Jewett Norris, Library Benefactor
Mr. Jewett Norris
benefactor of the Jewett Norris Library in Trenton, Missouri
from a portrait which hangs in the library
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.
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This page was last updated 07 December 2001.
For comments or suggestions regarding the page, e-mail Larry G. Flesher (lflesher@fidnet.com), who maintains the page on behalf of the library.