History of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1667-1917; - citizen hylbom blog

Places of Interest 243
stands, and the "Swansea Athenaeum," as it was called, or
legally speaking ,the "Swansea Social Library" was organized.
The warrant for this meeting was issued by John Mason,
"Esq.," as he was usually called. Justice of the Peace, on the
petition of J. D. Nichols, James H. Mason, Joseph F. Chase,
Joseph Case and James T. Chase.
The officers were as follows: John Mason, President;
J. D. Nichols, Clerk and Librarian; John A. Wood, Treasurer
and Collector; A. Z. Brown, J. E. Gray, Directors.
This corporation appeau's to have been a stock company
of forty-eight shares.
September 13, 1850, it was voted to divide the funds and
books equally among the members; and the last meeting of
which there is any minute was held Sept. 14, 1850.
It is also worthy of remark that most of the famihes
interested in this earlier movement were represented forty
years later by the promoters of the Public Library Association,
which, so far as we know, is the only other effort which has
been made in this direction. J. D. Nichols was an uncle of
Miss Ellen S, Austin; James H. Mason one of the petitioners
in 1841, was the Justice of the Peace who issued the warrant in
1882, and Vice President of the Association; Joseph F. Chase
was father of Mrs. Katherine F. Gardner; Joseph Case, the
father of Miss Mary A. Case and Mrs. F. S. Stevens; John A.
Wood, the father of Henry 0. Wood, one of the Trustees of the
Association, and of the Free Public Library; Dr. A. Z. Brown,
brother-in-law of Dr. J. L. Wellington.
Many of the books of the present library were donated by
individuals residing in the town, or formerly located here,
natives of Swansea living elsewhere, and occasional visitors,
especially during the period of the Association. It was the
custom to make a minute of each gift, and to enter the names
of donors upon the records.
For example, Mrs. Mary E. Chase, of New York, gave
numerous volumes, in the name of her son, the late Frederick
T. Chase, and Mrs. Sarah C. White, of Pawtucket, left a
bequest of about eighty volumes.
A circulating Ubrary of nearly two hundred volumes was
bought and presented to the Association by the Hon. F. S.
Stevens.
Money was also donated to the corporation from time to
time, especially by Mrs. Mary B. Young of Fall River, Elisha
D. Buffington of Worcester, the Hon. John S. Brayton and
the Hon. Frank S. Stevens.
In such wise the library grew, increasing in favor and
usefulness.