The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-07
A PIONEER LIBR AIRY.

Recent discussion as TO the authorship OF
the ordinance of 1857 may have excited
some interest as TO the provisions OF that
famous Instrument. Some of them were
very advanced for that period and proved
very beneficial in the way of direct or in
direct results. Among these the pro-
vision in regard TO education, as follows:
Institutions for the promotion of religion.
morality and knowledge being necessary'to
good government and the happiness of man
shall forever be encouraged.
There is little doubt that DIR. Manasseh
Cutler, who negotiated the Ohio company's
purchase of land. was the author of this
provision. In q sermon delivered i'm the new
settlement at Marietta Aug. a. 1885, he said
To promote the civil and social happiness
of new settlement too early attention
cannot be paid to the cultivation of the
principles of religion and virtue .
Early attention to the instruction of youth
is of the greatest Importance TO a new
settlement. 1t will lay the foundations for
a well-regulated society. 1t is the only
way to make subjects conform TO its laws
and regulations from principles of reason
and custom rather than the fear or pun
ishment.
Pursuant To these ideas DIR. Cutler inter-
ested himself successfully i'm procuring the
establishment of the Ohio University, the
first educational institution of its class
established west of the Allegheny noun
tains. He succeeded I'm getting two town
ships of land set apart as an endowment
for the institution which still exists at
Athens, o. For mary years it was the
leading university of the West. and exerted
a very elevating influence Its first gradu-
ate in 1915. was Thomas Ewing who after
wards became eminent as lawyer, United
States senator and secretary of the treas
ury under President William HenrysHa-'
rison. The establishment of this institution
was a direct result of the ordinance of 1877,
and of the subsequent efforts of DR.. Cutler
and others to give practical expression to
it's principles.
Another expression of these principles
was the establishment of the first local
library in the Northwestern Territory. In
these days of many libraries the history of
this humble first attempt at local culture
has special interest. In 1891 the inhabitants
of Ames township. Athens county Ohio.
formed the Western Library Association. In
later years it was called, in half derision.
the "CoOnskin Library" because many of
its books were purchased with the proceeds
of furs and skins. Among the charter men,
bers of the library association were Sill
vanus Ames, father of the late Bishop f.
r. Ames, OF the NJ. E. Church; Ephraim
Cutler, son of the DR.. Manasseh Cutler
above mentioned; George, father of Thomas
Ewing. and many whose names have be-
come known through their descendants.
There were twenty-seven charter members
of the association. all men of very moderate
thinkers. 1t took them nearly two years
to get together money enough to make the
first purchase of books. This was done in
1903. One of the settlers, and a charter
member of the association, made a trip r
Boston in wagon. carrying with him the
furs and skins which had been contributed
for the purpose. sold them. there, and along
with other funds which had been raised
invested the proceeds in books. The amount
thus invested was 1880 and the books were
hauled back to the settlement A list OF
them lies before the writer. They included
Harris's encyclopedia four volumes: Rob-
ertson's North America. Morse's geography
two volumes; Goldsmiths works, four vol.
umes: "Evelina'' "a novel of the PERIOD
two volumes; Children of the Abbey" two
volumes; "Clark's Discourses:" Goldsmith's
Animated Nature" four volumes; Ca
milla," three volumes. and some others. A
later purchase included Shakespeare, Dor
| Quixote. Scottish Chiefs "Josephus, >
Smiths Wealth of Nations. Spectator "
'Plutarchs Lives" Ara bian Nights" and
Life of Washington" This was "a good
foundation fer a useful library. The price
of membership in the association was 81. 30
| and the annual dues % cents on each share
| In 1910 the association was granted a char
| ter by the Ohio Legislature The library
| ceased to exist many years ago, but some
| of its books are preserved as mementoes
| by the descendants of some of its founders
1t is said that Thomas Ewing, whose par.
| ents were poor and who was brought up or
| hill farm, formed his taste for reading
and laid the foundation of his future edu
| cation from reading the books of this
| library, which he did at night lying on the
| floor by the dim light of shag-bark hickor,
| faggots. This is believed to have been the
first library organized west of the ALE
\ ghenies