USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Pittsford > History of the town of Pittsford, Vt., with biographical sketches and family records > Part 40
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The marble belts in this valley are so extensive that a large number of quarries can be worked in them at the same time, and taking into consideration the excellent quality of the mar- ble, there can be little doubt that capitalists will be found ready to furnish funds for prosecuting a business which has been so auspiciously commenced."
525
MARBLE MILLS.
Two mills for sawing marble have been built within the limits of the town, besides the one already mentioned. There was one built by Epaphras Jones in 1806, and this stood on Stevens' Brook, near where Isaac Bresee afterwards lived. The plan of this mill appears to have been entirely new, and it proved a failure. Another mill was built soon after on Mill Brook, by a Mr. Ballou. This was the mill now owned by William C. Cotting, and used as a chair factory. Considerable marble from the Sheldon quarry was sawed at this mill.
Since the foregoing was put in type, we have been per- mitted to examine an extensive series of trenches and trial- pits recently opened under the direction of Mr. Geo. H. Os- borne, who has become associated with Mr. Hall in his marble business in Pittsford. These reveal an unexpected and even an unexampled breadth in the belts of marble, and show the quality, both as regards color, grain and soundness, to be equal to that of any marble known in the country. There are two distinct belts of marble which traverse the entire length of the property leased and purchased by Messrs. Hall & Osborne, one called the "Italian Belt," which is 205 feet in width, the other named the " Marble Valley Belt," 449 feet wide. Both belts are inclosed between solid and regular walls of limestone, and throughout both tracts, over a mile in length, the dip and trend of the rocks are remarkably uniform, and none of the joints, breaks or disturbances which are so common and injuri- ous to other marble properties. In the two belts of marble referred to, while there is an unusual proportion of white marble, every desirable variety may be found, from blue and clouded to the finest and purest statuary. All these varieties exist in such abundance as to give room on the property for at least fifty quarries, each of double the size of any now worked in the State.
526
HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
CHAPTER XVI.
The Librarian Society; Library Company; Maclure Library Association ; Schools.
LIBRARIES.
An eloquent hint at the Puritan origin of the early settlers of this town, is disclosed in their efforts for self-improvement. Private libraries at that day were luxuries which none of them were in circumstances to enjoy. And in order to derive the greatest possible benefit from small investments, they formed an association, and, with common funds, purchased a small library, to which all the members could have access. The following is a copy of the constitution of the association :
"We, the Subscribers, desirous of collecting a Library for common use among ourselves, with a view to our Improvement in Knowledge, Virtue and Piety, consisting of Books of a Moral, Historical, Philosophical and Theological kind, and others, calculated to promote useful Literature. For the better execution of our purpose and Government of ourselves in such a social Combination, do, of our own free will, mutually obli- gate ourselves according to the following Articles :
ARTICLE I. We agree and consent to be called and known by the name of the Librarian Society of Pittsford ; and if any individual Proprietor or other Person shall distinguish himself by Noble and Generous Donations to the Library, It shall be called by his name, agreeable to a vote that may be passed by the Society for that end.
ART. II. We severally agree to pay to the Society, as they shall agree or appoint, the sum of two dollars to each share, for the purpose of procuring said Library.
527
LIBRARY SOCIETY.
ART. III. We solemnly agree upon the Honour of Gentle- men, and Faith of Christians, that we will approve ourselves good, regular, peaceable and honest members of the Society ; and in particular that we will make good all loss or Damage of Books belonging to the Society, whether we be Librarians or others, which may be unnecessarily occasioned by our means and committed to our custody; whether by tearing, effacing, dirtying or folding down leaves, according as the Society shall order or determine by their Committee chosen for that pur- pose, and this we engage to do on the forfeiture of our right and Interest in said Library, likewise Subjection to any legal Penalty that may be inflicted.
ART. IV. We will govern ourselves and conform to such Rules and Orders as the Society shall hereafter establish from time to time, at their regular Meetings of a majority of the whole number of the proprietors then present, and nothing short of it, in the case of enacting Laws and Orders for the Society.
ART. V. A regular Meeting besides the annual Meeting, shall be such as is publickly notified by the Librarian or Libra- rians upon the written application of Seven of the Proprietors, with fourteen days warning, and pointing out the special busi- ness of said Meeting in a paper, at two or more of the most publick places for that purpose.
ART. VI. There shall be an annual meeting at a place agreed upon by the Society, at which meeting the Librarian for that year shall be chosen, the committee for estimating damages done to the Books, all to be chosen by ballot, and all other officers of said society of any importance in the same manner, by a majority of said Members then present. All society Meetings shall be under the Government of a Moder- ator chosen at such Meetings.
ART. VII. Every Proprietor shall be allowed a complete Catalogue of all the Books that compose the Library, which
528
HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
shall be numbered and stand in numerical order on the shelves. The Librarian shall keep an exact account of all books taken out, by whom and when taken out, and when returned; he shall carefully examine them before he replaces them in the Library, and if abused, shall forthwith submit them to the Inspection of the Committee of Estimation, without letting them know in whose hands the Books have been.
ART. VIII. The purchasing and procuring of Books for the Library from time to time, shall be by a committee of said Society chosen for that purpose, and agreeable to the general Instructions they receive from said Proprietary.
ART. IX. No Proprietor (until the Society order other- wise) shall take out more than one Book to a share at a time, and that he shall return in the space of eight weeks from the drawing of it, or pay a Fine of a Penny per day for every day over that space of time.
ART. X. Every Proprietor that shall suffer a library book to be carried out of his own house, to be used by any other person, shall forfeit the sum of Ten Shillings for each offence, and Fines arising from the breach of this or the last article shall be paid to the Librarian before the offenders may be per- mitted to draw again.
ART. XI. All monies arising from Fines and Forfeiture, shall be delivered to the committee appointed to procure Books for the Library by the Librarian, who shall take their receipts for the same, which receipts he shall exhibit to the Society at their annual Meeting, and the committee shall lay out the Money so received for Books to enlarge the Library, unless otherwise directed by the Society.
ART. XII. There shall be (for the prevention of difficulty) no division of Rights or Shares; each Individual shall own one or more Shares, and shall have a right to vote according to the number of Shares he owns.
ART, XIII. On the decease of any Proprietor holding
529
CONSTITUTION.
more shares than one, those shares may be distributed among the Heirs, as may be agreed upon, but no one single Share shall be divided.
ART. XIV. Any Proprietor shall have a right to dispose of one whole Share, or all their Interest in said Library, to any Person residing in the limits of the said Society.
ART. XV. All Persons purchasing any Share or Shares in said Library, or holding them by Heirship, shall subscribe the then existing Constitution, or forfeit their Interest in said Library.
ART. XVI. For the enlargement and increase of the Library, there shall be annually paid to the Committee ap- pointed to procure Books, by each Proprietor, such a sum to every Share as may be agreed on by the Society, at a legal Meeting of theirs hereafter limiting the duration of said annuity.
ART. XVII. The Library shall be kept not far from the middle of Pittsford, and no Person living out of the town, may be admitted as a Proprietor, unless they belong to Chit- tenden or Philadelphia,* in which case they may be admitted on account of their fewness of members and other disadvant- ages, they labor under.
ART. XVIII. The Constitution of the Library shall be Revised by a Committee appointed for that purpose by the Proprietors, so often as two-thirds of them deem it necessary.
ART. XIX. The subscription Money is to be paid in Cash, or such Grain or other Produce as the Society shall think expe- dient hereafter, or in Books of the above description, or others, all of which is to be paid to the Committee to be appointed to procure Books, on or before the first day of December next, and to the acceptance of the Committee.
*A town was chartered by this name March 14, 1761; Nov. 9, 1814, the north half of it was annexed to Goshen ; and the remainder of it was annexed to Chit- tenden, Nov. 2, 1816.
35
530
HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
ART. XX. So soon as there are thirty Shares subscribed, there shall be a Meeting warned for the purpose of organiza- tion, by posting up a written Notification on the Sign Post of said Town, giving at least fourteen days notice, and signed by three or more of the highest subscribers. Dated at Pittsford this 12th day of April, A. D. 1796.
Subscribers.
No. Shares.
Subscribers.
No. Shares.
Caleb Hendee, Jr.,
2
John Gillet,
1
Thomas Hammond,
2
James A. Potter,
2
Ebenezer Hopkins,
1
Timothy Mead, 2
Stephen Avery, 1
Elijah Adams,
2
James Ewings,
2
Nathan Nelson,
1
Alexander Ewings,
2 Jonathan Dike,
1
Phineas Ripley,
2
Enos Pearson,
1
Samuel Craft,
1
Andrew Barnard,
1
William Orcutt,
2
Hiram Hopkins,
1
Enoch Cheney,
1
Nathan McQuevey,
1
Abiathar Millard,
1
Samuel Harrison,
1
Daniel Warren,
1
Thomas Keeler,
1
William Baxter,
2
Ebenezer Beach,
1
Andrew Leach,
1
Aaron Henry,
1
John Van Allen,
1
Ephraim Hendee,
1
Matthew Hopkins,
1 Jeremiah Sheldon, 1
John Hitchcock, Jr.,
1
David Dresser,
1
Milton Potter, 1
Joel Green,
1
Samuel Hopkins,
1
Isaac Osborn,
2
Abraham Merrifield,
1
Daniel Lee,
1
Lewis Drury,
1
Leonard Rawson,
1
Thomas Adams,
1
Benjamin Cooley, 1
Calvin and Ebenezer Drury, 2
Samuel Cooley,
1
Martin Hopkins, 1 John Barnes,
1
Jeremiah Powers,
1
Caleb Cooley,
1
John Penfield,
2
Nathaniel Kingsley, 1
William Spencer,
1 Oliver Hicok, 1
531
OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY.
Subscribers.
No. Shares.
Subscribers.
No. Shares.
Azariah Newcomb,
2
Ebenezer Lyman,
1
Michael Bates,
1 James Matson,
1
Abraham Drury,
1
Jacob Weed,
1
Noel Avery, 1
John Woodward,
1
Chapman Hitchcock,
1
Alfred Keith,
1
Elisha Bradford,
1
Martin Mead,
1
Amasa Ladd,
2
Daniel Keith,
1
Elisha Woodruff,
1
Benjamin Halburd,
1
Amos Kellogg,
2
Elihu Rowley,
1
Peter Bresee,
1
Jonathan Warner,
1
The foregoing are supposed to be the names of all who subscribed for shares and signed the constitution, previously to the 5th of May, on which day the Society met pursuant to a warrant for that purpose, and organized by choosing Thomas Hammond Moderator, and Caleb Hendee, Jr., Clerk.
"Voted that the committee to be appointed to procure Books consist of three persons. Made choice of Maj. Thomas Hammond, Esq., Nathan Nelson, and Lieut. James A. Potter for the above said committee.
Voted that the committee appointed to procure Books, do value the Books which are to be turned into the Library, as specified heretofore.
Made choice of Caleb Hendee, Jr., as Librarian.
Voted that the committee to be appointed to estimate the damages done to Books, consist of three persons.
Made choice of Stephen Avery, James Ewings and Dr. Enos Parsons, for the last mentioned committee.
Voted that those proprietors who have Books now on hand, that they would wish to turn into the Library, forward the same to the committee appointed to procure Books, at our next adjourned meeting, or be foreclosed the privilege.
532
HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
Adjourned until the last Monday of June next at this place, at one o'clock P. M.
By order of the Society.
THOS. HAMMOND, Moderator. CALEB HENDEE, Jr., Clerk."
" Monday, June 27, 1796.
Met pursuant to adjournment, the meeting being opened and the Moderator being absent,
Made choice of James Ewings, Esq., to serve in lieu of Maj. Hammond, for the day.
Made choice of Amos Kellogg, Esq., to serve as committee man to appraise the Books now on hand, in lieu of Maj. Thomas Hammond, absent.
Voted to prolong the time of turning in Books until the close of the next adjourned meeting."
With the proceedings of this meeting we find a report of the first installment of books which had been turned into the library as follows :
By whom turned in. No.
Title of Book.
No. Vol. Price.
£. s. d.
1,
Williams' Hist. Vt.,
1,
0-6-6
Nathan Nelson,
2,
Gardner's Life,
1, 0-4-0
3,
Carver's Travels,
1,
0-4-0
John Penfield,
4,
Wood's Mentor,
1,
0-4-6
Ebenezer Beach and
5,
Gordon's Hist. of American Rev-
3, 1-4-0
A. Henry,
6,
olution,
7,
Samuel Harrison,
8,
History of England,
1,
0-7-6
9,
Kirby's Reports,
1, 0-9-0
James Ewings,
10,
Goodrich's Civil Officers,
1,
0-5-0
11,
Chipman's Reports,
1, 0-4-0
. Milton Potter,
12,
13,
Orig'l and Present State of Man,
1,
0-2-6
14,
Moore's Journals,
1, 0-9-0
Caleb Hendee, Jr.,
15,
Nisson's Columbus,
1, 0-2-6
16, Life and Works of Dr. Franklin,
2, 0-4-0
533
SCALE FOR ESTIMATING DAMAGES.
To this small collection of books were soon added other volumes, some of which were donations to the society, others turned in by individual members, but by far the larger number were purchased with funds which had accumulated from the sale of shares.
At the first annual meeting of the society, January 2, 1797, the books then on hand, consisting of one hundred and fifteen volumes, were numbered and the price of each affixed ; but it appears that the collection was not opened to the use of mem- bers until the first quarterly meeting, April 3d, when it was "voted that the members present draw their books by ballot."
The society adopted the following scale of estimation of damages done to books, and ordered the committee of estima- tion to govern themselves accordingly :
"1st. For each blot or entire obscuration of print of the super- ficial area of one-half inch square, and so in propor-
tion for any other dimentions, to be set at 12 cents. 2d. For each grease spot of like dimention, 8
3d. For every blur, 3
4th. For each leaf folded down, 6
5th. For each tear in the print of one-half inch and so in proportion, at 12
6th. For each tear in a map (exclusive of folds), 16
7th. For each tear in the folds of maps, 2
8th. For scratching and damaging the covering of any book, to be left to the discretion of the com- mittee of estimation, to determine according to the damages it or they may sustain.
NOTE .- The above scale of estimation is to be applied to books of the value of one dollar each and upwards, and so in proportion for books under that value."
The library was enlarged from year to year by donations and the purchase of new books; and it was a source of much profit and enjoyment to the proprietors.
534
HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
On the 12th of April, 1832, another, and perhaps a rival, library association was formed by some twenty-eight individ- uals who adopted a constitution and by-laws, similar to those which had been adopted by the Librarian Society. The asso- ciation took the name of the Pittsford Library Company. The price of the shares in this library was fixed at three dollars. By the sixteenth article of the constitution the library was "to consist of such books as were calculated to improve the mem- bers of the company in history, geography, science and the general principles of morality, together with such miscella- neous works as might be thought proper and useful ; such as poetry, dramatic works, fiction and periodicals, but all reli- gious or sectarian works were to be forever excluded from said library."
The company organized by choosing Thomas H. Palmer, President; William Beal, Vice President ; Lyman Granger, Secretary ; A. G. Dana, Treasurer; B. F. Winslow, Librarian.
The efforts of the company in collecting a library were somewhat successful, and soon more than one hundred and fifty volumes were at their service. This number of books was gradually increased until 1839, when this company united with the Librarian Society, and the two organizations formed one association, known as the "Maclure Library Association." The person most instrumental in bringing about this union, and to whom the citizens of the town are mainly indebted for their valuable library is Hon. Thomas H. Palmer. Mr. Palmer was what would be called a self-made man. By industry and per- severance he had acquired an extensive knowledge of the sciences, and all his energies were devoted to the cause of edu- dation. He had long labored to raise the standard of education, and to improve the condition of our common schools; and he had hope that by the establishment of a large and well-selected library, to which all the citizens of the town could have access, such a taste for reading would be created as would give a
535
MACLURE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
decided impulse to the intellectual and moral improvement of the people. In the summer of 1838, while on a visit to Phila- delphia, he was shown, at one of the public institutions of that city, a number of valuable books and specimens which he learned were the gift of William Maclure, formerly a mer- chant of Philadelphia, but who had then retired with an ample fortune, and was living in the city of Mexico. From what he could learn of him Mr. Palmer supposed he might be per suaded to aid in the efforts then being made to promote the cause of education in Vermont. He accordingly wrote Mr. Maclure an account of what had been done in this place, and of the need then felt of a town library, from which the youth, who were beginning to inquire for books, could be supplied. He asked Mr. Maclure, furthermore, whether he felt willing to assist in the formation of such a library, and suggested the donation of four hundred dollars, on condition that the people of Pittsford would add to it a like sum. Mr. Maclure replied that he had sent orders to his Philadelphia banker to honor an application for four hundred dollars ; whereupon over six hun- dred dollars were raised by the people of this town. Thus a little more than one thousand dollars had been provided for the foundation of a town library.
In order to enhance the value and extend the influence of the library, Mr. Palmer exerted himself to unite upon this foundation the two associations then existing, and with the result already mentioned. The combined associations took the name of the Maclure Library Association, in honor of the gen- erous donor. At the time the two libraries were consolidated a room was prepared for it in the northwest corner of the second story of the Town House, where it was kept several years. It is now, however, kept in the front part of the second story of William B. Shaw's store, at Mill Village. The library has had accessions by purchase and donations until, at the present time, there is upon its catalogue a list of more than
536
HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
two thousand volumes, though so many of them have been scattered that it is doubtful if there are now upon the shelves more than fifteen or sixteen hundred.
The following By-Laws have been adopted by the Asso- ciation :
"This Library being founded on a donation by William Maclure, of four hundred dollars, and donations by the inhab- itants of Pittsford of upwards of six hundred, all given on the express conditions that every inhabitant have an equal right to the use of the library on the same terms, viz: on giving security for the return of the books, and the payment of any damages they may sustain in the hands of those using them, and on the payment, in advance, of a small annual contribu- tion for the extension and support of the library ; it is, there- fore, a fundamental article of the laws of this association, which can never be repealed, that none of the inhabitants of said town, who shall comply with these conditions, can, on any pre- text, be deprived of their indefeasible right to the use of said Library, and that all shall be on an equal footing, except that the right of voting for officers, of selecting books, and of the general management of the Library, shall be confined to donors of not less than five dollars, who are hereby constituted life members of the association ; and any inhabitant of Pitts- ford may hereafter become a life-member, by the payment in one donation of five dollars, and by vote of the majority of the members present at any regular meeting, provided, however, that the regulation, requiring a vote for admission, shall not take effect until after the first of January, 1841.
2. The amount of the annual contribution shall be fifty cents, payable semi-annually in advance, and shall become due on the first of January and July of each year, provided that any person paying fifty cents at one time, shall be allowed to draw one book at a time for one year from the time of such payment.
537
BY-LAWS OF THE MACLURE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
3. The officers of the association shall be a President, two Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, Librarian, Auditor and Board of Directors.
4. The duties of the President, Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer and Auditor shall be, in general, such as ordinarily appertain to such officers. The Treasurer shall make a report at the annual meeting of the association, of all monies received during the year, and the manner in which they have been dis- posed of.
5. It shall be the duty of the Librarian to open the Library, at the time appointed, superintend the drawing of books, and in all respects proceed according to the rules herein- after provided.
6. The Board of Directors shall consist of seven members, of which the President shall be one. It shall be their duty to purchase books, to see that the Library is kept in order, to make drafts upon the Treasury, to supply vacancies in office, should any occur during the year, and, in general, provide for the welfare of the association, as their best judgment shall dic- tate, and make a report of their doings at the annual meeting of the association. The Board shall also lay the foundations for scientific collections as soon as they shall deem expedient, and provide for free lectures on any subject of literature, science or art, and for meetings for reading and conversation, provided that the expense of such collections, lectures and meetings, shall be paid with other funds than those given for the use of the Library. The Board shall meet on the first Thursday of January, April, July and October, at such an hour and place as they shall appoint.
7. The annual meeting of the association shall be on the first Wednesday of January. Special meetings may be called by the Board or by the President, on a written request signed by not less than five members of the association, by a notice
538
HISTORY OF PITTSFORD.
put up on the door of the Library and at the Post Office of not less than ten days.
8. The officers of the Association shall be chosen by ballot - at each annual meeting of the association and hold their offices until others are elected.
9. The Library shall be opened every day, Sunday excepted, between the hours of 9 A. M. and 6 P. M. No person shall be allowed to take any book from the Library until he has given bonds with security to the satisfaction of the Librarian, or left a sufficient pledge as a security that any damage which may be assessed shall be duly paid. No person shall be per- mitted to draw books till all arrearages due from such persons are paid. The payment of the annual sum named in Art. 2, shall only entitle a person to one book at a time. But any person may draw any number of books by paying at the rate of eight cents a volume for octavos, twelve cents a volume for quartoes, or four cents a volume for duodecimos. All such books being subject to the same rules as those taken by virtue of the annuity.
10. Every book shall be returned to the Librarian within four weeks from the time of being drawn, and in case it being longer detained, the person thus delinquent shall be fined five cents per week for every week that the book is thus detained, until the fine amounts to twice the cost of the book, if it be a single volume, but if it be a set, to the full amount of the whole set. All such fines and all damages committed on the books, shall be imposed and assessed by the Librarian, subject, however, to an appeal to the Board of Directors.
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