'r,

  1896.

‘V
I,

“The true university of these days is a collection of Books."

--—~ CARLYLE.

“ A good book is the precious life-blood of a. master-spirit, embalrned

and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life.”
--—-— MILTON.

ADDRESS.

Two sentiments dominate the day,«-———loyalty to the na-~
tion and love of learning. The one is typified by the flag
with its resplendent folds and glitte1'i11g stars, the other by
the beautiful building which we have met to dedicate to
sound learning and popular education.

Our first duty is to aclznowledge our obligation to the
man to whose generous gift Bradford owes its first perma-
nent library building.

jot-IN LUNN Woons was born at Corinth, Orange county,
Vermont, February 11, I82I. He was the third of the
five children of Oliver Woods and his wife, whose maiden
name was Liicinda Lamb. Oliver Woods was a farmer
owning a farm of considerable size, and he died when john
was about thirteen years old. Mrs. Woods then took
charge of and managed the farm. John was named for
his uncle, john Lunn Woods, who kept a country store at
Woodsville, New Harnpshire, and when the boy was 1‘:if~—
teen years of age he went to live with his uncle.

His education in books was received in the district
schools of Corinth and Wooclsville, and his education in
practical life in those excellent schools, the countryfarrn
and the country store. He learned industry and economy,
and at the age of twenty he went to Port Huron, l\/Iichi-
gan, where he began work as a laborer at very low wages.
He stated in after life that during the first year his entire
expensesw--for he was boarded by his employer-——-—‘-were
less than five dollars. He soon became proficient in the
lumber business, was placed in charge of his employer’s

4

mills, and in 1851 succeeded to his entire business, which
he continued until I8’74.,.Wl1eI1 he removed to Cleveland,
Ohio, where he lived until his death on March 29, 1893.

In I849 he married Emily A. Moore of Richmond, Ver-—~
mont, who died December 20, I892.

Early in his life he began to accumulate money, and by
fortunate investments in pine lands he had by middle life
become a very rich man. He was public--spirited and
benevolent, and gave largely, but in a careful and judi-
cious way. It is of interest to know that at an early day
he founded and suitably endowed a public library and read»
ing room at Oscoda, Michigan. His largest single con-
tribution was to the Western Reserve Medical College, and
amounted to several hundred thousand dollars. He also
gave $50,000 to the Lakeside hospital in Cleveland, and
an equal amount to the Cleveland University, for the bene-
fit of its women’s college, each as permanent endowment
funds in memory of his wife.

He seems to have retained a deep interest in his native
state, and his bequest to the Bradford public library was
prompted by the fact that many of his relatives now live
here.

It was said by one who knew him well that he liacl no
sentimentality in his giving, but was plain, practical, and
sensible. I think the conditions of the bequest to this
library are of that character. The first is that the trustees
shall procure a suitable lot of land, centrally located to
accommodate the whole village, in fee simple and free
from debt.

The bequest then provides that the library shall have
a suitable reading room to be supplied with the best papers
and periodicals, and that the library and reading room
shall be open every afternoon and evening, including Sun-

5

clay, and that 21 capable mam shall be employed to take
c1t1a1'ge of the building ztnd e0nte11ts. Not more than
$10,000 of the bequest was to be applied to the cost of the
bl..lllCll1]g, and the remzxincler W218, upon the Completion of the
l)L1llCllI1g,tOl)€ invested as a permanent endowment fund
under his name, the income to be applied to the purchase of
l.)0<:)l<;s, pzitpem, and expenses of the library and reading
1'(7)(.")1]i“1 . "3"

He eentemplzttecl :1 practical working library for the
i1fx:f<:>r1nz1ti<:m and ecluezttiott 0f the people, and not 21 mere
ret1'entf0rsel10lz11*s.. If the library is thus rnaintained its
in;llue11t:e will st1‘e1'1gtl1e11 zu:1cl widen as the years go by
and it will he Innis rn0.~:f;t n1:>pr0prirz1te and enclt11*i11g menu»-
1‘1‘lti:1;1l;.

Wt3Sl’1OL1lCl11(f)t forget, however, that tltis gift was sug-
ge.s:tec‘l, and its 11ee‘:f1i1l1‘1es-353 mztcle potssihle, by the library
VVOl"'l§, whitth VVETIS lrueggtttttt zmcl ez11‘1*iecl on for £1 ecore of years
l)ytt1t1e 11I1S(LLtl'll,Sl'71. and unzticled e.f:l’orts of the “women of l31*:;1cl-
ford.

It is: ztppr<:)printe, ztncl will, I believe, he of permrment
tvztlue, tn 1.)1'L‘“.‘.‘ff.~‘:t"'§1“v'(3 the lr1i::»'t0ry of their W01"le:,,, ztncl, 540 fax ‘ as
we ezm, truce its };>1'c;)§;;1'céss tfrorn the l*i1*:st small l)egi1t1t;1i11g to
the time when it lmd beeetrte of such importzmee as to at-
trntzt the i1°1t<::1‘<;:.s~3t zmcl he the object crxf the wise l)et1efic:e11ee
01? M1“. Wc)c>cls.

In 1874,  A1lr)ert Bztlltfiy zzmd  Charles Jones Went
ztheut fr<;:>rn lmouse to lmttese mud p1'0c:.1.1red E§L1l)E5C1‘ipll()1‘1S of one

(l(.T)ll.£l1" (311CIl‘1 from si:x:ty-—three wmrxen, to :1 fund for the pur-

elmtse of lmelazs "fer 231 lil)1*m'y.'l

*‘ A ctopy of 1;hz'1Lt portion of Mr. ‘Woods’ will, andof the euhs.equer1t modi-
fiezttiorx thereof by him by letter,  Appendix 1.

'I“ A liet of the :n..1l.)sc:riher:-5 is Appendix :2.

6

January I, 187 5, these subscribers adopted regulations for
the government of their library, which were as follows :. —---

“REGULATIONS or T1-IE LADIES’ LIBRARY ASSOCIA-
TION, ADOPTED JANUARY I, 1875.

“ I. Any lady may become a member of this Asso-
ciation by paying the sum of one dollar annually,
from January I.

" 2. Members meet to exchange books on alternate
Saturdays at 3 o’clock P.M.

“ 3. For any book kept out of the library over four
weeks, a fine of five cents per week will be exacted, to
be collected by the librarian.

“4. No books to be loaned to any person not a
member of this society.

"5. It shall be the duty of every member of this
society to take proper care of all the books in their
possession, and any book being unnecessarily injured
While in the possession of any member, said member
shall be charged with the price of the book.

" 6. If at any time it shall be deemed best to disor-
ganize this society, such disposition shall be made of
the books as shall receive a two-thirds vote of the
members, pro mm.”

In addition to the annual subscriptions, money was ob-
tained by entertainments and lectures ‘conducted by the
association. , A

The books were kept at the house of Mrs. Jones, who
acted as librarian for three years.

The amount of money was not sufficient to purchase 
many books as there were members, and therefore those
most interested in the work gave books to make up enough

7

to go around. The books were evidently well circulated,
for from records which still exist it appears that the num-
ber of books drawn by members in 1875 was 836 ; in I876,
x056; in 1877, 980; in 1878, 1095; in 1879, I216.

The records of the years 1880, 1881, and 1882, and the
secretary’s and treasurer’s books for the first five years of
association, were destroyed by fire in February, 1883.

In 1879, through the efforts of Mrs. Roswell Farnham,
who was for some years the etlicient president of the asso----
ciation, it received a gift of $1000 from D. K. Pearsons
of Chicago, a native of Bradford, to be invested, and the
income spent in the purchase of books. This appears to
have increased their importance to such an extent that on
January 3, I880, they boldly adopted a constitution and
by«-laws. This constitution provided for an executive com-
mittee, and for holding lectures and other entertainments
for the purpose of raising funds.

It also provided for records of the proceeclings of the
association to be kept by a secretary, and contained full
and specific provisions as to the duties of the treasurer,
requiring that she should keep " in a book for that purpose a
full and accurate account of all her cloi11gs, and make full
report thereof at the annual meetin , or oftener, as called
upon by the society.” a

The selection of books was, by the constitution, confided
to the executive committee.

The by-laws then adopted provided that the library
should be open every Saturday afternoon for the drawing

fr
«it:

of books, and should be open to all residents of Bradford
not members of the association, at the rate of three cents

per week, and that persons not residents of Bradford could a

8

draw books upon paying ten cents and depositing with the
librarian the sum of one dollar.'*

This constitution and by-lavvs, with certain amendments
adopted from time to time, are now the constitution and
by—laws of the association.

In 1880 the receipts of the association, outside of income
from the Pearsons fund, were $72.32.

In I881, $525.34 was expended for books, and the
library had increased to 857 volumes.

In 1882, $220.93 was expended for books, and the man-
agement was so far progressive that it opened the library
on Saturday evenings as well as in the afternoon.

The librarian reported at the end of the year that I75
books had been drawn on Saturday evenings.

In 1883, 1320 books were drawn by members, 1023 by
persons not members, on what was known as the three-cent
list (that is, upon the payment of three cents a week in-
stead of $1 a year subscription), making a total of 2343.

February 19 in this year, the building in which the
library was kept was destroyed by fire, and, of the II46
volumes, only 536 were saved. Fortunately the insurance
was ample, and the insurance money was immediately
expended in books, the total number of volumes at the end
of the year being I058.

In I884. the executive committee reported that the lib-
rary was in better condition than ever before. The num—-
ber of books drawn by members during that year was
1386, and on the three-cent list I086, or a total of 2472.

In 1885, 1375 books were drawn out by members, and
1160 on the three-cent list, or a 'total of 2535. The re-

* A copy of the constitution and by-laws, and list of its oflicers from
1880 to 1895, will be found as Appendix 3.

9

ceipts this year aside from the income of the Pearsons fund
were $99.19.

In 1886 the circulation to members was 1650, and on the
three-cent list 11:75, or a total of 2825. The whole num-
ber of volumes in the library was I427, and the receipts
from fees of members and three-cent fees was $91.80.

In I887 the society had 65 members, who drew out 1676
volumes, and there were drawn on the three—cent list 1608
books. The receipts during the year were $120.44, and
97 volumes were added to the library.

The executive committee, in their report for this year,
note the increasing number of boys and girls who availed
themselves of the library, where their reading was directed
as much as possible by those in charge.

In 1888 the receipts were $99.13, and for the first time
the books drawn by persons not members of the associa-
tion exceeded those drawn by the members, 1484 being
drawn on the three-cent list, and only 1320 by the mem-
bers, making a total of 2804.

During the year, I05 books were purchased and 72 were
received by gift, and the library numbered I802 volumes.

In 1889 the receipts were $95.21, 53 volumes were
added to the library, 1024 books were drawn by the mem-
bers, and 1354 on the three—cent list, or a total of 2378.

In 1890 the receipts were $89.71, members drew 993
books, and 1285 were drawn on the three-~cent list, making
a total of 2278 books drawn. The library numbered I960
Volumes. 2

In 1891 the receipts were $79.09, but the amount ex-
pended was only $70.10. F orty-eight volumes were added
to the library. Members drew I074. books, and 1179 were
drawn on the three-cent list, or a total circulation of 2263.

In 1892 the receipts were $100.04. Ninety-two books

10

were bought at a cost of $85. Members drew I136 vol-
umes, and I 323 were drawn by others, making a total cir-
culation of 2459. A

In 1893 the receipts were $108.96, and IOI books were
purchased. One thousand two hundred eighty three books
were drawn by members, and 1284 by others, making a
total circulation of 2567.

In 1894 the receipts were only $67.63; 893 volumes
were drawn by members and 961 by others, making a total
of I854.

So far during 1895 the receipts, and the circulation
among the members, seem to have decreased, for the re-

ceipts to June 22 were only $27.75, the books drawn by

members 2.52, and on the three—-cent list 518, or a total cir-
culation of 770.

The total number of volumes at the present time is 2188,
and the association has given them to the corporation
which owns the Woods library building."*

Mrs. Albert Bailey was president in I875 and I876; Mrs.
A. A. Doty in 1877 and 1878; Mrs. K. K. Wl1SO11 in 1879.

Mrs. Charles Jones was librarian in 1875, I876, and
1877 ; Miss Lucy Nelson in 1879.

In I880, when the constitution and by-laws were adopted,
a larger number of officers were provided for, a list of
whom each year to the present time will be found as
Appendix 3.

* The vote of gift was as follows : ~-——---

‘‘ At a special meeting of Bradford Public Library‘ Association
held in the library room June 29, 1895, the following motion was
made and carried unanimously : --

‘‘ Moved, that we give the books and property to_ the corporation
called the Bradford Public Library. A

“ Attest: Omzssa J. PRICHARI),
Sec.”

11

The first catalogue of the Ladies’ Library was not an
ambitious document. It was a simple list, kept upon
sheets of legal foolscap, with the number of the volume
in the right-hand margin, the name of the volume in the

centre of the page, and the name of the author in the left-  

hand column. The catalogue in use’ in 1880 is in exist-»
ence, and shows alist of 344 volumes.
In 1880 the list was copied into a book in the same

_form, each new volume being added to the list and given

a new number. This book has been preserved. It shows
a list of 1149 volumes on February 19, 1883. At that
time a committee was appointed to prepare a catalogue to
be printed, and the committee reported, April 2, 1884, that
the library contained I237 volumes. In this catalogue, for
the first time, the books were arranged alphabetically and
not numerically, and, by subsequent appendices issued
from time to time, the catalogue has been kept up down to
the present time.

Who can measure the good which has resulted to this
community from this patient, persistent, unselfish work of
these wise and public-spiritecl women? They deserve our
praise equally with him whose name this building bears.
He gave of his abundance and by a single act.‘ They
gave from limited means and by the constant devotion of a
score of years.

While his name is carved upon the portal of your library,
theirs should be borne upon tablets on its walls, that in
the years and generations to come those who enjoy its
benefits may not forget how much they owe to those who
made its existence possible.

But the library of the Ladies’ Library Association of

1875 was not the first in Bradford. It was preceded by
the librar T of the Bradford Scientific Association, which

12

was incorporated in 1860 by the General Assembly for the
purpose of scientific and literary research and improve-
mentfit

This associ.ation accumulated three or four hundred vol-
umes, to which were added at a later date about one hun-
dred and fifty volumes given by the Agricultural Library,
an association formed in the days of the " Grangers.”

These libraries were accessible only to the members, and
were both destroyed in the fire of February, I883.

The Bradford Academy, which was incorporated in
I82o,T soon after it opened accumulated a small library,
known as " The Oliverian Library,” belonging really to a
society of students under that name.

In 1838 this societyrwas merged with another society
of the students known as the “Philornathesian,” and the
library passed to the control of that society. Subsequently
that library became a part of the " Merrill Library,” which
was founded by a bequest of $2090.33 from Mrs. Eliza C.
Merrill in 1859, and is now an important part of the edu-
cational equipment, of the graded high school.;t

Bradford, however, enjoys the peculiar honor of being
the first town in which an incorporated library society was

'* Session Laws, 1860, c. IOO.

'l‘ Session Laws, 1820, c. 153.

:1.‘ Mrs. l\-‘Ierrill died January 25, I859. The provision in her will was
as follows :———— I

“]i‘27g/zi/tr. To the Trustees of the Bradford Academy in Brad-
ford, Vermont, I give and bequeath all the remainder of my prop~
erty of whatsoever name or nature, in trust, however, for the fol-
lowing purposes, to wit: The principal to be invested in a safe and
productive Mortgage on Real Estate and the income only from said
investment to be expended in Books or Philosophical apparatus for

the free use and benefit of the scholars in said Academy.”

The trustees received the $2090.33 September I 3, I859.

13

established in Vermont, and this was at so early at day in
the history of the town as to mark unmistakably the intelli-
gence and the love of learning of its first settlers.
September 10, 1796, which was only twenty-—six years
after King George III., of his ” special grace, certain
knowledge, and mere motion,” did “ create, erect, and con-
stitute” a tract of land "on the west side of Connecticut
River in the County of Gloucester, within our Province of
New York a Township by the name of Moore Town,” the
name of which was changed to Bradford by the general
assembly of Vermont in November, 1788, thirty-two citi-
zens of Bradford signed a petition asking the legislature to
establish a library corporation in this town. '
This petition indicates that the subscribers were already
a library society, and they doubtless had then a collection
of books, but desired to be able to act in a corporate form,
and make regulations for the government of the society.
The original petition is still in existence, and, by the kind-

T ness of the state ofiicer in whose custody it is, I have been

allowed to bring it with me, that I may show it to you. I
think you will agree with me that it is a remarkable docu-
ment both in matter and in style. It is as follows :~—~——-

“ To Me Hozzorable, L7‘/ze Leg'z'sZalz«z.r'e ry‘ z‘/M Siate cy’
Ve7»*m0m‘—--

“ We the subscribers your petitioners, reflecting on
the importance of education and of every mean which
tends to the encouragement thereof, but especially on
the high veneration your Honors feel for Literature,
and the many advantages flowing therefrom both to
societies and individuals; encouraged by these and
many other motives of the like importance; consider-
ing also, that well regulated Library Societies are pil-

14:.

lars which support in no small degree the honor and
dignity of States, Towns &c. in which they are estab-
lished, Pray your Honors, at your next session to be
holden at Rutland on the second Thursday of October
next ensuing, to incorporate us and others, a body
politic and corporate styled, The B7/aa§?)m’ Social
Lzhrary Soczezfy, and grant us a charter, that we may
have power of choosing officers in, and of making our
own laws and regulations necessary for the govern-
ment of said Society ; which we wish may not thwart,
but be protected by the laws of this State -----~-- and your
petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray -—---
Bradford (Vermont) September 10th, 1796.

THOMAS MAY

]oI—IN BARRoN
EZEKIEL LITTLE
ARAD STEBBINS
GARDINER KELLOGG

MIcAI—I BARRON
JOHN BANFILL
BENJAMIN LITTLE
EDEN‘? METCALF
CALEB PUTNAM

HIRAM PEARsoN
]osE1=H CLARK
PATRICK KANEDY
jot-IN PECKETT
EEENR. HIDDEN
HERBERT ORMSBEE
THOMAS PILSBURY
_]No. _UNDERWOOD
TIMOTHY AYER
JEPTHA SHARP
EPHRIM MARTIN
LEMWELL ORsEoRN
BENJ‘? BALDWIN
DAVID BLIss
MosEs CHAMEERLIN

ANDW B. PETERS
ROBERT HUNKINS
LEVI S. ANDRos
JOSEPH ]o1~INsoN
BEN}-‘_‘~ P. BALDWIN
BENJAMIN VVHITCOMI3
WILLIAM PECKETT
WILLIAM CAsE

JoI~IN BLIss.”

15

Such information as I have been able to obtain concern-
ing the signers of this petition is Appendix 4.

The following filing on back of the petition shows the
action which was taken upon the petition by the general

assembly: -—-—-
“ Petition of

MICAH BARRON, JOHN
BANFILL,

EZEKIEL LITTLE and
others.

Filed Oct. 15, I796.
Ros. I~IoPI«:INs, Secy.
In General Assembly,

17th. Octr. 1796.
Read and referred to
Messrs. LYON, FARRAND

and CUTLER
Att. R. WHITNEY, CZ/.2.
In Genl. Assembly
25th Octr. I796.
The Corn? reports in favour
of the petition and also
reported a bill which was

accepted. A
" Att. R. WHITNEY, Cler/E.” "“

And now, after nearly a hundred years, this faded
manuscript comes back to the spot where it was written,
to inspire us with the same love of learning and education,
and the same devotion to good order and good govern--
ment, which the fathers had when they set their names to
its compact and luminous lines.

Ihave not as yet been able to ascertain, and perhaps it

* See Vermont State Papers (MSS.), vol. xxx. p. 299.

16

cannot now be accurately ascertained, by whom this peti--
tion was drafted. A comparison of the text of the petition
with the signatures of the signers may afford some indica-
tion, and those who are curious will have ample oppor-
tunity to exercise their power of comparison of writing by
examining the photographic copy which I have caused to
be prepared and placed in your library.

Ihave never seen a document which was to me more
interesting than this ancient petition. Better English could
not be written, and the purpose of a library society could
not be stated in a more accurate or felicitous manner.

Respect for good order and good government, regard
for education and love of learning, are shown in every
one of its well-phrased lines. Considering the time and
the circumstances under which it was written, I think I am
justified in saying it is one of the most remarkable papers
to be found in the archives of any state.

Upon this petition the following act of incorporation
was passed, November 5, 1796:.--—

“ AN ACT INCORPORATING CERTAIN PERSONS '.[‘IrI133RfEIN
MENTIONED, A SOCIETY, BY THE NAME OF BRAD-
FORD SOCIAL LIBRARY SOCIETY.

“ Whereas certain persons in the county of Orange,
influenced by a conviction of the many advantages
that have arisen from literary societies, and public
libraries, have associated themselves under the name
and title of the “Bradford social library society; ’ and
whereas said society are desirous to promote and en—
courage literature, and considering that well regulated
library societies tend, in a very great degree, to pro-
mote knowledge more universally, have petitioned the
legislature, that the members of said society may be

17

created a body corporate forever, with the power of
choosing their own officers, and of making laws and
regulations necessary for the government of said
society, in such manner as may best answer the laud-
able purposes which the members of said society may
have in View ; wherefore, to assist and encourage the
members of said society, in promoting useful knowl-
edge and literature.

"I. It is hereby enacted by the general assembly
of the state of Vermont, that the following persons,
to wit, Gardner Kellogg, Micah Barron and Ezekiel
Little, and their associates be, and they are hereby
created a body corporate, to be called and known by
the name of Bradford social library society, and they
by the same name, and their successors, are hereby
constitutecl and confirmed a body corporate in law.

"II. And it is hereby further enacted, that the said
society shall becapable in law to sue and be sued,
plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered
unto, defend and be defended against, in all or any
court of justice, and other places, in all manner of
suits, actions, complaints, pleas, causes and matters,
of what nature or kind soever, by the name of Brad-
ford social library society. And that it may and shall
be lawful for the said society hereafter to have and
use a common seal, and the same at the will and
pleasure of said society to break, change alter and
renew. y

“ III. And it is hereby further enacted, that the said
society shall have full power to make their own bye-
laws and regulations, such as the appointing the time
and place of holding their meetings, regulating the
mode of electing their officers, cletermining the author-

18

ity and duty of each officer, establishing the mode of
admission of rnernbers, and regulating all other con-
cerns and interests of said corporation, and to enact
penalties on such persons as transgress such rules and
regulations.

"Provided, that such penalties shall not extend to
any thing more than the forfeiture of the share or
shares of the respective delinquents.

" And provided also, that such bye-laws and regula—-
tions of said corporation, hereafter made, shall not be
repugnant to the constitution and laws of this state.

" IV. Provided also, and It is hereby further en-~ i

acted, that no bye-laws or regulations of said corpora--
tion hereafter made, shall be binding upon the officers
or members thereof, unless the same shall have been
proposed at one regular meeting of the said society,
and enacted and received at another, after the inter-
vention of at least twenty days.

" V. And it is hereby further enacted, that Micah
Barron be, and he is hereby authorized to warn the
first meeting of said society, and duly notify the me1n-
bers of the time and place.

“Provided nevertheless,it shall be in the power of
the legislature of this state to regulate or dissolve said
corporation, at any time when they shall see fit, any
thing in said act to the contrary notwithstanding.”

[Passed November 5, 1796.]

This was the first library act passed by the general
assembly, and the Bradford Social Library Society was
the first library corporation established in Vermont.

This act of incorporation is in some respects as interestw
ing as the petition upon which it was granted. It shows

19

by its preamble that the petitioners were already associated
as a library society, and sets forth their purpose in English
equally concise and perspicuous with that of the petition.

It also contains in itself all the necessary provisions for
the creation, organization, and government of a corporate
body. It would not be possible to-day, with the experience
of a hundred years, to frame a corporate charter which
would better provide for the creation of a corporation, its
organization, and its regulation, than does this.

It also contains a provision which to the legal profession
is of peculiar interest, and that is the provision that it shall
be in the power of the legislature to regulate or dissolve
said corporation at any time when they shall see fit. It
was not until 1819 that the Supreme Court of the United
States decided, in the famous Dartmouth College case,
that a charter was a contract, within the meaning of the
provision of the United States Constitution, forbidding the
states to pass laws impairing the obligation of contracts.

Vi/hen the legislature of New lrlampshire in I816 passed
an act amending the charter of Dartmouth College, and
changing the college into a university, it was for the first
time claimed that such an act was contrary to the Constitu-
tion of the United States, because the clmrter of the corpo-—
ration was a contract. The Supreme Court of New Irlamp-
shire held otherwise, and it was not until 1819 that the
Supreme Court of the United States reversed their decision,
and held that such a charter was a contract, and could not
be repealed by the legislature unless the legislature had
reserved a power to repeal it. It was in consequence of
this decision that the familiar provision now inserted in
charters, or made by general laws in all the states, re-
serving the power to amend or repeal charters, was adopted
in state legislation. And yet a quarter of a century he-

20

fore the Supreme Court of the United States held that any
such reserved power was necessary to enable the legisla-
ture to dissolve a corporation, these rude frontiersmen of

Vermont inserted in this charter a provision reserving that p

power.

The man who drew this provision must have had in his
mind the idea, which was not then generally held by the
legal profession, that a charter might be a contract, and
that unless the legislature reserved the power to regulate
or dissolve a corporation, it could not afterwards do so.
This presupposes an accurate study of the Federal Consti-
tution, and of the clause with regard to state laws impair-
ing the obligation of contracts. It presupposes also an ac-
curate knowledge of the nature of a corporate body. In
short, it presupposes all the essential ideas which are con-
tained in the wonderful opinion of Chief Justice l\/IARSHALL
in the Dartmouth College case nearly a quarter of a century
after. ’

It was ten years later before the legislature of Massa-
chusetts inserted in any charter a provision authorizing the
legislature to dissolve it; and, so far as I know, this Brad-
ford Library Society charter is the earliest charter which
contains such a provision. There is no more interesting
or instructive chapter in the legislation of any state.

Thus you see that, taken together, this petition, and the
charter which was granted upon it, form a chapter in the
history of your town of which you have peculiar reason to
be proud. I believe no other New England town can

match it, and it should be kept in perpetual remembrance

by you and by those who come after you.
Perhaps the most interesting inquiry in respect to it is:
How did these men do this thing? How did these early

settlers, cutting down the forest, subduing the soil, strug—— i

21

gling with all the adverse forces of nature on the frontiers
of civilization, come to have the capacity to frame such
papers as this petition and charter? .

Addison could not have written English more pure than
that of this petition; the most accomplished jurist of to-day
could not frame a charter more complete and accurate than
this act of incorporation. Why was it?

I think the answer is to be largely found in the character
of the books they read. They did not form their style
upon the daily newspaper and the modern novel. They
read Goldsmith and Addison, Bacon and Locke, Shakes-
peare and Milton, and, above all, that wonderful English
translation, King James’ Bible.

They expressed themselves accurately and clearly be»-
cause they read books which trained them to think accu-
rately and clearly. If we would do the same we must
follow their example, and drink deep of those wells of
" English undefiled.”

The library of this corporation was kept in one of the
village stores. Your townsman, Col. Dudley K. Andross,
says he remembers going with his mother to that library
for the purpose of exchanging books, when it was kept in
Deacon Prichard’s old store. The books were kept, as he
says, in a great case with double doors, which to his youth-
ful eyes seemed as large as Moosilauke.

The organization seems to have fallen into decay. Its
books were. scattered, and there are no records of its action
now to be found. It is surprising, however, that no men-
tion of it is made in the History of Bradford, written in
1874 by the Rev. Dr. McKeen.

In some way which I have not been able to ascertain,
a considerable number of its books passed into the posses-

22

sion of the Bradford Academy, and are now a part of the
Merrill library in the graded high school. Some of them
are in a good state of preservation, and bear the original
label containing the regulations of the society, as fol»-
lows:--

"BRADFORD Socmr. LIBRARY SOC‘.IE’TI‘Y.
" No. (240).

" Annual nieeting last Monday in September, :2
o’clock P.M. Books must be returned Tliuzrsday
before Annual Meeting, or 25 cents fine. May be
drawn again on Annual Meeting days, immediately
after adjournment. Other drawing days last Monday
in November, January, l\/larch, May and July, last two
hours before stiitsettitig. Books must be drawn be-
fore drawing time or 6 cents line; and I cent a day
till returned. May be drawn and returned on other
days, at any time suitable for doing business. One
volume drawn to a share. May be bid off at auction.
Must be kept well covered by those who take them
out. For lencliiig a book out of the Society 34. cents.
Drop of tallow on the letters 4 Cents; on the margin
2 cents; for folding down a leaf 3 cents. Fines must
be paid next drawing day after they are assessed or
no books drawn.”

On all the labels is written in a good hand, ” Well
covered or 4 cents fine.”

The number of this label shows that the society had at
least 240 books, and these were probably as great in num-
ber and value, in proportion to the population and valua-
tion of the town, as the six hundred thousand volumes of
the Boston Public Library are to the valuation of Boston, and

23

the population who are entitled to the use of that greatest
free public library of the world.

The next library corporations incorporated in Vermont
were the Fairhaven Library Society and the Rockingham
Library Society, which were incorporated by the general
assembly in October, 1799. The interest of the people of
Vermont in libraries at that early day is clearly shown by
the fact that, as early as November, 1800, a general law
was passed incorporating library societies within the state.
The preamble of this act, which was passed November 6,
I800, is as follows : -——-

" Whereas a number of petitions have been present-
ed to this Legislature from various library societies in
this state, praying to be incorporated into bodies cor»
porate and politic forever, with such powers, privileges
and immunities, as will best answer the laudable pur-
poses for which they associated: Therefore to assist
and encourage the said societies in the prosecution and
advancement of useful knowledge, and rational enter»
tainment, and to establish a uniformity through the
various societies of the same kind, in this state.”

It is interesting to know that the charter of the Bradford
Social Library Society was only two years later than the
first library charter in Massachusetts, which was an act for
incorporating certain persons by the name of the Boston
Library Society, passed June 17, 1794.

Mass. Special Laws, p. 526.
If, as I believe, the history of a state is most accurately

given in its statutes, it would seem that the people of Mas-
sachusetts were not as much interested in libraries at that

24:

time, and had not as many social library societies, as the
people of Vermont. ,

The Vermont general law of I800 shows clearly the ex-
istence of a large number of societies, and was passed to
enable them to become corporations.

The Massachusetts act, although entitled "An act to en-
able the proprietors of social libraries to manage the same,”
does not show the existence of any considerable number
of library societies then existing.

Laws of Massachusetts, 1798, 8x9.

And there were in fact very few incorporated social
library societies in Massachusetts prior to the passage of
the general law of 1798.

Libraries considered merely as collections are not pecu-
liar to modern civilization. They existecl in Greece, Rome,

Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon. Every nation of which

history gives us knowledge had its collections. of tablets or
manuscripts which preserved the literary work of the time.

The library of Nineveh consisted of more than ten thou-

sand distinct works written upon tablets of clay, thousands
of which have been recovered from the ruins and are now
preserved in the British Museum.

The age of books came with the invention of papyrus
paper more than two thousand years before the Christian
era. Collections‘ comprising hundreds of thousands of
manuscript vvorlcs were made in the palaces of kings and
in the temples of the church. But these collections were
for the rulers, scholars, and priests, and the people had but
little benefit from them.

The public library "' free to all” is peculiar to modern

25

civilization, and the circulating library, from which books
may be taken for home use, is of comparatively recent date.

The great libraries of Europe are almost entirely for the
use of scholars, and not for the circulation of books among
the people.

It has seemed to me that a short sketch of the legislation
in regard to public libraries, and of their development in
England and in the United States, might perhaps be of in-
terest to you at this time.

The first legislation in regard to furnishing books to the
public at the public expense in England was an "injunc-—
tion,” so called, in September, I537, for the providing of
Bibles in every parish church throughout England, to be
freely accessible to all parishioners, and the charges there-
for to be borne by a parish book rate. This was followed
by other " injunctions 7’ for a like provision of certain other
books. But the Restoration and the changes of govern-
ment policy destroyecl this attempt at popular education,
and it was not until nearly two centuries after, in 1709,
that Dr. Bray, the founder of the Society for the Propaga-

tion of the Gospel, succeeded in obtaining the passage of i

an act of Parliament, entitled "An act for the better pre-
servation of parochial libraries in that part of Great Britain
called England.” I

This act, however, only provided for the preservation of
books which had been given the parishes, and not for their
increase by public money. The conservative Englishman
waited until 184.9 before even a proposal was made to con-
sider the question of public libraries. Then, after very
great opposition, a select committee of Parliament was ap-
pointed on the best means of extending the establishment
of libraries freely opened to the public, especially in large

26

towns. In 1850 the first English libraries act received the
royal assent. This was a purely permissive act, authoriz-
ing town councils in municipalities having a population not
less than ten thousand, if they saw fit to do so, to put to
the voters the question whether they would have a library
rate levied for providing a town library, and, if they voted
in the aflirmative, to levy a tax of a half-penny in the
pound for that purpose.

In I855 a new act was passed reducing the limit of popu-
lation requisite for vote upon the establishment of a public
library to five thousand, and 1*aising the rate limit to one
penny in the pound, and also providing that the money
thus raised might be expended for books, newspapers, and
specimens of art and science for a museum, as well as for
btiilclirigs and expenses of management, to vvhi.ch last pur-
poses the tax was limited by the act of 1850.

In I866 an act was passed p1'ovicli1ig that any ten rate
payers might require a meeting to be called to decide
whether a library should be established, and reducing the
vote necessary for that purpose from two thirds, which was
required under the previous acts, to one half. of the voters
assembled, and also removing the limit of population.

Amendments more or less important have since been
made in the law, but it remains to--day substantially the
same, permissive only, and in no true sense a part of any
system of free popular education.

There are no reliable statistics of public libraries in the
United States prior to 18 50. In that year the Smithsonian
Institution published a monograph by Professor jewett, en-
titled “ Notices of Public Libraries.”

This gave the number as 694, containing 2,201,632 vol-
umes.

27

The census of 1850 stated the number, exclusive of
school and Sunday-school libraries, at 1560, with 2,447,-
086 volumes; but in a summary of libraries published in
1856 by Mr. Edward Edwards, the number of libraries
was given at only 342, though the number of volumeswas
2,371,887, based upon the census of 1850.

In 1859 Mr. Willizim  Rhees published a manual of
public libraries, and gave a list of 2902, of which, how-
ever, only 1312 reported the number of volumes they con-
tained. ,

In 1867 a depztrtment of education was created by the
United States, and in 1869 this was created a bureau of
educafion.

In 1870 this bureau began the collection of statistics for
a special report on public libraries, which was issued in
1876, before any regular library journal was printed in the
United States.

This report gave a list of 3649 libraries of over 300 vol-
umes each, with a total number of 12,276,964 volumes.

In the report of the United States Iilureau of Education
for I884~——5, the number of public libraries Containing over
300 volumes each was stated to be 5388, COI.1lL£;llI1l1’1g 20,-
622,o76 volumes, showing an increase during the preced-
ing ten years of nearly 54 per cent in the number of libra-
ries, and about 66 per cent in the number of volumes.

It is to be observed, however, that the libraries under
500 volumes included only about 20 per cent of the books,
showing that the distribution of books was imperfect.

In 1886 the bureau reported 1777 libraries containing
1000 volumes or more, with 14,012,370 volumes in all.

Of the libraries thus reported, however, only 670, con»-
taining 6,963,850 volumes, were wholly or partly sup-
ported by public moneys, 2'.e., by money raised by taxation,

28

but nearly all of these were free for public use. Of the
remaining 1109 libraries, containing 7,048,520 volumes,
only 868 required payment for use.

In 1887 there were nearly a thousand (911) free libra~—
ries, containing nearly nine million (8,896,620) volumes.

In 1891 there were 3804 public libraries, containing over
1000 volumes each, with 26,896,537 bound volumes and
4,340,817 pamphlets. The average size of these libraries
was 8194 volumes, and the average population to a library
was 16,463, making an average of 50 books to every 100
of the entire population of the United States. I

_ The largest proportion of books to the population was in
the District of Columbia, which had 924 books to every
one hundred persons, due, doubtless, to the la1'ge collec-
tion of the Congressional Library; and the next largest
proportion was in Massachusetts, where it was 257 to every
one hundred persons.  

In 1855 there were in the libraries of the United States
having over one thousand volumes, 34 books to ever r one
hundred persons of the population, while in 1891 the
number had increased to 50 for each one hundred, or an
increase of 47 per cent.

In the six New England states and New York, New
jersey, and Pennsylvania, the increase during the six
years from 1885 to 1891 was 34 per cent, and in the
Northwestern states, including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Wyoming, Missouri,
North and South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas, the in-
crease was 65 per cent. On the whole, during that six
years the increase of books in public libraries of this class
was about 8 per cent greater than the increase of the
population during the same period.

29

The first free public library in the United States was
founded in New York in 1700 by a bequest from the Rev.
john Sharpe, who bequeathed his books as the foundation
of a public library. About thirty years after, an English
clergyman, Dr. Millington, rector of Millington in the
county of Surrey, gave his library to the “British Society
for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts,” for
such disposition as they might think of the greatest public
advantage. That society gave it to the municipal corpora-
tion of New York “for the use of the clergy and gentle-
men of that city and neighbouring parts.”

These gifts, however, were naturally little appreciated
by the people of New York, though in 1:754, probably
stimulated by the establishment of a library in Philacielphia,
subscriptions were made for the purchase of about 700
volumes in addition to the gifts above mentioned.

In 1772 the library was incorporated as the Society
Library of New York, and made a proprietary library.

Not long after the establishment of the library in New
York, James Logan, the friend and conticletitial adviser of
Williaiii Penn, founded a public library in Philadelphia,
to which another collection formed by his brother, Dr.
Williaiii Logan, was added in 1776, and the combined
collection was transferred to a corporation known as the

Library Company, in 1792.

The idea that books, to be of real benefit, should be put
into the hands of the people for use outside the library was
first put into practical execution by Benjamin Franklin,
who in 1731 established at Philadelphia the first effective
circulating library, now known as " T he Old Philadelphia
Library.” This was an association, or what was known
as a “ Society Library,” supported by subscription, and was

30

the mother of all the North American subscription libra-
ries subsequently formed, nearly a thousand in rn1mber.’°*"
Speaking of them in his autobiography, Franklin said, ----

"These libraries have improved the general con-—
versation of the Americans, have 1n2;1cle the common
tradesmen and farmers as intelligent as most gentle-
men in other countries, and perhaps have contributed
in some degree to the stand so generally made tlr11*o11gl1~
out the colonies in defence of their privileges.”

It was more than a hundred years after the establish-
ment of proprietary or society libraries under the guiclance
of Franklin before the principle of taxing municipalities
and school districts for the establishment and maintenance
of lib ’aries as public institutions free to all was advanced.

The first step in this direction was taken by the state of
New York. In 1834, John A. Dix (afterwards General
Dix), then superintendent of common schools in New
York, in his official report recommended that school dis-
tricts be authorized to levy a tax for the establishment of
district libraries. He advised that this be made discretion-~
ary, because he said that, --

” by making the imposition of the tax wholly discre-

""' The original subscribers were fifty in nuinber, who each contributed
forty shillings, and agreed to pay ten shillings annually. The number in-
creased, and in 1742 the proprietors were incorporated  “The Library
Company of Philadelphia.” Several other similar companies were after-
wards formed in that city, and were finally united with the first, which,
in 1806, had more than 14,000 volumes, and owned acommodious builcling.

Its shares were then forty dollars each, subject to an annual payment
of two dollars, and there wereover five hundred shareholders.

Travels in U.S. —~———-Jlf6’l2.'s/2 (1806), vol. I. p. 164.

31

tionary with the inhabitants of each district, and leav-
ing the selection of the works under their entire
control, the danger of rendering such a provision
subservient to the propagation of particular doctrines
or opinions would be effectually guarded against by
their own watchfulness and intelligence.” "*“

Following this recommendation, a law was passed in
1835 authorizing an annual tax not to exceed twenty dol-
lars in each district, and by the year I853 the fund for the
purchase of books under this act had grown to $55,000
a year, and the libraries had accumulated 1,604,210 vol-
umes. The interest in this subject then seemed to de-
crease, and from 1853 to 1857 there was an average yearly
decrease of 56,569 volumes in the circulation.

In 1852 the state of Indiana passed what was known as
the " Education Law,” which provided for a library tax of
a quarter of a mill on all the taxable property, and a poll
tax of a quarter of a dollar for the establishment of a free
library in every civil township. Under this law each of
the 690 townships in Indiana was supplied with a library
containing 391 volumes.

In I853 the state of Ohio, in its school law of that year,
appropriated one tenth of a mill on the valuation of taxa-
ble property for state purposes to the establishment and
maintenance of libraries in the common-school districts,
purchases to be made, as was the case in Indiana, by the
Department of Education.

Under this law, 245,887 volumes were distributed in
1858.

The original school law of the state of Wisconsin au-
thorized each town superintendent in his discretion to apply

* Report Superintendent of Common Schools, New York, x834.

32

not exceecling ten per cent of the gross ztmount of school
money for the purchase of a school--district lil;)rz1ry. Before
the close of the year 1854 over eight hundred little libra-
ries had been formed under this law, but in 1859 8. lib1‘ary
law was enacted providing for 21 pernmnent town-school
library fund, created by app1“op1*iati11g ten per cent of the
income of the school fund annually and by 221 special zm-
nual state tax of 21 tenth of a mill on the tz11.‘{25Ll)l€ property.
The libm1'ies formed were to be town librztries, ::mcl the
boole-:3 to be pL11*cliz-mecl by the Depurtnieiit of I1lSl.1‘L1Cl;lO1].

It thus appears that, in the 1‘1‘1Z:1tl.€:1‘ of free public librzxries,
as in many othere relztting to educ21tion., the New Englmlcl
states followed, 21nd did not leacl, the great states of the
Northwest.

It was not until 1849 that New I~Iz11npsl1i1'e :.1uthorizecl
towns to levy taxes to support and 11mi1.1tni1t1 public: lil)1‘£1.1'it;‘S.
Massacliusetts did the same in I851: .; Maine in I854; Ver-
mont in I865 ; Rhode Island in I867 ; Connecticut in
I869."*'* V

These statutes, however, were perniiesive, zrmd the towns
used the power given by them very slowly. They all <;:on--
tztinecl provisions z.1utl1o1*izing towns to hold lib *:;11'y property
which might be given them, and the growth of town lilo ‘:1-~
ries in New England has been mainly by the tr:-tnsrfer by
library corporations and £1SSOCIl21tlO11S of their librswies to
towns.

Public libraries have also, until within a very recent

* See Chapter 861, Laws New I-ilarnpshire, 184.9.
Cl1a.pter 305, Laws Maesa.cl1L1setts, 185x.
Chapter 106, Laws of Maine, 1854.
Chapter 48, Laws of Vermont, I865.
Clmpter 668, Laws Rhode Island, 1867.
Cllapter 65, Laws C01'11’1(3ClZiCL1l;, 1869.

33

period, been treated in New England as independent insti-»
tutions having no necessary connection with popular edu-
cation.

It is true that some of the states have had special pro-
visions for the establishment’ of school libraries by school
districts, and by towns in connection with schools where
the district system has been abolished.*

But it is only within a very few years that the true pur-
pose of the free public library as an adjunct of the free-
school system has been recognized to any marked degree.

In 1875 Rhode Island provided that the board of educa-
tion might cause money to be paid to free public libraries
which should accept rules prescribed by the board as to the
character of books and the manner of their managenientq‘

In 1890 Massachusetts provided for the appointment of
a board of state library commissioners to aid the librarian
or trustees of any free public library, and with authority to
expend from the state treasury a sum not exceeding; one
hundred dollars a year for books for any town having no
free public library..:t

In 1892 this provision for state aid was extended to all
towns which maintained a free library before the passage
of the act of I89o.§

In 1891 New Hampshire provided for the appointment
of a state board of library commissioners, with powers simi-
lar to those given the commissioners under the Massachu-

* Sections 2155, 2218, Gen. Sts. Conn. 1888.
1‘ Chapter 464, Public Laws of Rhode Island, 1875.
Chapter 47, Public Statutes of Rhode Island, 1888.
i Chapter 347, Massachusetts Laws, 1890. I
§ Chapter 254, Massachusetts Laws, 1892.

34-

setts act. The New I"-lampshire act is substantially a copy
of the Massachusetts act.*"

In 1893 the state of Connecticut provided that the state
board of education should annually appoint five persons as
a public library commission, upon whose recommendation
state aid should be given to free public libraries under cer-
tain conditions. It should be noted that this act specifically
provides that no person shall be ineligible as trustee of a
free public library or as a state commissioner on accoun
of sex.

In I894 Vermont provided for the appointment of a state
board of library commissioners, and for limited appropria-—
tions to towns for free public librariesflr

In 1895 Maine provided for payments by the state t1‘E:£.1S—-
urer to towns of ten per cent of the amount expended by
them in the maintenance of free public libraries each year,
the amount expended to be certified to the state treasurer
by the town ofliicersi

New Hampshire was the first, and thus far is the only
state to require towns to levy taxes to establish and main-
tain free public libraries.

On March 29, 1895, the legislature of that state passed
an act which provided that each town should assess annu-
ally a sum to be computed at the rate of thirty dollars for
every dollar of the public taxes apportioned to such town,
which sum so assessed should be appropriated to the sole
purpose of establishing and maintaining a free public li-
brary.

* Chapter 62, New Hampshire Laws, I891.

A See Chapter 8, Public Statutes New Hampshire, 189;.
'1‘ No. 37, Vermont Laws, 1894.

I Chapter 4.5, Laws of Maine, 1895.

35

The Word “ library ” is defined to include reference and
circulating libraries, reading rooms, and museums.

Each town is required to elect a number of library trus-
tees consisting of some number divisible by three, to be
elected in classes, one third each year. A

No person is ineligible as a trustee by reason of sex.

The trustees thus elected haveythe entire custody and
management of the free public library and of the expend-—
iture of the money raised by taxation, or of any money
which may be given or otherwise received for the support
thereof. "*" '

This legislation shows how the people are slowly rec--
ognizing that public libraries are only means of public
education, and that their true use is as a part of the system
of popular education.

I believe the greatest future usefulness of the public
library will be as an adjunct of the public schools.

A public library will come to be regarded as much a

necessary part of the equipment of every town or city as

schoolhouses and highways.

Books are valuable only as intelligently used, and the
intelligent use of books is as much a matter of education
as reading itself.

It is not enough to teach /zow to read. The child should
also be taught ze//zazzf to read. This can be done, and in a
community like this is done to a great extent, in the home.
But it should also be done, and in many cases can only be
done, in the schools. ‘T

One of the fhost competent and experienced educators in
New England recently said to me that the chief value of

the public library is in counteracting that specializing tend-

ency of our time which makes every person a mere bit in

* Laws of New Hampshire, 1895, c. I 18.

36

a huge mechanism, and that books are a school in which,
freed from the direction of others, the young themselves
choose what they need for their individual development.

And the librarian of ‘our largest free public library
recently said in a public address that he would trust the
good book to make its way with readers against the bad
book.

This is true if the reader has been educated to a knowl-
edge of good and evil, to prefer the good book to the bad
book. But without this it is not i true. lAs soon trust the
young to choose good companions instead of bad ones as
to choose good books instead of bad ones.

I think it is within bounds to say that there are more
books printed each year that ought to be burned than there
are that ought to be read. It is not so difficult, however,

to select those which ought to be read, as to induce readers T

to prefer them to those which ought to be burned.
The great library problem to—day is not how to select
proper books, but /2020 to z'7za,’z¢ce people to read if/zem. This

can be done, I believe, only by teaching young people to i

read good books while they are in a teachable condition,
-—-at home, in the schools, under the control and guidance
of others. i

Every public library should have such relation to the
public schools that teachers may, through the use of the
library, train their scholars to the knowledge and the use
of good books, so that when they come to the independent
use of the library they may” know how to use it as a school
in which each scholar does develop his individuality in the
right and not in the wrong direction.

Reading is often only a form of idleness. To be of value,
reading should be with a purpose, and not as a pastime.
Without instruction‘ in the choice and use of books the

37

child is inclined to treat them only as means of amusement,
and this habit once formed is rarely broken.

There is no object for which the power of taxation can
be more properly exercised than the public library. It is
a benefit to all. The high school can be used by only a
portion of those who enjoy the primary schools. But the
library is for all who can read, and in our state all may
read. The schools reach the citizen only in youth and
during a short period of life, but the library extends its
benefits throughout life.

i No public money is more wisely spent than that which
educates all to the proper use of good books, and furnishes
all with good books for use.

The town library supported by taxation has many advan-
tages over the private society library. The fact that all
are required to Contribute to its support according to their
respective abilities gives all an interest in it. It is the prop-
erty of all, and its success is a matter of local municipal
pride. Even those who do not use it feel a pride in it as a
town institution. The fact that it is a part of the munici-~
pal equipment makes it permanent. Libraries depending
upon private contributions grow old and die like other busi-
ness enterprises, but the town library no more grows old
than the town itself. Its administration may not be at all
times excellent, but it will recover from a poor manage-
ment better than the private library. It cannot disappear,
because it is a part of the town itself, and its administra--
tion will on the whole improve as the administration of the
town improves with the intelligence of the inhabitants,
which the library itself tends so much to increase.

Again, the town library is an object of the beneficence
of those who wish to contribute to a permanent institution,
to do something for the town. The experience in the

38

growth of libraries in New England has been that after
they became town or city libraries they received far greater
contributions of books and of money than before. A man
will give to the town libra;ry of his native town because it
is a town institution, when he would not think of giving to
a private library of the same character in the town. Citi-
zens of the town will labor for the town library, and will
give to it when they would not labor for and give to a
purely private enterprise.

The town library, if made a part of the common-school

system of popular education, enters into and becomes a part i

of the educational life of every child in the town, and it is
remembered in after life as the most pleasant part of early
educafion.

In short, the town library properly administered in con-
nection with the schools of the town becomes the most im-
portant educational and social factor in the life of the
young people of the town, and as such is most likely to be
the object of their support and of their contributions in after
life.

The town library can fulfil a most important part in the
preservation of local history. We are always making his-~
tory, but we do not understand the importance of what is
happeningiday by day. Local events are treated as of
little importance at the time, and subsequently it is almost
impossible to ascertain them accurately. A town library
can gather and preserve the local history as it can be done
in no other way. Suppose, for instance, that during the
war for the suppression of the rebellion there had been a
town library in this town, where everything relating to the
history of the companies that went to the army from Brad-—
ford had been collected and preserved, to which the boys
at the front would have been glad to send objects of inter-

39

est to be preserved, what an invaluable collection of local
historical matter and of objects of interest to the present
generation would have been naturally and easily gathered.

You have or can have all these advantages.

And you have the advantage over the large libraries in
that you are not too large for the best use.

The small library is vastly more useful in proportion

than the large library, not only because it can be more

carefully selected, but principally because those who use it
can have more czcz‘2m.Z cmzizzczf ze/2212 22. The use of a library
through a catalogue is never quite satisfactory. The real
use of books is in personal Contact with them, and the ideal
use of a public library is precisely the same as the use of
the private library, where the reader comes in direct con-
tact with the books, taking them from the shelves as he
desires. This can be permitted only to a limited extent in
the large library. For instance, it has so far been found
possible in the Boston Public Library to permit personal
access to only about ten thousand volumes of its dollection
of over six hundred thousand; but in the small town lib-
rary.there is no real reason why, under suitable restrictions
and supervision, access may not be permitted to substan-
tially all the books. I know this is an innovation, and it
will be said that the public cannot be trusted thus far. But
I am confident that if people are put upon their honor they
may safely be trusted to handle and use their own books.
Once make the people of a town understand that the books
are z‘/zez'r.s*, and permit them to treat If/rem as 2‘/zez'7's, and you
can insure the loss from their ill treatment of them for a
small part of what it will cost for an attendant to handle
the books for them. A

I believe that, if you trust the people and make the
library theirs, it will be as permanent as the state, and will

40

be the most effective safeguard of the integrity and perma-
nence of the state itself.

lVIay the building we this day dedicate, long stand as a
memorial of him who gave it, and of all who have aided
in its construction.

l\/Iay it become the centre of your educational and social
life.

May the people of this town ever hold it high above see-
tarian difference or party strife.

May youth learn its lessons at the portals of this build-
ing, mature life find here instruction and help for its duties,
and old age seek constant comfort within its quiet walls.

APPENDIX I.‘

john L. Woods, late of Cleveland, Ohio, by the twenty-fifth
item of his last will and testament, made the following provi-
sion :--—

“ Twwzzj/-flfz%. I give and bequeath to the Trustees of
the Bradford Public Library, of Bradford, Vermont, Fif-
teen Thousand Dollars ($15,000) upon the following con-
ditions, namely:

“ That said Trustees procure in fee simple and free from
debt a large and suitable lot of land centrally located to ac-
commodate the whole village for a library building and
grounds, and shall proceed to construct thereon a good and
suitable library building, said building to have two floors,
the lower floor to have liberal room for the accommodation
of the library and a reading room connected, the latter to
be supplied with the best papers and periodicals in surfi-
cient quantities to fully accommodate the patrons. These
rooms to be open every afternoon and evening, including
Sunday; a capable man to be at all times employed to at-

tend to the wants of the patrons and take charge of the
building and contents. On the second floor a good conven-
ient hall to be finished and furnished for the accornrnoda-
tion of entertainments, such as lectures, concerts, public
meetings, and such other amuseinents as the trustees may
deem best for the general interest and welfare of the com—-
munity; a rental to be charged for the use of the hall, rang-
ing according to the character of the entertainment for
which it is used; the rents to be applied to the support of

the building, library and reading room. Then not more

than Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($7,500) of
the Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000) above named may
be applied towards the cost of said building, the same to be
paid by me or my executors as the work progresses.

42

“ I further direct that upon the full completion of said
buildings, as above provided, the balance of said Fifteen
Thousand Dollars ($15,000) shall be paid to said Trustees,
and shall be by them invested and re-invested as a perma-
nent endowment fund, to be known as the “John L. VVoods
Endowment Fund ; ” and the income thereof applied by said

Trustees to the purchase of books and the expenses of the

library and reading room.”

Subsequent to the execution of said will he Wrote the fol»
lowing letter : --

CLEVELAND, Ohio, March 18, I893.

“ To z‘/Le Trz.¢sz‘ees of Tim Bmafom’ Pzaélzk Lz‘&m7g/.

“ Gentlemen : Finding that some of the provisions in my

will for the proposed new building for the public library
would have been different had I been fully informed as to
the situation, and not desiring to change my will, I make
this declaration, that, in consideration of the Trustees assent»
ing to the proposals made by me herein, and undertaking on
their part to execute the same, I hereby agree, in lieu of the
provisions in that regard made in my will, as follows:

“ I give and will pay to the Trustees of the Bradford
Public Library Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000) upon
the following conditions, to wit : That said Trustees procure
in fee simple and free from debt a large and suitable lot of
ground centrally located to accommodate the whole village,
for a library building and grounds, and shall proceed td con-
struct thereon a good and suitable library building. Said
building to have liberal room for the accommodation of
the library and a reading room connected, the latter to be
supplied with the best papers and periodicals in suflicient
quantities to fully accommodate the patrons, these rooms
to be open every afternoon and evening, including Sunday,
and a capable man to be at all times employed to attend
to the wants of the patrons, and take charge of the building

43

and contents. Then not more than Ten Thousand Dollars
($10,000) of the Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000)
above mentioned may be applied towards the cost of said
building,'to be paid by me or my executors during the
summer of I894 and winter following, or at an earlier
date, if found necessary, subject to the convenience of my
estate; and I direct my ‘executors to execute this agree-
ment in place of the provisions in my last will in that re-
gard.

“ And I further agree that, upon the full completion of
said building as above provided for, the balance of said
Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000) shall be paid to said
Trustees, and shall be by them invested and re-invested as
a permanent endowment fund to be known as the ‘John
L. VVoods Endowrnent Fund,’ the income thereof to be
applied to the purchase of books, papers and expenses of
the library and reading room.

cc JOHN L. woonsx’

APPENDIX 2.

Nczvwizers cy’ L‘/ze ./Iie¢;~zZ2e7's 0]‘ “ 772.6’ La;a’z'es’ Lz'5m7j/ As.9ocz'czz‘z'o7z of

Bm¢2?fora.’, Vc:'rm07zZ',” csmélis/‘Md 2'72 _/cz7ma;7fy, 1875.

Mrs. G. R. Andross. Mrs.  H. Howe.
Mrs. James Arrnstrong. Mrs. Charles Jones.
Mrs. Albert Bailey. Mrs. L. E. Jones.

Mrs. Eliza A. Barrett.
 George L. Butler.
Mrs. Victor Bagley.
Miss Marian Corliss.
Mrs. C. H. Curtis.

Mrs. Caroline Chandler.

Mrs. D. W. Cobb.
Mrs. John Craig.
Mrs. H. G. Day.

Miss Abby Johnson.
Miss Julia Johnson.
Mrs. Will Johnson.
Mrs. Stillman Jenne.
Miss Corinne Leavitt.

Mrs. L. D. Livingston.

Mrs. H. C. McDuffee.

Mrs. George F. Morris.

Miss Ellen Morse.

Mrs. Williain Eastman. Miss Lucy Nelson.

Mrs. Edwin Fuller. Mrs. A. Osborne. ,

Mrs. W. E. Gage. Mrs. Lucia Peaslee.

Mrs. Orrin Gambell. Mrs. Mary S. Prichard.
Mrs. Henry Grey. Mrs. Edgar Rowell.

Mrs. Zeeb Gilman. Mrs. E. C. Redington.
Mrs. L. F. Hale. Miss Lucia B. Rodgers.
Mrs. C. H. Harding. ’Mrs. Emma Rogers.

Miss Hattie Horner. Mrs. john Sanborn.

Mrs. George Hardy. Miss Sarah  Shaw.

Mrs. john Hardy. , Miss Marcella Shepardson.
Mrs. Asa Howard. Mrs.  E. Sleeper.

Mrs. Lucy H. Smith. Ivilrs. Joseph Tibbetts.
l\/lrs. John C. Stearns. Mrs. Bert Underwood.
Mrs. Alden Stevens. Miss Lydia E. VVhite.
l\wIrs. Anson Stevens. ,Mrs. Alfred E. VVinship.
Mrs. Harry B. Stevens. Mrs. .K. K. ‘Wilson.

Mrs. Charles S. Stevens. Miss Fannie VVoodWard.
Mrs. VVil1iam B. Stevens. Miss Sophia B. VVooclward.

Mrs. Elsie L. Young.

APPENDIX 3.

Co¢z.s*z‘z'tm’z‘o7z of “LczrZz'es’ Liémvfy Assocz‘az‘z’o7z,” adojfled _/a7zmz7y
3,1880.

Art. 1. Name. This society shall be known as the “ Ladies’ Library
Amended

Mch. 5, 1881. Association.”
Any person may become a mernber of this Association by
Am 2_ signing the constitution and paying an annual fee of
Me“‘1”"S' one dollar, but only those Who have reached the age
of majority shall have a right to Vote on any business questions.

The officers of this Association shall be a President, a Secrem
Am 3_ tary, a Treasurer, a Librarian and an Executive Com-
O‘fi"""'*"' rnittee of three, all to be chosen at the annual meet-

45

ing and to hold their c>ilice for one year or until their successors
are chosen. All members of the society who have reached the
Amended Jam age of majority shall be eligible to oflice. No person
17’ ’33°' shall hold more than two offices at one time.
It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all of the
i meetings of the society, to have a general oversiglit
 of its affairs, and in connection with the executive
committee to provide lectures and other entertain-
mentsfor the purpose of raising funds, and to perform such
other duties as usually belong to the President to perform.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a full record of the
proceedings of the Association at all of its business
 meetings ; to preside over such meetings in the absence
of the President and to give notice of meetings.
It shall he the duty of the Treasurer to invest in the name of
the society the Pearson fund, and such other funds as
_I;{l\Jii...lt£lSi3i")l~ may come to the Association, by the advice of the
',l.‘rua.su1'o1-. _ , _
A111pp::lpgS_liLI1. Executwe Comnnttee, 111 a manner that shall be per-—
fectly safe and yield the largest annual income. The
Treasurer shall collect all annual fees, fines and other dues from
the members of the society, and collect and have charge of all
money l3elc>r1gi11g to the society, and shall pay all bills on the
written order of the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall
keep in a book for that purpose, a full and accurate account of all
her doings and make full report thereof at the annual meeting,
or olftener as called upon hy the society. i
It shall be the duty of the Librarian to have the care of all
Am ,,_ the books of the society and the room in which they
Ll""“"i““" are kept; to let them out to its members and others
under the rules of the society; to keep an accurate record in a
book for that purpose of all the books loaned and of their return;
to make an annual report in writing of the condition of the
library, the number of books missing, etc., and from time to
time, to give to the treasurer a list of the fines to be collected.

It shall he the duty of the Executive Committee to inake se-

46

lections of books to be purcliased for the library; to

Art. 8.
 act in connection with the President in procuring lec-

A_m;’:1‘d:‘;fFe1,_ tures and other entertainments; to issue orders to the

1 I880. .

4’ Treasurer for the payment of bills and to do all ex-
Amendment

expungecl, Jan

8, I885.

_ traordinary business not devolving on the other ofli-
cers.

The annual meeting of the society "shall be held on the first

Saturday in each year at 3 o’clocl{ P.M. at the library

Art.9.
““"‘}§§;.f““°t' room of the society, unless some other place is des-

y ignated by the Executive Committee. And in case
Amended Jan.

HOj;r‘§§‘n'met_ the annual meeting is omitted by any accident on the
mg" day named the Executive Committee may direct the
Secretary to call a meeting at any time in the month of January
but not after.
Special meetings may be called at any time on the request of
A1-t.Io. three members in Writing to the President or Secre-
Special meet-
ings. t£11'y.
Notices of meetings shall be published in the Ii’-1‘adforcl paper
Am IL if there is one, once at least Within ten days prior to
N°“°°"" the meeting or be posted five days before the meeting
in at least three public places in l3;raclford Village.
This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote at any

Art 12 annual meeting, or upon notice at any special meet»-
.A.1nendments. ing.

Aazeizdizzevzfs.
The officers of the Association shall he a President, a Secre-
tary, a Treasurer, a Lihrarian and an Executive
Art. 3. ,
Axnend§§l_'[:Ln. Comnnttee of three, all to be chosen at the annual
17, I 0. _ _ _ _
meeting and to hold l2l1€:11" ofhce for one year or 1.11'1l‘.1l
their successors are  Jointed. All members of the societ who
l 3’
have reached the age of majority shall be eligible to oflice, z‘/M
éalmzce cy’ 2%./3 qjices always beiizg 2'72 2'/2.6? /zmzais‘ of the Zadzles. No
person to hold more than two oflices at one time.
It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to invest in the name of

47

p the society czrzy :funds that may come to the Associa-
 tion by the advice of the Executive Committee in a
manner that shall be perfectly safe and yield the
largest income. (The rest of the Art. unchanged.)
This society shall be known as the Bradford Public Library
Art. an». Association.

Art. 9

. All business meetings shall be held at 2 o’clocl<
Amended Jan . e

1,1881. P.M.

B_y—ZLazvs qf La.a’z'es’ Lz'bm7/y .»4ss0cz'az‘z'07-2.

Adopted 1880, The library shall be open every Saturday afternoon

‘M11;-.'t.3' at 3 o’clock for the drawing of books.

Books must be returned in four weeks; if kept longer the
party detaining them must pay to the Treasurer a fine
of five cents per week.

zd.

l"ersons not residents of Bradford can draw books on paying

to the Librarian ten cents and depositing with the

 Librarian the sum of one dollar. Such books may
' be kept the same leiigtli of time as others.

The library shall be open to all residents of Bradford not
members of the Library Association at the rate of
4” three cents per week.
No person shall be allowed more than one book at any one

5th. drawing on a single membership.

No books to be loaned to any person not a member of the
am. Association.

That the Librarian be authorized to appoint an assistant who
7th_ shall have the same power as the Librarian in her

Added Feb. I
14’ 1330‘ Eli) SCIICCL .

48

List of Ofliccrs of Lcm’z'eS’. Lz'6m¢«y A5socz'czz’z'o7z of .5’7’adj’07’d,
Vemzom’, from 1880 in 1895.

1880.
President, Mrs. R. FARNHAM. Secretar , Mrs. CHARLES JONES.
Treasurer, Mrs. L. F. HALE. Librarian, Mrs. P1-IIN. CHAMBERLIN.

Executive Committee:
Mrs. L. M. PEASLEE, Mrs. MARIA L. HARDY,
Mrs. CHARLES JONES.

1881.
President, Mrs. R. FARNHAM. Secretary. Mrs. A. A. DOTY.
Treasurer, Mrs. ELLEN M. BAILEY. Librarian, Miss ANNA S'.I.‘I3.‘.VI~3NS.

Executive Committee :
Mrs. L. M. PEASLEE, V Mrs. CHARLES _IoN1«;s,
Mrs. E. A. BARRETT.

1882.
President, Mrs. R. FARNHAM. Secretary, Mrs. A. A. DOTY.
Treasurer, Miss CORINNE L1:«:A.v1'r'r. Librmian, Miss ANNA S'1i‘E'VEN.‘$.

Executive Committee :
Mrs. ELIZA A. BARRE'1".I‘, Mrs. H. M. DxC:K.;sY,
Mrs. ORISSA J. Pmcrxsnra.

x883.
President,  ELIZA A. IBAmm'1"r. Secretary, Mrs. M. L. M. ’I‘11mr;r'rs.
’I‘reasurer, Mrs. MARIA L. HARDY. Librarian, Miss I. M. PATTISON.
Asst. Libmr-ian, Mrs. J. H. WATSON.

Executive Comrnittee :
Mrs. ROSWELL FARNI:-IAM, Mrs. H. M. Dxcxmr,
Mrs. Omssn. J. PRICI-IARD.

1884.
President, Mrs. Emzs A. BARRE'I"I‘. Secretary, Mrs. M. L. M. T1x3mr.'.r:rs.
Treasurer, Miss ANNA S'I‘EVEI~TS. Libm1'ian, Miss SADIE HASKINS.

Executive Committee:
Mrs. ROSWELL FARNHAM, Mrs. H. M. Dxcxmv,
Miss C. E. S‘1‘RICKLANI).

4.9

1885.
President, Mrs. E. A. BA.RR.ET'1‘. Secretary, Mrs. M. L. M. TIB‘BE’.[‘TS.
Treasurer, Miss ANNA STEVENS. Librarian, Miss EFFIE A. WRIGHT.

Executive Committee:
Mrs. ROSWELL FARNI-IAM, Miss C. E. S'.l.‘R.ICKI..AND,
Mrs. J. B. PECKETT.

1886.
President, Mrs. Omsss J. PRICIIARD. Secretary, Mrs. 141. C. MCDiUF.lTI£‘I£.
Treasurer, Miss I. M. PA'I."I‘.'I".SONN. ' Librarian, Miss EFFIE A. Wmerrr.

Executive Committee:
Miss C. E. STRICKLAND,  J. B. PECKETT,
Mrs. H. M. DICKEY.

188”.
President, Mrs. Omss/xJ. PRIC‘.I~IARI). Secretary, Mrs. M. L. M. 'l‘xms‘s'1r*1*s.
Treasurer, Mrs. H. C. 1\’ICD’UIi‘1‘i‘I.t)b3. Librarian, Mrs. E. A. BARIs‘.E'l.‘T.

Ezsrecutive Committee:
Miss C. E. $'I‘.RIC1{LAN;I;), Mrs. J. B. P1sc1<.1~:'.r'r,
Mrs. 141. M. DICKEY.

1888.
President, Mrs. OmssAJ. PRICilaIARfI). Secretary,  M. L. M. ’1‘Is‘sI.r/rt1;*s.
Treasurer, Mrs. H. C. 1V[CDUI?FEIf€.. Librarizzm, Mrs. E. A. ]3ARR1i‘.'1."I‘.

Executive Committee:
Miss C. E. S'rR1c1«:LAN1;>, Mrs. H. M. D.rc1r.sr,
 R. FARNIWIAM.

1889.
President, Mrs. ORISSA J. PR.ICHAR.D. Secretary, Mrs. J.A.N:r.'.r'.r1r. C. ItI.w.
Treasurer,  II. C. MCDJUFFEE. Lib1*m'ian, Mrs. E. A. BA.RR]i‘.’1"1‘.

Executive Committee:
Mrs. H. M. DICKEY, Mrs. ROSWELL FARNI-IAM,
Mrs. M. L. M. TII3'BIi‘.'I"1‘S.

1890.
President, Mrs. WM. 13. S'r1svIcNs. Secretary, Mrs. JAN;l3‘.'1‘T;E C. Irlmr.
Treasurer, Mrs. H. C. MCDUFFEBI. Librarian, Miss IVIAUDE CLARKE.
Feb. I1, Mrs. W. B. LADD.

50

Executive Colnmitte-** :
Mrs. H. M. DICKEY, Mrs. ROSVVELL FARNIIAM,
Mrs. M. L. M. TIBBETTS.

‘ 1891.
President, Mrs. H. C. IVICDUFFEE. Secretary, Mrs. JANETTE C. I~~I.w.
Treasurer, Mrs. E. A. BARRETT. Librarian, Mrs. W. B. L.A.1:>1).

Executive Committee :
Mrs. G. A. DICKEY, Mrs. M. L. M. TIBBETTS,
Mrs. ROSWELL FARNLIAM.

1892.
President, Mrs. H. C. MCDUFFEE. Secretary, Mrs. JANr«;TT1£ C. Irlmr.
Treasurer, Mrs. E. A. BARRETT. Librarian, Mrs. ‘W. B. LADI).
July, Mrs. M. J.JEN1<1Ns.

Executive Committee:
Mrs. G. A. DIci<EY, Mrs. M. L. M. TIBBI33'I‘TS,
Mrs. ROSWELL FARNITAM.

1893.
President, Mrs. H. C. MCDUFFEE. Secretary, Mrs. ORISSA J. PR..I'Cl-IARD.
Treasurer, Mrs. E. A. BARRETT. Librarian, Miss 1\/LAY PILLSBURY.

Executive Committee:
Mrs. LAURA M. DICKEY, Mrs. M. L. M. TII3J3E'I".1‘S,
Mrs. ROSWELL FARNHAM.

1894.
President, Mrs. H. C. I\'IcDUFF;eE. Secretary, Mrs. CR1!-LSSA J. I”n.;Ic1emRIn.
T1'easu1'er, Mrs. E. A. BARRETT. Librarian, Miss MA‘Y PII..LS‘13Ul«".Y.

Executive Committee:
Mrs. LAURA M. DICKEY, Mrs. M. L. M. TI13I3E'1‘TS,
Mrs. ROSWELL FARNHAM.

AI”PENDIiX 4..

The in£<:>1'1'm1tio11 contzxined in the following skotclaes of the
 of the I_.‘i1.>m1'y petition is de1'iVec1 from 21 sez.u*ch of the
f31'a1<;1fo1*<i tow1“1 1'ec(>1'c:h;a, 1'8CO1‘dS of the Ac21de111y, church
1'oc<t>1‘<:1s, II\;’IfcfI.~Cc:c:1“1’s “1*‘Iisto1fy of Bmc1fo1'd,” Ha11’$ “Easte1'1t1
Vc:1'1uont,” I\I(f.")Si~.'.i171’.‘§L5 “‘ HiStc;)1'y(;)f Ve1"mont,” I"tIza1ywz11*c1’s “ New
'I'.Engii:iL1:‘1ci C5‘r:‘1zottc:c:r,” Ttl1<:>1np.9e;o11’s “ G::1z<3tt<-.“~:er of 'Vo:m"1ont,”
Th<::;>u1ps;c:m"55 “ Vc—;:1'moi;1t,” S]z1.(;1<3:’s “Vc"—.:1'1:11ont Sitztto Papa-1'3,”
’\?Vz1,i.ton’.~:4 “ (.?}<_;>vc:1*1‘1(.>1' zymci C<;)u1'1c:i1,”  I“IOl11@11WEty’S “ 1‘~Iist<:>1'y
of V"t:1'1;‘1‘1<:>i1'1t,” CIt1i1<§i’s “O1i*z:111.go (’3o111o1t:y Gz;~xzetteL=:1",” zmd from
C(i1)1’1‘C§:3p(.I)t‘1(i¢{:1‘1(3t3 with c1c:.ssce1:1d:;u1t.r-z of time sigiiers now 1ivii11g in
c1i7Efo1'ont pm'ts; (1)1? the Union. The i,11:t'o1'mz1tic>11 for the .931{OtC11€S
which z1.m ss1;m'1*e:<::i 11:15; 1:;>c:c;~n czollcrctectl by Mr. I-"I. C. McDL1ffee.

:MIC2\II fBA‘rm<i‘>tN“, the ti.1:.~;st ssig;;'11e1* of tliis petition, ’w:.1.s* the them
1“U.1‘)1”C;3S(31'1.tZlifiVU(J)f .l31'2L<,H?o1'c;1 in the G'€311G1‘:TL1 Assexfruhliy. He wuss
h<.:>m in ":I§‘y1'1g:31'>t>1'<‘), Mfz'Lss., :m(1 sottlcrcl in Bmclfonil in I788,
ZLS :1 mo1'c11:;u1t:. IIC: win; for ;f:o1'ty-tlmme: yezzws 21 shmriff, and
for ifour yoz;-11“.c:a lmigli S.1‘1(31'if:f oi? tlw county. lilo died at Bmcifo1'c1,
Novmnhei' 26, 1:839, at the tinge of $C’:V(’31”1ty~S(3V‘<:3I‘l y+w'ui's.

“W _]CJ.HN ;I3iA.N1;4‘\II..I. czzufxw £1-«mi S:»u"1I:)c)1‘11tor‘1, N.ItI.,o1* its viczinity,
.1Li)(.)Ll’E 1780. He Watts; :1 I:‘)1“ly‘|$j.lCi£“‘lIl’1, zimd loczlteci cm. 2'1 fz‘.11‘l‘1'1, lmw
owxicxi by .R.ohc31't 17‘u1ton, in tlmt p:;u't 0:15 tlie town 1<.n<)vvn :15;
Grossliorx, zsmczl pmcztisocl 1r1i.~fs p1‘0f€’:S$iO11 until :;1hout tlic: yin.»-11' I800,
WIICBII he rno'v<;=:d to tlw xmigltiinoiriiig town of Corinth, wlwre he
died in ISI7. I*Ie nm;u71*icc1 Sm"a1'1 VVhitche1', who survived him
zmd criioél at ninety yemrs of  Dr. Bzmfill zmci his wife weirp
both i:>m*ic::d in the Corinth Center cemete1*y. They lmcl four
sorxs-——-—_]'ohn, .I3enj::m1in, Dzxvid anal Mmk; zmd Mrs. l7’1:une1121
Celley, c1aug11ter of the eldest son, jolm, now eighty-five years
of age, lives in Fairlee, Vt. -

9* B:mNJAM1:N LI’l"1‘LJi3 was born M:.11'ch 18., 1737.. He wms £1.

52

miller, and also engaged in trade in Haverhill, Mass. A.fter-
wards he removed to Salem, N.H., and from there he went to
Bradford as early as I792. The town records show a certifi-
cate dated April I4, 1792, signed by Edward Bass, minister of
l\Tewburyport, Mass., showing that Benjamin Li.ttle was a mem-
ber of the Protestant Episcopal church of that place.

He bouglit a farm, in that part of the town known as Goshen,
of Ebenezer Olrnstead, which is now known as the “ Moody Grow
farm,” and lived there until his death, March 19, 1809. He was
an influential and respected citizen, and was buried in the ceme-

tery on the upper plain.

9* EBENEZER METCALF was a descendant in the sixth genera-
tion from Leonard Metcalf, who was rector at Norwood, Eng-
land, from 1:6rI to 1616. He was born in Massaclirisetts, jan-
uary 25, 1763, and was a son of Samuel Metcalf, a soldier in
the revolutionary war. He lived for a time at Enfield, Conn.,
and from there came to Mooretown, and bought land as early
as I792. He was engaged in rafting lumber and merchandise
on the Connecticut to I-Iartford, Conn., and other n1arl<et-places,
for some years, and was at one time in trade in Bradford.
Afterwards he moved to Corinth, to the farm where Alpheus
Metcalf, his nephew, now lives, where he died in 1809.

9* CALEB PUTNAM was a shoemaker. He came from l\/Iassa-
chusetts at a very early date and bought a place on the lower
plain. His shop was nearly opposite the house where Mr.

Albee now lives. In 1796 he appears to have sold his
place to Vvllllalll Case, and to have removed from town.

9*‘ HIRAM PEARSON was a tanner. He came to Bradford
from O1-ford, N.H., in 1796, and bought a place of Ephraim
Martin on Rowell brook, near the foot of Sharp’s hill. He
appears to have sold this place and to have removed from the
town about 1802. i B

 jostrwn: CLARK was born August 9, 1751, and was one of the
earliest settlers of Mooretown. He lived about a mile south of the
villag;e on the lower plain, in a log house. Afterwards he built
a frame house near by, where he lived until he died, December
.~;].., 1835‘, at the age of eighty-five years. This house is still stand-
inf;;, and has always been known as the “ Joseph Clark house.”

He held the ofiice of selectman more years than any other
citizen, and at different times held nearly all the town oflices.
 was a farmer and a good mechanic. He was one of the
cmnmittee of the town who superintended the rebtrilding of the
Baldwin l31*iclge, first constructed in 1782, and washed away in
1803. Tlie tax voted by the town for the rebuilding of the
bridge was to be “paid in neat stock, wheat, or Indian corn.”
Idle was also one of the contractors with the town to build a
meetirig house on the upper plain in 1793. He married Sarah
Mussey of Corinth, who died March 18, 1833, at the age of
seventy-four years.

""°Px\'1“If?.ICIs’L. l{EN1?.1)Y was a revolutionary soldier, and appears
to have ctmne to l'31'21clf01‘cl before 1:786, for at that time he owned
what  known as the “ Thomas R. Andross farrn "’ on the lower
plain. This he sold to Ebenezer Olmstead March 17, 1786,
and atterwards lived for several years on the South road, so
called. From there he moved to the house now owned by
Ilorner  Mol§)L1ffee, on the upper plain, where he lived until
he died, Atrgttrst 29, 1836, aged seventy-six years.

He ar_>pea1"s by the records to have been a meinber of the
Baptist church in 1792., and is thought to have come to America
from Ireland. He and his Wife were buried in the Bradford

cemetery.

*“jo1;IN 7I’I3;c:1{E'r'r was born in England about I765, and came
to America with his father, Giles Peckett, when he was nine
years of ag;e. His parents first settled in North Haverhill, and
removed to Mooretown about 3:779, and settled on the lower
plain. john. l’e<::k.ett became a bl11Cl{Sl1"1llIl7l, and had his shop for

54D

many years near the east end of the Baldwin bridge. He cast
his first vote in 1789, and was an active and influential citizen.
He married Thankful Nlartin, and died in 1827. He was buried
in the cemetery on the upper plain.

'* EBENEZIER HIDDEN was a mechanic. He settled on a river
farm on the upper plain, and built a shop on Roaring brook.
He afterwards sold out to Manasseh and Israel ‘Willard, who
used the shop for a chair factory. The place was subsequently
known as the “VVillard place.” After this sale M1.'. Hidden re-
moved from Bradford to VVindsor, Vt.

it Hannarvr Onmsmza came from VVoodstoc1<, Conn., with his
father, Ichabod Orrnsby, in I774, and settled in Fairlee, on a farm
where VVil1iarn E. S. Celley now lives. In 1794 he came to
I31'aclfo1'cl and settled on a farni, which he bought of his father,
on the lower plain. Dr. Joseph Orrnsby, one of the early set-l
tlers of Corinth, and Robert l\/ICK. Orrnsby, aftervvards a prora-
inent lawyer in Bradford, were cousins of Herl:)e1't Ormsby.

JOHN BARRON was perhaps the most influential of the early
settlers of the town. He took an active part in p1‘<;)cLi1*i1‘1g its
charter, was its first representative in the General Assembly in
I788, and was a clelegzite to the convention to consider the
adoption of the United States Constitution, in Decernber, 1790.
He first settled on the meadow in the bow of the Connecticut in
the southeast corner of the town, where he was lixringg; at the
time of the Declaration of Independence. He was also an inn-
keeper for many years. He died in 1813, at the age of sixty-
nine years.

°“EzE1«;IEL LITTLE was the son of Benjamin Little, an<:l be-
came owner of the farm in Goshen Where his father, Benjamin
Little, had lived and died. He was born july 28, 1762. He
graduated at Harvard College in 1784, and was for many ‘years
a successful teacher in the Boston schools. Edward Everett

55

was at one time his pupil. He was the author of an arithmetic
which was entitled, “ The Usher,” published at Exeter, N.I-1.,
in 1:799. He sold his farm in Goshen to John and Adams
VVi1son, November 28, 1.826, and the last years of his life he
lived at Atkinson, N.H., where he died in March, 1840, at the
age of seventy-eight years.

In 1826, Mr. Little was chosen one of the fence-viewers in
l3racfl:i?ord, and the records Show’ that he and Joseph Clark
divided fence for several parties. He was a grandson of George
Little, who came from London and settled in Newbury, Mass.,
in I640. George W1'ig11t, the late Rev. john Sullivan Little,
and Anna and Ellen McDuffee, all of Bradford, are also de-
scendants of George Little.

‘*‘ Aunt) S'r:a:a131Ns Was one of the earliest physicians of the
town. Isle VVIIS born in I"-Iinsdale, N.H., and was practising in
Braclford in I790. He built a la1'ge house at the north end of
the village, which was subsequently kept as a hotel, known as
the “Vermont house.” He died in 1828, at the age of sixty-
eiglit years.

The only notice of the Library Society of I796 which I have
been able to find in the history of Bradford is contained in the
slcetch of Dr. Stebbins, which states that, while the doctor was
walking home alone ztrorn a Library Society meeting one dark
evening, he stepped off the side of a bridge across a ravine,
which has since been filled up, across the main street just north
of the c:.hurches, and received a concussion of the brain, from
which he never recovered, although he lived for ten or eleven
years lor1g;er.*‘

GARDINER KELLOGG was the first settled minister of the
town. He was hired under a peculiar vote, passed at a town
meeting called October 12., 1793, which was:

“ Voted to hire some preaching this fall, if some candidate
should chance to come this Way.”

it McKeen’s “ History of Bradford,” p. 395.

56

Referring to this vote, Dr. McKeen quaintly says, “ It
seems that Mr. Gardiner Kellogg chanced to come along, and
was employed.”

He was first hired for no stated time, then for three months.
In September, 1794, he was settled at a salary of two hundred
pounds a year in labor and materials for a house, part to be
paid in a year, part in two years, and the remainder in three
years. His salary was fixed at fifty pounds for the first year, to
increase by the addition of five pounds till it amounted to seventy—-
five pounds, or $375, as a regular salary. One fourth of this
was to be paid in money, the remainder in Wheat at five shillings
a bushel, or neat stock equivalent. He remained as the settled
c1ergy1nan of the town until 1809, vvhen he removed to Maine.
He was the first and only minister who was supported by the town

as such.

ANDn1=.«:'W B. P1f13’1‘EI{E‘» was born at Hebron, Conn., in I764,
and came to Bradford with his parents when about seven
years old, or in 177x. His father was a Royalist, and at the
revolution Went to Nova Scotia, and his son was in the king’s
service during the war. After the peace he returned to Brad-
ford and became town clerk in I798, which otlice he held for
forty of the ensuing forty—six years. He died in 1851:, at the age
of eighty-seven years.

ROBERT I"'IUNK.INS, known as Captain Hunlcins, was one of
the earliest settlers. He was a soldier in the French and Indian
wars and was a rnernber of Capt. Moses Hazen’s company under
General Stark. He settled on the river in the northeast part of
the town, Where he died in 1818, at the age of eighty years. He
was born in Haverhill, Mass. He was one of the town commit-
tee to raise twenty pounds for charges for preaching in 1782,
and was a very prominent and influential citizen.

* LEVI ANDROS was a son of Dr. Bildad Andross, with
whom he came to Bradford from VVestminster, Vt.., in 1775.

57

He was a highway overseer in 1776, and afterwards held im-
portant town offices. About I784. he removed to Fairfax, Vt.,
but after a few years returned to Bradford and bought a portion
of his father’s farm on the lower plain, where he lived until his
death, June 7, I812.

The “ Andros landing,” so called, where produce and
lumber were shipped to market on rafts down the Connecticut
river, was on this farm.

*" Josam-I _IoIrNsoN was one of the earliest settlers of the
town. He held the ofl‘ice of selectman, and was also a lister,
and owned land in the west part of the town, where he prob-
ably lived. He was a Baptist, and the records of that church
show that he had two children, who were baptized July 27,
I800. Tltiere is also a Written staten'1en‘c signed by him in the
town records as follows: “This will certify to all whom it
may concern that I do not ag1'ee in sentiments of religion with
the majority of the people in this place.” Such a statement was
required at that time from all persons not Willing to pay a tax
to support the Coiigregatiorial church. He removed from the
town, but it is impossible now to ascertain when or to what
place.

BEN_]AMI.N P. BALDWIN (probably Benjamin Peters Baldwin)
was born in Orford in 1767. He was a school teacher, subse--
quently a surveyor, and was proininent in all town affairs during
a long life. He died in 1853, at the age of eighty~—seven years.

"* BENJAMIN VVHITCOMB lived in Bradford as early as 179x,
at which time the birth of his first child is recorded. But little
can be ascertained with regard to hirn, and it does not appear
what his business was, or that he owned real estate in the town.

* VVII..I..I.AM PECKETT was born in England, and came to
America with his parents when he was a child. They first set-
tled in North Haverhill, and after a few years came to Moore-

58

town in 1779. His parents lived on the lower plain in a house
lqznovvn as “ the shingled house,” because covered with shingles
to the g'1'OL111Cl, which was near Where joel Morris lived for many
years, and is now owned and occupied by Wesley Smith.

His father and mother were members of the Methodist
church, his mother having been for many years before marriage
a housielceeper for John Wesley. She is said to have been a
very superior Woman, and was the founder of the Metluoclist
church in Bradford. VVilliam was one of the members of the
first lvlethodist class formed in Brad;ford, and afterwards became
a Methodist preacher of considerable ability. He took the free-
man’s oath and voted in Bradford in 1794.

 VVILLIAM CASE was :1 carpenter. In 1796 he bought of
Caleb Putnam the place now owned by T. J. Albee, on the
River road, where he lived for several. years, and then moved to
Piermoiit, N.H. Geoifge R. Andross of I3racl:lt'o1'c:l is his grand-

SC)ll.

J01-IN Brgrss was probably the young man who was drowned
while at work upon a l)1‘i<lge across VVait’s river in 1803. He
was a son of Ellis Bliss, __Tr., a revolutionary soldier, who settled
in the south part of the town shortly after the revolution.*“

 THOMAS PILI.SfI;'3URY was a farmer, and appears by the town
records to have lived in Bradford from 178:: to about I800.
The records show that he received a deed of his land in 1792
from the committee appointed by the state to convey lands to the
settlers in town. The records also show that his sheep mark
was a hole in the right ear, and the letters T. P. burned into the
right fore hoof. He apparently moved from Bradford shortly
after the year 1800.

He had five children—---lVIoses, Betsey, Ma1'tl1a, James, and
Lydia.

"" McKeen’s Iwlistor , p. 2:24.

59

JOHN UNDERVVOOD settled in Bradford in 1784, and built a
log cabin on the south border of the town, where he lived until
his death in I837 at the age of eighty-three years. He was town

clerk in I79I, I792, I793.

"* TIMOTHY AYER came from Haverhill, Mass, about 1780,
and settled on a farm on the South road, where William Martin
now lives. He Was a farmer, and by industry and frugality
accinnulated quite a property. He held _many town ofiices, and
died on the farm where he had lived so many years, February
I 3, 1835, at the age of ninety-two years. He married Elizabeth
Wliite, who died August II, 1835, at the age of eighty-nine
years. They had four children, john, Timothy, Nicholas, and
Betsey, who, with their parents, are all buried in the Bradford
cemetery, and there are no descendants or relatives of Timothy
Ayer in Bradford.

 ];a1>'rI=rA Srvmnr was a colored man and a blacksmith. He
came from Massachusetts to “Charlestown No. 4,” and from
there to Bradford in 1778 or 1779. He came on horseback, and
is said to have stuck a Willow riding stick which he carried into
the ground at the side of the road, near the place Where Mrs.
I“Iart'vvell Farr now lives, and not far from where he afterwards
built a house and blacksmith shop. This willow grew to be a
very large tree, and many persons now living remember it as
“ S1'1a.rp’s Willow.” His shop, supposed to be the first in town,
was near the top of the hill on the South road, and that hill was
named “ Sharp’s hill” from that fact, and has been called by
that name ever since.

Mr. Sharp appears to have bought several pieces of land, and
was one of the petitioners to the legislature for a committee to
convey the land to the settlers. It was from this committee that
he received a deed of a portion of his land. He remained in
town between thirty and forty years, and is remembered by a
few of the oldest inhabitants as having been a very useful and
Worthy member of society.

60

He had five children, and he removed from B1*ad'fo1'd to Len»
caster, N .H., about the year 181:6. He took the l3reeman’s oath
and voted, but does not appear to have held any town ofiices.

EPIEIRIM IWARTIN was born in Goffstown, N.H., and was

one of the earliest settlers of Mooretown. He first located about _

Where the centre of the village now is, and owned a considera-
ble strip of land on the main road, and a large part of the
meadows easterly along V/Vait’s river. He owned the first grist
mill on VVait’s river, Where the brick mill which was owned by
the late john B. Peckett now stands. His house was on the
main road vvliere the Bliss ta‘ve1'n'\vas afte1‘vva1‘cls erected, and
his O1‘Cl1£11‘Cl was on the opposite side, wiliere the fI'31“z1cl:l?o1'cl bank,
and at a later day the savings bank, were situated. He died in
1832, at the age of eiglity-five years.

His son, VVil1iam B. lVIa1;'tin, lived in town in 1:888, with his
son-in-law,  F. Cuslnnan, at the ztge of eiglity-six yea1's.'°*

“*" L:e1mvELL O1:isi13c)x;2.:r~J was a fariner, and c:a1ne froin Pier»
mont, N.H., and settled in B1'ad:Eo1'c;l at an early day. The
town records shovv that he was elected tything man in 1786. Iile
lived on the farm where Elarry E. Kelley now lives, on the
River road. He died in 1848, at the zlge of eighty~nine years,
and his wife, who Was Lydia Kelvley of B1'a.d:forcl, died in 1871,
at the age of ninety-two years.

Mrs. Merrivtt Davis, Mrs. I'“I2l1‘lZ‘VV(‘:ll Farr, and Mrs. Joanna
VVelton, now of B1*a<:lfo1-c.l, are among their descentlants.

'* BENJAMIN BALDWIN was born in I*~Ieb1'on, Conn., in 1733.

He first removed to Thet:Eord, Vt., then to Orford, N.H.,
and from there came to Bratlford about x768. May 29, 1777,
he was sent by the town as one of the delegates to the con-
vention held at Windso1', and which framed the constitution
of July 2, 1777. He was also a member of the first Assembly,
which met at Windsor on March I2, 1778; and was chosen

* Child’s “ Orange County Gazetteer,” pp. 177, I78.

61

clerk of that body on March I 3, in place of Thomas Chandler.
vvlio had been appointed secretary of state.*

At the next session of the Assembly, which was held at Ben-
nington, June I7, 1778, Mr. Baldwin was appointed one of the
four judges of a special court for the shire of Newbury. He

' was a member not only of the first and of the second legislature,

but was also a member during the years 1780, 1783, and 1784.

He was town clerk of Bradford in 1782, 1783, 1788, and 1789.
He was also clerk of the county court at one time, and resigned
at the June term in 1783. October 27, 1785, he was one of the
committee of inspection appointed by the legislature to give title
to settlers on the gore of land between Corinth and Mooretown.

In 1774, Mr. Baldwin built the first sawmill in town, and a
sawmill has existed at that spot ever since; the original dam be-
ing, it is said, still in use. The mill and bridge across Wait’s
river have always been called “ Baldwin’s mill,” and “ Baldwin’s
bridge.” He also built  two-story house on Wait’s river road,
now owned by Ellis B. Shumway, which must be at least one
hundred and lifteen years old. Heilived in this house and kept a
hotel for many years, and died there February 22, 1818, at the
age of eighty-five years. He married Lydia Peters, who was
born in Hebron, Conn. Jesse A. and George W. Baldwin, now
living in Bradford, are their descendants.

'*'DAvm Brass was born June 17, 1:763, in Hebron, Conn.,
and came to Bradford in 1787. He was a farmer, and lived at
one time on the Soutli road. In 1815, he moved to Spring-
water, N.Y., where he died March 18, 1835, at the age of sev-
entyntwo years. He was a grandson of the Rev. John Bliss of
Hebron, Conn., from whom Joseph Bliss and family of Brad-
ford are descendants.

MOSES CI~IA.M:eE:RLIN was born in Litchfield, Conn., Decem-
ber 10, 17.4.7. His father, Deacon Moses Chamberlin, moved to
Newbury, Vt., at an early date in the settlement of that town,

* Slade’s State Papers, p. 2.58.

and removed to Bradford in 1782. He bought a farrn of Nehe-
miah Lovill for three hundred Spanish dollars. December 28,
1802, he sold the farm to his nephew, Capt. Moses Charnber-
lin, since which time the place has been known as the “Moses
Charnberlin farm.” It is now owned by Frank 0. Kennedy.

Mr. Chamberlin was an influential citizen, and town clerk
in 1794, I795, 1796, and 1797. He also held nearly all the
town offices at different times. In 1802 he moved to Pennsyl—
Vania. He married Abby Stevens 'of Ne-wbury.

THOMAS MAY lived on the upper plain, where he kept a
tavern. He was one of the committee of the town upon the con-
tract for the construction of the first meeting house, in I793.