History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

198 HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COLLYTV.
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much in the final disposition of her property."
Within the library, facing the staircase, a marble
memorial tablet bears this inscription : —
lu perpetual memory of
Mary Ann Morse ;
tlie munificent founder
of this Institute.
June 3n, 1862.
She gave her whole estate
Born June 16, lS2.-> : Died
to establish tliis l.ihnirv fur I
he
use and benefit of all \\\v iiilmhitaiits
of her nalive lowu.
But her generosity came near being thwarted. In
1864 the town rescinded tlicir accrptauce, declined
the bequest, and instruclrd the tnisiecs to resign.
These applied to the Siipninr .ludicial rouvt for
instruction as to their dui\ , and the case was heard
by the full bench at the .Jaimaiv irnn, 1m;.'.. A
report of this can be foiiml 10 .Mien's iicports,
and is interesting as being the first case in this
country where it has been held that a befpiest lo
establish a public library for tiic use of all the in-
habitants of a town IS a public charity, which the
conrt.s will not allow to fail by reason of any mis-
conduct or neglect of any of the parties charged
with the trust. The appraised value of the estate
was about $ 17,000, with several thousaml dollars
of debts. Yet the skilful financial management
of Captain Drury, the treasurer, enabled the trus-
tees in 187:i to have about $-i5,000, besides a
large lot on which to place the new library build-
ing. The plan was drawn by George B. Thayer
of Boston. The beautiful edifice was completed,
and dedicated, with an address by Judge J. W.
Bacon, December 25, 1873. It is a two-story
brick structure, of Gothic style, Avith liglit granite
trimmings. The wdiole number of volumes, Feb-
ruary 1,^1879, was 10,09!).
Tiie trustees hold funds to the sum of S 12,500,
the income of which may be appropriated for the
purchase of books alone. Other expenses tiie town
])ays. Among the treasures of this library is a
copy of Eliot's Indian Bible.
When the first ])rinting-i)ress was set up in Na-