About the LibraryMary L. Blood Library, 100+ Year History
The Mary L. Blood Library was built in 1900 with funds for construction as well as future endowments by Benjamin Franklin Blood in memory of his daughter, Mary.
Benjamin Franklin Blood was born in West Windsor in 1822 and spent the first nineteen years of his life here. He farmed all his life and in his later years was a dedicated advocate of education and learning. He and his first wife, Levina Gates, had three sons and a daughter, with all but one born in Windsor. Their daughter, Mary Levina was born in West Windsor in 1856 during the one year the family lived here. They later moved to Waltham, Massachusetts, where Mr. Blood continued farming for a number of years and eventually married a second time after being widowed.
Mary, encouraged by her father to pursue an education, graduated in 1879 from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She immediately began teaching Latin, Greek, German and French but her career was sadly cut short as she died within the year at the age of 24. She is buried at the Old South Church Cemetery in Windsor next to her mother and brothers.
By this time, Benjamin, now 57, had outlived both wives and all his children. He sold his property but continued to live in Waltham. His wish was to build a library in memory of his daughter in the town where he and Mary were born.
The “little building” as he called it, was built at a cost of $5,000. Many loads of bricks were drawn out from Windsor by teams of horses. Jabez Hammond supervised the masonry work. He and Edgar Sawin were responsible for the fine detailed work both inside and outside the structure. Edgar Sawin was an exceptional wood craftsman. Besides the fine oak woodwork in the library, the beautifully intricate ceiling in the Brownsville Community Church across the street are some of his best work.
“In 1833, over 60 years before the library was built, West Windsor had a Union Library, probably kept on the shelves in the Union store in Sheddsville. The West Windsor Free Public Library was established in 1895 under the law of the year before. In 1896, John Savage, librarian when the collection was in Sidney Walker’s home continued his duties in the new building.” (Where the Books Are by Patricia W. Belding.)
A formal dedication of the building commenced at 10:30 am on June 4, 1901. When Mr. Blood, the Trustees and guest speakers assembled on the steps of the church. The Windsor Military Band provided music for the occasion. There were several lengthy speeches, songs and band selections.
Mr. Blood took pride in presenting the title deed and trust fund for needed repairs to the Trustees. He thanked all those who had lent a helping hand in the completion of this project and “expressed his gladness at being able to do so.”
Part of the trust fund was used to obtain several hundred books for the shelves of the new library. Other West Windsor residents showed support and appreciation by donating memorial gifts of books, chairs, the clock, librarians desk, fireplace equipment and portraits of Mary, Benjamin and Mary’s college diplomas, which were hung in what was then the reading room but is now the children’s book room.
The library was open to patrons each Friday afternoon and evening.
Historical Librarians:
John Savage (1901-1929)
Eleanor Pierce (1929-1974)
Mary Whiting (1974-1976)
Helen Bertrand (1976-1987)
Janet Henson (1987-1997)
Mary M. Winter (1997-2002)
Karen Diop (2002-2004)
Marcella Barrows (2004-2010)
Tony Pikramenos (2010-2016)
Jennifer Rathburn (2016-2017)
Lynn Esty (2017-2019)
Peter Money (2019-2023)
Liz Frederick (2023-present)
