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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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