A.J. Phillips Library

The A. J. Phillips Public Library 

            When A. J. Phillips, founder of the Phillips factory, built his private office in 1900, he must have intended to leave it to the village for a library. Since Fenton by that time no longer held a Fair and the fair grounds were up for sale, the president of the town called Mr. Phillips and suggested that since Mr. Phillips desired to do something for the village, he purchased the fairgrounds and give it to the citizens of the town for a public park.

            Mr. Phillips declined, “But,” he replied, “How would a library do?” It would seem from this, that he had already entertained the purpose of founding a public library for the village.  Also because he built the building which he occupied as an office, so that it could become a permanent home for such a library. His intention was carried out in full in his bequest before his death in June 1904. There were, however, certain conditions:

            (1) The premises were to be kept in good repair and painted, the grounds and lawn to be taken care of and the grass kept cut.

            (2) The building was to be used for library purposes and no meetings allowed in the building unless such meetings be held directly in the interest of the library.  This excluded the WCTU (Women’s Christian Temperance Union).

            (3) The library was to be under the supervision and control of a board of trustees appointed by the village council. In the selection of books, there was to be no political or religious prejudices to influence the selection.  Mr. Phillips also bequeathed $500 to be used to purchase books for the new library.

            The village, of course, accepted the bequest, but in order to maintain the conditions of the bequest and to give a public library proper support, an election was scheduled for a half-mill library tax to be voted upon . It was now up to the citizens of the town.

            When they voted in March 1905, 683 citizens turned out and of that number, 442 favored the tax while only 70 opposed it.  This vote was the first attempt by the people of Fenton to maintain a library with public funds.

            Previous to this time there had been library associations, but they were ”membership” affairs.  The first was the Ladies’ Library Association. Mrs. Mettie A. Helm, who owned and operated a drug store at the time wrote a history of that organization.

            “In 1867’” she writes, “Mrs. H. C. Riggs and Mrs. D. W. De Nio first determined upon starting a circulating library in Fenton, and after some deliberation, concluded they would canvass the town, procuring subscribers, and getting the different views on the subject.

            “Our town is divided by a river, and in this matter, as in every other, we had to pay due regard to the north and south sides of it. Mrs. Riggs, a resident of the south side, canvassed there, obtaining 23 subscribers. Mrs. De Nio canvassed upon the north side, obtaining 43.”

            In two days time the ladies had collected about $130, some books, “and a good many opinions, and we found as many believing in our failure as in our success,” says Mrs. Helm. The ladies had already procured price lists, and now ordered some $50 worth of books.

            Early in December, when the books had been received, a meeting was held to organize a Ladies’ Library Association in Fenton. A constitution and by laws were adopted, and officers elected for six months. A book case was loaned to the group, and Mrs. Helm and Miss Hersey (a business associate and friend) gave the use of their store for circulating books. Two more groups of books were ordered - in fact, books were the only important purchases that first year.

            During the second year “little differences were springing up, as we were growing, and talking of renting rooms, as to which side of the river our library was to be located,“ the article continued. Near the end of the year a desirable location in the Town Hall, a wooden structure on the north side, was accepted. When the library, now some 400 books, was moved, a fine book case and some chairs were purchased.

            Early in January 1869 a fire destroyed the Town Hall, destroyed or damaged other nearby buildings and burned all the library books except 43 of the cheapest volumes.  The Ladies’ Library had been sharing the first floor of the Town Hall building with a jewelry and book store, law offices, and the Post Office, all of which were destroyed. The loss to the Ladies’ Library was estimated at $160, but the lack of insurance, made this a greater tragedy to the ladies than the monetary loss would seem to indicate.

            The 43 books were moved back to the old book case in Mrs. Helm’s store and money making activities were started to replace the burned books.  Soon after the fire, the following announcement was made:

            “Miss May H. Clark of Ann Arbor will lecture for the benefit of the Ladies’ Library at the residence of Mrs. Fuller on Wednesday afternoon, January 27^th, at half past two o’clock, Admission 25 cents.” The library group appealed “to the ladies of the entire community to come out with full determination to help us, in consideration of our late losses by fire.” The phrase “ladies of the entire community,” used in the excerpt quoted was most significant, for now a new group had formed on the south side of town.

            Mrs. Helm wrote, “We were minus abut 20 of the south side ladies, who determined if they could not have matters in their own hands belonging to our library, they would have one of their own and have it on the south side of the river.”

            The new group formed a “Library Association” and the original group obtained a charter and took the name “Ladies’ Literary and Library Association.”

            Mrs. Carleton (Hazel) Brown, former Fenton high school librarian who complied a history of the A. J. Phillips library in 1961, wrote “It is difficult for us to appreciate the importance of the location of the library to the ladies of Fenton at that time. “A group of ladies, intent upon maintaining a circulating library would find the distance to a location across the river quite a drawback in planning money-making activities, choosing books and getting them into circulation. I would rather think this was the basic reason for the two Library groups in Fenton than Mrs. Helm’s theory.

            The north side group progressed slowly, raising money by festivals, lectures and socials, and after two years or more, when they had a library of 300 books, they moved into a small room. Subscriptions came slowly now, the room was not entirely suitable, members became discouraged. In 1873, they rented a fine room in the Colwell building (Opera House block) and furnished it by giving socials, New England suppers, and a variety of entertainments.

            Mrs. Helm was pleased to report in 1867, “ We are entirely out debt, have over 70 subscribers, between 500-600 volumes of well bound books from the best authors of both continents and our room furnished elegantly with everything we need.”

            By 1879, membership had reached up to 200.  Mrs. Helm was president, librarian, Mrs. Emma Howard. Their headquarters were still in the Colwell Hall block.

            In 1876 a new brick Fire Hall was built (it stood on the site of the present Community Center) and a small library was established for the firemen’s use, (books being donated by interested individuals).  It remained small until March 1881 when the Ladies’ Literary and Library Association decided to disband and gave their books and bookcases to the Firemen’s Library.

            An article in The Fenton Independent makes it quite clear that the two library associations never saw fit to unite.  Rather, the early group keep their books on the north side of the river by giving all of them to the Firemen’s library.

            The firemen were much pleased with this gift f over 500 choice volumes.  Reported the newspaper, “ In order to appropriately receive this generous gift, the firemen will hold a grand social at their hall next Thursday evening, March 10, to which all are invited who feel any interest in our fire department.”

            The Firemen’s Library continued until the books were given to A. J. Phillips public library at the the dedication in January 1906. Among the books then presented that are still in the attic of Phillips library, there are distinct labels from the Fireman’s Library.

One is headed “Firemen’s Library, Fenton, Michigan presented by ______ followed by the rules of the library.

            Books could be kept for one month, were not to go out of the hands of members, drawing them, all books were to be returned to the Firemen’s Librarian at the request of the Fire Company, and members not complying with these rules were subject to a fine not exceeding the price of the book.

            The other label is likewise headed “Firemen’s Library, Fenton, Michigan” but this is followed by “Presented by the Ladies’ Literary and Library Association” which is printed as an integral part of the label.

            Turning back to 1860 and the south side ladies, the first entry in their book of minutes reads, “Pursuant to call, a number of Fenton Ladies met at the room of the Young Men’s Christian Association on the afternoon of April 22^nd, 1869, having in view the organization of Ladies Library Association. Officers pro tem, for President, Mrs. Thomas Wright; Secretary, Mrs. T. G. Smith.

            Discussion was held as to the propriety of forming said association, which was concluded by voting that the ladies present constitution committed to form such an association, to  be called the Ladies’ Library Association of Fenton.

            The constitution of the Ladies’ Library Association of Ann Arbor was then read and accepted with certain amendments as the constitution of the Fenton Association.”

            These ladies, who had been members of the library association formed earlier in Fenton, seemed not entirely sure that the formation of a new group was the proper step at this time. However, zeal for a library room on their side of the river seems to have stifled any qualms they may have had about the move.

            According to the constitution which the south side ladies adopted, a board of 15 members was to be elected annually, from which  group officers, a librarian and book committee were to be chosen.  The board, which was to meet once a month was to take final action on any books chosen for the library.

            The full membership met as the board felt it necessary and held annual meetings in the Spring. Any lady could become a member of the association by paying two dollars, the annual dues thereafter being one dollar.  One book could be borrowed each week, and an addition book could be borrowed if there were more than one copy of the title and neither book contained more than 300 pages. A fine was imposed for keeping a book for more than a week and loaning a book to nonmembers.

            The association met in the YMCA room the first year  but later moved to a room at the Andrews block, at the southwest corner of Leroy and Shiawassee. The library was open for two hours one afternoon a week, which was changed may times but finally settled on Saturday. At an October 1869 meeting and again April 1870 the Association conferred as to joining the other Library Association. They didn’t.  There were no more discussions of joining the north side group.

            In order to widen membership possibilities, gentlemen could become reading members (1870), others were given reading memberships in exchange for books or services.

            The ladies, like the north side group, found many ways of making money for  the purchase of books. Ice cream festivals in summer, socials and teas were held.

            In January 1875 an Antiquarian Choir was presented. After weeks of preparation this proved to be one of the more popular entertainments and a very profitable one, netting the group $55.90, a handsome sum for the period.

            The Ladies’ Library Association room was shared with others at various times, for a fee, of course. An elocution Teacher, a teacher of painting and later the Christian Science group used the room for service on Wednesday night, for their Reading room on Thursday and Sunday morning services.

            The Ladies’ Library Association carried on until the Phillips library was completed in September of 1965 when they turn their books over to the new public library.

            Miss Ella Williams, librarian for the Ladies’ Library Association, was chosen the first librarian of Phillips Library. In 1922, with the help from the State Library, Miss Williams started a card catalog and was still working at it at the time of her death in July of that year.

            Miss Cora Pettis followed Miss Williams as librarian. When Miss Petiis resigned in October 1931, Miss Mildred Cady who had work as her assistant became librarian.  Miss Cady continued cataloging the collection and put in much time and effort into trying to make books “do” a little longer.

            Especially during the depression years when there was so little money to buy new books, Miss Cady spent many hours of her own time reconditioning every book that could be saved.

            At Miss Cady’s retirement after 26 year of library service, Mrs. E. L. Renwick who had been her assistant became librarian. She was assisted by her sister Mrs. Thelma Brabon who retired in 1971.

            The first library board appointed by Village President E. M.. Hovey in March 1905 was composed of W. B. Phillips, W. E. Scott and John H. Jennings. Fred Hichcock served as treasure for over 25 years and was followed by his son H. W. Hichcock, who “took the job until someone could be found to take over” and stayed for over 24 years until he resigned in 1961. J.C. Peck was appointed to the treasurer post.

            Unlike the board of the Ladies’ Library Association, the group took no part in the selection of books but was an advisory and policy making group. The librarian was responsible for the selection of the books.

            Crowded conditions and the constant use of the library facilities were realized as early as 1939 and later a building fund was started.  With the accumulation of years of savings an addition was built in 1962 at the rear of the library to house most of the books. Other improvements such as as carpeting, additional shelving, improved lighting, air conditioning have been added.

            The library was operated independently up to 1967 when it was the last remaining privately operated library in the county. That year the library board decided to join the Genesee County Library system and is now one of the 15 in the system.

            The Library board is responsible for maintenance and upkeep. Selection of books and personnel is in the hands of the county library system.

            At the end of of November 1975, Mrs. Renwick retired after having worked for the library for more that 30 years. She was the fourth librarian in the 69 years of the library’s existence. The Genesee County Library System appointed Mrs. Helen Nothhelfer, librarian at Linden, to take Mrs. Renwicks place.

            Present members of the library board (1975) are Mrs. Georgia McKinley, president; Mrs. Charles Pipe, secretary; Mrs. Robert Silbar, treasure; and Thomas Beck, Jack Kean, George Pellett and Mrs.. Margaret Rewnwick who was appointed to the board by the city council following her retirement.

            According to his obituary Andrew J. Phillips “was a man possessing may fine attributes of character, generous, kind and benevolent. In  a quiet way and unknown to the general public, he did much  good and helped many needy people. He carefully guarded these acts and did not care for any publicity.”

            In the Victorian reading room of the Phillips library is a life-sized marble bust of Mr. Phillips and thereby hangs a tale… a tale often told but never surfacing in print until Burns Fuller brought it out in his book on Fenton.” A. J.’s wife,”” wrote Mr. Fuller, “was a staunch leader in the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. He with his old pal doctor (Paul) Sue, a Frenchman, went to Europe together(1898) and while in Italy, A. J. had a marble bust made of himself. It was mounted upon the huge monument up at Oakwood cemetery where he had established a mausoleum in the center of a large burial lot.

            “One Halloween night,” according to Fuller, “some of the Fenton’s’ daredevils went up  there and painted the  nose red.” Another version to this tale adds that a red bandana was also put around the neck of the bust.

            The Phillips family, naturally, were very angry, took the bust down before placing it in the library, Fuller says, “ spent oodles of money have the red bleached out of the nose,”

            Mr. Phillips was held in the highest esteem by every employee in the factory, the majority of whom he had befriended.  At his funeral, the pall bears were six of the old employees, with whom Mr. Phillips had worked side by side in former years when the factory was small.  

© Copyright Genesee Co MIGenWeb 2006
Hosted by Perfect PC Webs
Designed by WebsbyWaite