THE BEGINNINGS OF THE FIRST LIBRARY OF OHIO WITH SIGNATURES OF THE 1st ORIGINAL SHAREHOLERS IN ESTABLISHING THE ARTICLES OF THE WESTERN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION IN AMES, ATHENS COUNTY, OHIO Extracted by Debbie Noland Nitsche Diamonddeb@comcast.net May 2007. Direct descendant of Joel Dodge, one of the original shareholders and signers of the Laws & Regualations of The Coonskin Library. NOTE: Some of the information obtained in this article was very hard to read. Names were capitalized for easy identification. Athens Messenger Thursday Morning December 2, 1875 THE COONSKIN LIBRARY As considerable is being established about the first library established in Ohio, and as there is more romance woven then actually surrounded the birth of that library, the facts themselves being of personal interest, we ____ furnish a effect(?) statement, which shall include liberal extracts from the original records, now in the possession of MISS SARAH J. CUTLER of this place, the grand daughter of EPHRAIM CUTLER, who was one of the prime movements(?) in the matter. The recounts are getting dim, made, as they were seventy-one years ago and to preserve them, as well as to show our readers with what jealous care this pioneer library was guarded, we will give the constitution of the association in full, together, with the original shareholders, and the books purchased, after the organization of the library. MRS. J. K. MOWER, in a communication of the Commercial, under date of November 12, stated that the library "passed into the hands of the HON. WILLIAM P. CUTLER, of Washington county, for the purpose, as was understood, of being placed for preservation of the College Library, where it is now supposed to be. MR. CUTLER’S father, HON. EPHRAIM CUTLER, was probably one of the founders of the Western library Association, having been in early times, a resident of Ames." HON. WILLIAM P. CUTLER’S father was the largest shareholder, and MR. CUTLER and his brothers has access to the books in the younger days. MR. CUTLER purchased it rather as their heirloom, so intimately has his family been associated with it, and presented it to his only son, a lad, about the year 1846. His son afterward died, and it became the property of this only remaining child, MISS SARAH J. CUTLER, who has now 195 volumes, the original books of record, and the case in which the books were kept. In those days, 1803-04, money was very hard to obtain. The best market was for skins, which were readily purchased by the agents of JOHN JASON ASTOR, and no doubt many of the subscribers sold coonskins, and other furs, for their money. After the sum of money was obtained, "ESQUIRE SAMUEL BROWN was just ready to make a business trip to New England. He was going in a light wagon, and took with him a quantity of bear skins and other furs, which he designed exchanging in Boston for such goods as were needed in the settlement. The money placed in his hands, and he deputed to make the first purchase of books." The following is from the original records, written, no doubt, by MR. MOSES EVERETT, a graduate of Harvard College, who was teaching in Ames at the time: Laws and Regulations of the Western Library Association, Founded at Ames, February 2d, 1804 Considering the many beneficial effects which sound libraries are calculated to produce on societies when they are established, both as a source of rational entertainment and instruction, we, the subscribers, wishing to participate in those blessing, agree to form ourselves into a society for this purpose, under the title of the Western Library Association in the Town of Ames. Futhermore, at a meeting of the said Association at the house of CHRISTOPHER HARROLD, on Tuesday, the 2d day of February, 1803, it was agreed that the following Articles be adopted as the rules and regulations of the society, viz; ARTICLE 1ST. RESOLVED, That a standing committee of three, one of which shall be the Librarian, shall be chosen annually, invested with power to appropriate all money which many accrue to the society, for the purpose of increasing the Library, as the Association shall from time to time direct. ARTICLE 2d. That each member shall pay into the hands of the committee, on or before the 1st day of April, 1804, the sum of 50 on each share subscribed for, and that it shall be the duty of the committee, on the receipt of the same, to proceed to the purchase of books as soon as possible. ARTICLE 3d. That each volume shall have its price marked on the title page, and subscribers shall be entitled to draw books to the value of two thirds of a share to each share subscribed for, quarterly, from the first day of May to the last day of October then monthly to the last day of April. ARTICLE 4th. That any person who may wish to join the society shall sig??? the statue to one of the committee, who at the next meeting shall propose the desire; it being put to vote, and two thirds of the members interested ______, he shall be duly elected ___ of the society, and on his paying for a share or shares, shall be ___ to all the privileges of an original member. ARTICLE 5TH. That ___ shall be subscribe to an annual tax of 25 cents, to be connected on the day of the attended meeting. ARTICLE 6th. That a member shall have the liberty of __________ his _____ of rights to any resident in the town. ARTICLE 7th. That a member who shall lend a book belonging to the Library to a non-subscriber, on the first offense shall pay a fine unto the hand of the committee 50 cents, on the second, his privilege of drawing shall be suspended for one year: on the third, he shall forfeit his share of _____ as the case may be. ARTICLE 8th. That members shall have the privilege of exchanging books with each other by becoming accountable for damage done to their particular dra___. ARTICLE 9th. That it shall be the duty of the committee to meet in the Laotary [sic] room on the first Monday of May _____ _____ _____ _____ November to May, the first Monday in each month, precisely at ___ o’clock A. M., to examine the books, pay fines, and to do other business of the society. And to prepare for the draught, w____, shall begin precisely at the ____. ARTICLE 11th. Any member who shall fail of returning his book on or before the time of the committees setting and shall return them during their session or in the time of draught shall be fined in the sun of 65 cents per house on each share. If not returned before the end of the meeting, shall be fined 50 cents on each share: any person who may feel himself grieved by the decision of the committee, may appeal to the meeting, which shall consider of his excuse, and may remit his fine. ARTICLE 11th. Any member who shall deface, by soiling or thumb-marks, or suffer to be defaced, any book or books belonging to the society to the damage of 50 cents, in the opinion of the committee, shall deposit in their hands money to the value of the damaged work, together with the damaged work, until such time as the book or books can be replaced, then shall be entitled to the injured work. ARTICLE 12th. For each map, plate or chart or leaf that shall be torn three inches in length, the drawer shall pay 26 cents; if torn less than two inches, 12 ½ cents; for each grease spot, one inch in diameter, 25 cents, less than an inch 12 ½ cents; each burn which shall render unintelligible an inch square of a leaf shall be fined not exceeding 50 cents, nor less than 25 cents if it be of less dimensions than an half inch, not exceeding 25 cents nor less than 12 ½ cents. ARTICLE 13th. For each chart, plate or leaf, which shall be torn out, 50 cents. ARTICLE 14th. For each leaf turned down, 6 ¼ cents; for fire cracks on the cover in proportion to the damage, not exceeding 50 cents nor less than 12 ¼ cents. ARTICLE 15th. In case a member refuses to pay his fines at the annual meeting, his privileges as a member ceases until all arrearage is made up, which is not done within one year, his share is to be forfeited for the good of the Association. ARTICLE 16th. That no member shall hold a fractional part of a share. ARTICLE 17th. That each member shall be entitled to as many votes and privileges as he hold shares. ARTICLE 18th. That no innovation shall take place in the laws or regulations of the society, unless by consent of two-thirds of the members. ARTICLE 19th. That votes may be given by proxy in all cases. ARTICLE 20th. That after the present year, the annual meeting shall be on the first Monday of January. ARTICLE 21st. That all elections shall be made by ballot. ARTICLE 22d. The chairman of the committee shall be furnished with a book in which he shall record all the transactions of the society, also a regular account of all money received, the time of the receipt, and of whom, and for what received, shall be dept, and shall report annually; he shall preserve all the bills of the different purchases, and exhibit them at the next meeting, for their inspection. In testimony whereof, we have set our hands. EPHRAIM CUTLER CHESTER POOL JASON RICE EZRA WALKER SILVANUS AMES OTHNIAL NYE WILL. GREEN SETH CHILD EZRA GREEN SALLY RILL MARTIN BOYLES NEHEMIAH GREGORY BENJ. J. BROWN THOMAS QUINN GEORGE EWING, JR. WM. BROWN JOHN BROWN, JR. JOHN BOYLES JOSIAH TRUE EBENEZER CHAPLIN GEORGE EWING ELISHA LOTTIMER AMOS LINSCOTT CYRUS TUTTLE DANIEL WEETHE BARNUM CLARK BENJ. BROWN JOEL DODGE SAMUEL BROW, 2d. LUCY AMES SAMUEL BROWN BENJ. DAVIS SIMON CONVERSE ABSALOM BOYLES CHRISTOPHER KANOLD A. L. HEBBARD EDMOUND DORR JOHN M. HEBBARD GEORGE WOLT PERLEY BROWN NATHAN WOODBURY JAMES PUGSLEY SAMUEL BEAUMONT SILAS GREEN JOSHUA WYATT ROBT. FULTON GEORGE WALKER JOHN WYATT ZEBULON GRIFFEN ROBT. HENRY SETH FULLER JOHN PUGSLEY JEBUT GREGORY ELIAS HEBBARD GEORGE CASTLE JACOB BOREMAN JOHN JOHNSON R. S. LOVELL REUBEN I. DAVIS JUSTIN STEEL LUTHER DANIELSON JONATHAN ALLIN SAMUEL JOHNSON SOPHIA WALER OBADIAH CLARK At a meeting holden at the house of SYLIVANUS AMES, December 17th, 1804— Voted that EPHRAIM CUTLER by chair of the Committee and Librarian. Voted to accept fifty-one books purchased by SAMUEL BROWN, as common property of this Association. Voted to draw for Choice in books, and that the person who holds No. 1 is entitled to his first choice, and so on. Voted that each share shall be entitled to draw one volume. Voted that DAVID BOYLES’ name be erased from the list of subscribers, agreeably to his request, which was done accordingly. CATALOGUE OF BOOKS BELONGING TO THE ASSOCIATION, WITH THEIR ORIGINAL PRICES. Robertson’s North America 8 62 ½ Harris’s Minor Encyclopedia 1 12 ½ Harris’s Minor Encyclopedia 1 12 ½ Harris’s Minor Encyclopedia 1 12 ½ Harris’s Minor Encyclopedia 1 12 ½ Morse’s Gazetteer 3 25 Morse’s Gazetteer 3 25 Morse’s Gazetteer 3 60 Morse’s Gazetteer 3 00 Zamtu(?) rmanon(?) Solitude 82 Adam’s Truth of Religion 1 25 Kalmer’s Sketches on Man 75 Kalmer’s Sketches on Man 75 Kalmer’s Sketches on Man 75 Kalmer’s Sketches on Man 75 Goldsmith’s Works 87 ½ Goldsmith’s Works 87 ½ Goldsmith’s Works 87 ½ Goldsmith’s Works 87 ½ Exodana 75 Exodana 75 Chachen(?) of the Abbey 1 00 Chachen(?) of the Abbey 75 Norkan’s(?) Rollzo??? Opinions (unreadable) (unreadable) Fotester 1 00 Barb’s(?) Pignify 2 00 Clark’s Piseoseties(?) 1 12 _____ _____ Nature 1 00 Atala 12 Goldsmith’s Animated Nature 2 25 Goldsmith’s Animated Nature 2 25 Goldsmith’s Animated Nature 3 25 Goldsmith’s Animated Nature 2 25 Goldsmith’s Animated Nature 2 25 Roman????? Of the Forest 1 00 Winchester’s Catalogues 25 Contez 87 (unreadable) 87 ½ Columbus 87 ½ Playfair’s History of Jacobi?? (unreadable) Playfair’s History of Jacobi?? (unreadable) Interesting Mei???? 87 ______ Voyage (unreadable) Camp??? ____ (unreadable) (unreadable) (unreadable) (unreadable) (unreadable) _______ (Total unreadable) Bought at Eastern August ??? 1804 by SAMUEL BROWN, ESQ. The names above are still common in this part of Ohio, the descendants of the most of these shareholders still remaining among us. Judge EPHRAIM CUTLER, and GEORGE EWING, father of the late THOMAS EWING, were the first settlers in Ames, 1797. For three years previous, MR. EWING had lived at Waterford, on the Muskingum.—In 1800 SILVANUS AMES, father of BISHOP AMES, settled there. Schools were soon established, and the teachers for several years were two graduates of Harvard College, MOSES EVERET, before referred to, and MR. CHARES CUTLER. The records are before us of the additions made, and the full manner of conduction the business of the Association, up to January 5, 1862. We have neither time nor room for further notice this week. We have shown that there is little ground for calling this a Coonskin Library, although no doubt several coons lost their lives that money might be raised for its purchase. We give elsewhere the letter of MRS. J. K. MOWER in full, in which the names of several distinguished personages, or those of their descendants appear as connected with this first library of Ohio.---[Marietta Register.]