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About this site & about the library
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About Jewett Norris
 Jewett
Norris, whose generosity was responsible for the library, was born June
11, 1809, on a New Hampshire farm. At the age of 22, he decided to become
a pioneer in primitive North Missouri, arriving in what is now Grundy
County in 1835. At that time, the area was a part of Carroll County, later
becoming part of Livingston County upon its formation in 1837. Grundy
County, which then included Mercer County, was established January 29,
1841.
Mr. Norris lived in a log cabin on what is now known as the McVay Farm
north of Trenton. He was married to Sarah A. Peery in 1837 and they lived
on the farm for 20 years.
Mr. Norris was a member of Grundy County's first county court, as well as
a merchant in early Trenton. In 1854, he was elected to a seat in the
Missouri Senate and re-elected to that post in 1862. During the war, he
was strongly Union in sympathy and became Captain of the Grundy County
battalion of militia organized in 1862, and Lieutenant Colonel of the 13th
Enrolled Militia.
When his health began to fail, Mr. Norris moved in 1870 to St. Paul,
Minnesota, where he was fortunate to make lucrative investments. When he
decided to bequeath the library to Trenton, he estimated that he had
earned the sum of $50,000 during his residence in Grundy County and that
he should return that amount to the County in his library gift. His letter
of transmittal was dated January 22, 1890.
Mr. Norris' offer was accepted immediately by the Trenton Board of
Education and the library building was constructed and equipped at a cost
of $35,000 -- leaving $15,000 for the endowment fund. Formal dedication
occurred October 13, 1891, but Mr. Jewett Norris was not present, having
died May 12 of the same year.
Jewett Norris Library Letter Of Endowment
Jewett Norris' Letter of Endowment
To the Board of Education of the City of Trenton, Grundy County, Missouri
Gentlemen:
I herewith offer to give to the Public Schools of the City of Trenton,
Fifty Thousand Dollars in trust for the purpose of establishing and
maintaining a free Public Library and Reading Room in your city. I make
this donation on the following conditions, to wit:
That your Board procure a suitable site for a Library building for that
purpose and cause to be erected there (and equipped with furniture,
fixtures, books and literature) a suitable building for the purposes
aforesaid and that the Library and Reading Room so established shall be
forever maintained as a Free Public Library and Reading Room in the City
of Trenton under such rules and regulations as your Board may from time to
time adopt for its successful maintenance and support, having in view the
use of the said Library and Reading Room free to the people of Trenton and
Grundy County forever and that the same shall be kept open to the public
every day, from Nine A.M., until Nine P.M., Sundays and legal holidays
excepted and on such other days and hours as you may see fit and that the
said building shall be kept in good repair by your Board and that a
competent librarian and necessary assistants shall be employed to take
charge of the property and serve the public and that your Board shall
annually provide for the defraying of all necessary expenses, for their
support of the aforesaid institution and I further stipulate that your
Board shall never sell or convey the building or land on which it is
situated; but forever retain it for the use of the people of Grundy
County.
If the above conditions are accepted by your Board I will place the sum of
Thirty Thousand Dollars in the Union Bank, subject to your order, as fast
as it is required for the erection of the building and whatever amount of
the said sum is not required for the building may be used for the
equipment of said Library and Reading Room with furniture, books and
literature.
When the Library building is completed and furnished with furniture, books
and literature as far as the funds at your disposal will admit, and the
institution is in successful use and operation, I propose to furnish
Twenty Thousand Dollars more, Five Thousand of which shall be made
available for its further equipment if your Board think it necessary and
the balance as a permanent endowment fund, to be invested in the same
manner and under the same restrictions as the common school fund is now
required to be invested by the school law of your State, the annual income
from which to be used in the support of said institution.
Should your Board approve of all of the above conditions you will please
to give me your formal acceptance of the same and have it recorded with
the proceedings of your Board.
Saint Paul, January 22, 1890
(signed) Jewett Norris
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