Ohio History Journal

Report of the Forty-fifth Annual Meeting    539

 

probably purchase these volumes at that price, if they had the

opportunity to do so. It is suggested that two years hence a re-

quest should be made for the republication of the volumes to be

distributed at cost to those desiring to purchase.

 

ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY

Within the past year progress has been made in additions to

the library. Books and bound pamphlets to the number of 882

have been accessioned since the last report. As stated, one year

ago, many of these are from the private library of the late Wil-

liam C. Mills. Among the interesting genealogical items that have

been added are a number of volumes from the library of the late

Mr. Farrand Felch. Mrs. Felch presented his entire library to

the Society, numbering 872 volumes. These have not yet been

accessioned but they are in one of the new vaults and the volumes

of genealogy have been conveniently placed for reference use.

There are also unaccessioned and ready for addition to the

library from the Dawson collection, 274 volumes; a general col-

lection of books, 921 volumes; bound pamphlets, 1,663; making

a total unaccessioned of 3,730 volumes and bound pamphlets.

At the last Annual Meeting the Secretary in announcing the

large number of newspaper volumes added within the previous

year, stated that it was not probable that so many volumes could

be added this year. Eight hundred volumes were mentioned as

the assured increase for the year that ends today. By actual count,

however, 2,198 volumes have been added. The total number of

volumes of newspapers in the library at the close of the previous

year was 18,617. The additions for the year that ends today

bring the total number of volumes now in the library up to 20,815.

This is much larger than anticipated one year ago.

As previously stated, the Committee on Cooperation at its

meeting favored the preparation and publication of a check-list

of newspapers in the libraries of the State. At some time in the

near future such a work may be undertaken. It will not be diffi-

cult with the data at hand for the library of the Ohio State

Archaeological and Historical Society to prepare its check-list.

But while newspapers continue to come into that department at

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540        Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

 

the rate of over 2,000 volumes a year, it probably would not be

wise to publish such check-list. Later, when the State has been

pretty thoroughly covered and the available sources of additions

have become, in a measure, exhausted, the published list, of

course, should be undertaken.

Mr. Simpson, the assistant in charge of the newspaper room,

has furnished the following information in regard to these addi-

tions:

There are 555 volumes transferred here from the various

courthouses, where they had been accumulating since the law of

1850 was enacted; 464 volumes have been contributed by news-

paper publishers; 118 volumes were sent by other libraries; 372

volumes came by current daily mail; 510 volumes came from the

Ohio State University library; 36 volumes of Columbus dailies

were delivered by carriers; and 143 volumes were from miscel-

laneous sources, mostly gifts.

Among the papers received during the year the following

may be mentioned as of unusual value for reference purposes:

Lancaster.

Gazette. Complete 1826-1833, 3 volumes. Same incomplete 1834-

1844. 1 volume. Same complete--March, 1860.

Lancaster.

Ohio Eagle, March 1858-March, 1860.

McArthur.

McArthur Republican. April 13, 1850 (vol. 1, No. 1) to August

19, 1852.

New Lisbon.

Buckeye State. 1860-1872. 4 volumes.

Ripley.

Ripley Bee. 1850-1852.

Warren.

Trump of Fame. Numbers 1-28 of volume 1. June-December, 1812.

Ohio Miscellaneous Papers.

1 volume including dates from 1811 to 1854.

Ohio Miscellaneous papers. 1 volume including papers from 1800-1865.

London, England.

Times. June 22, 1815. This issue contains the first published

news of the battle of Waterloo.

Manila, Philippine Islands.

A volume containing copies of newspapers published in Manila

during and immediately after the Spanish-American War.

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Report of the Forty-fifth Annual Meeting     541

 

In the gathering of newspapers and especially a number of

the rare volumes, credit is here given to the Business Agent of the

Society, Mr. H. R. McPherson, whose duties call him to the

various properties of the Society in different parts of the State

and who has found it possible to look up newspapers and rare old

volumes relating to the early history of the State. His interest

in this work has been continuous and is appreciated by your Sec-

retary and Librarian.

This occasion must not pass without a fuller expression than

has yet been accorded to Mr. Harold G. Simpson for the splendid

work that he has done in building up the newspaper collection of

the library. From the inception of this work to the present time

he has been the "right arm" of the librarian in faithfully and effi-

ciently planning and administering this important work. He has

at his desk, as well as designated on the volumes themselves, the

period that each volume covers and can furnish this information

promptly to the patron. The work that he has done to make

these papers accessible indicates to anyone who will make inquiry

in regard to details, the expenditure of patient and long sustain-

ing energy and never-flagging industry. He knows his job, enjoys

it and pursues it with genuine enthusiasm.

He finds time also to do some important work not imme-

diately related to the newspaper collection, in shelving and listing

duplicates. This has proven a helpful service. At present he is

industriously engaged, while serving patrons of the newspaper

department in the library, in indexing and placing in the new cases

provided for them, about 4,000 halftones and etchings. Most of

these cuts bear on them no indication of what they are intended

to represent. The identification of the cuts and the supply of

proper titles is a work of considerable magnitude. Some of them

when the work is concluded will perhaps remain unidentified. In

some instances cuts outside of those used in the publications of

the Society have become a part of the collection and this increases

the difficulty of identification. But the great body of these, of

course, are identified, properly named, labeled and indexed so that

they will be just as readily accessible as the newspaper volumes.

This will place within easy reach of the Society, a large collection

of illustrative material.

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542       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

Mr. Simpson has had three able assistants, physically strong

and industrious, who have done much of the heavy work involved

in moving the newspaper files and keeping them in order, with

no expense to the Society except that in furnishing to each of

these workers one meal a day. He has gotten along harmoniously

and pleasantly with these assistants and from this source has suc-

ceeded in getting a service that would have cost the Society thou-

sands of dollars.

And right here permit us to say, thanks for this service are

due to Warden P. E. Thomas. He has certainly sent us the best

of his men whose generous response to every word and act of

fairness and kindness has been most gratifying.

Your Secretary could not let this opportunity pass to pay

this modest tribute to the valuable service of Mr. Simpson, and

his whole-hearted interest in the work.

Something must be said also in appreciation of the service

of the cataloguer, Miss Alice S. Davis. Not only has she been

diligent in the work but she has conducted much important genea-

logical research, the results of which have greatly pleased many

of the patrons of the library. Her equipment for this work is of

a high order. She is also an excellent proof-reader and your

secretary is dependent upon her assistance in the publications of

our Society, including the indexing of all the annual volumes of

the Quarterly.

Many of the books in the library of Dr. William C. Mills

were duplicates of those already in the Library. His daughter,

Miss Helen Mills, before her present illness, prepared and sent

through the mails to other libraries a list of about three hundred

of these duplicates with a letter soliciting an exchange. As a re-

sult, a number of books needed here were added to the Library.

Among those received was one volume priced by the publisher at

$50.00. This was one of the very rare issues of Western Travels,

edited by Thwaites, which fills a break in our set.

RARE MANUSCRIPTS ADDED

Some notable additions have been made to the manuscript

department within the past year. Especially notable are the fol-

lowing:

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