The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1909-07-16
THE BRATTLEBoRo LIBRARY.
A History of It's Growth and Something
About Mr.. Brooks for Whom Named.


A Young man, evidently a stranger in
town asked the young woman in waiting
at a lawn tea, given the other evening by
one of the Brattleboro churches, II the
man for whom the Brooks library was
named was the same one whose name APP
pears on the Brooks house. The inquirer
also asked who Brooks was and II ne was
not at one time governor OF VermonC;
The Young woman questioned, born ana
brought up in Brattleboro, thought Mr.
Brooks had never been governor OF tne
state. but she was not conversant Win
his history and although several were
nnastioned the inquirer was obliged to
turn away none the wiser. Doubtless had
some of the older persons heard the ques,,
tions they would have been promptly ana
correctly answered and no more would
have been thought about it. This oc-
currence has raised the question as 70
whether the beneficiaries OF that splendlu
institution. known as the Brattleboro tree
i;hrarv are equally uniformed concerning
it's inception, says the local correspondent
of the Springfield Republican. -,
The library itself was established In
1919 and dragged its slow length along
for 40 wears, as libraries do" with the
patronage of few hundred OF Brattle-
boro's best citizens. In 1881 movement
TO merge this partnership library. into
a
making it free to all residents. This was
readily accomplished as a means OF pub
lie GOOD and at the March meeting IN
1899 the town .'voted to establish and
maintain free public library, Liberal
appropriations were made annually by the
town and a, few bequests were MAGE py
benevolent individuals. The first GIT, IN
stalments of 800 each with the provision
that '.citizens should raise $500 more and
that the library should be kept open three
DAYS a week" When the transfer to tne
town was made in 1888, there were 21OO
volumes. Hon. G. N. Davenport, the emil
nent LAWYER, bequeathed $1,000 soon AFTER
and in 1886, William H. wells Of New
gave $1,000 Public spirited women raised
another $1,000 and Lucius Pratt OF New
ton. a former resident, gave $1,000. The
old Fisk block on Main street, replaced
some wears since by the Hooker block,
housed the library at first, and subse-
nuentlv the institution found home IN
George H. Salisburys bookstore. IL was
kept in Fred w. Edwards,s blndery where
Jacobs bakery now Is. Later u was
located in BENJAMIN X MarshalPs lewelry
store. Peleg Barrows and then Flether
Rarrows were identified with it. In lS55
4 came into the care of E. J. Carpenter
and suffered severely from the great, tire
of 1869 which cleared out the street from
Hioh to Elliot street. subsequently IL
was found in the same care IN Market
block until the town set apart the lower
town hall, so called.
Now for the answer to the question,
..Nbo was Mr.. Brooks" Rev. DR.. George
r Cow. father of Rev. DR.. John r. Gov,
the present pastor of the Baptist church,
was in the sos pastor Of the same church
Al that time this public spirited citizen
/ RpnnkS
who in the '70s had built the Brooks house
and for several years was its proprietor
For tbe establishment of this due credit
was given to Dr. Cow at the dedication
of that building. DR.. Holton at that time
stated that with common interest IN
the institution friendship was cemented
between these two men, and their many
conversations finally eliminated IN ma
terializing the shadowy idea which Tor
wears had been quite possessing the soul
Of Mr.. Brooks and resulted in the library
building. complete in itself and elegant IN
all its appointments.
The giver of the beautiful building Dear
ing his name. at the time OF the civil war,
| lived at San Francisco and conducted
| understood that he awoke one morning
| TO learn with surprise that either through
an easy-going method of allowing the
| stock to accumulate, or for some other
reason he was the only man IN San
| Francisco that had any paper, for sale and
he easily disposed of it at fabulous prices
| in the midst of that paper famine. Brat
tIeboro has reason, certainly, for graft,
tude because of her commodious hotel and
| splendid library, as monuments OF MI,
| Rrooks's liberaiity. Having witnessed tine
completion of his gift, within a few days
of the time set for its dedication, the
honored giver died suddenly at the Brooks;
house. December o, 1886. From small al
beginnings the library has grown to l!,5oo
| volumes Annually the town appropriates
| a liberal sum for its care and maintenance
and Thousands now avail themselves OF It's
advantages. 1t is to be hoped that Us
| history as well as its advantages, may De
fullv known and appreciated and that the
memory Of the giver may he honored by
successive generations An oil painting Of
Mr. Brooks, the work OF Brattleo9ro
great portrait painter, the late Robert
| Gorian Hariie. hangs in a conspicuous
nIaee on the walls of the library.