Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 10.djvu/294

 282

��Windham, N. H.

��to the end in view. Many of Wind- ham's sous and daughters, who have gone far from the scenes and associa- tions of their youth and the place of their nativity, recall with pleasure, thankfulness, and deep satisfaction the profit experienced while reading those volumes.

A second town library was estab- lished in 1852, and was destroyed by fire in 1856.

NESMITH FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY — 1871.

Among those whom the citizens of the town remember with gratitude is one of the sons of her soil, our for- mer fellow-townsman. Col. Thomas Nesmith, of Lowell, Mass. At his death, in 1870, he left by will $3,000 •for the establishment of a free public library, and which the town voted to accept Jan. 19, 1871. The trustees of the library were Rev. Joseph Lan- man, James Cochran, Hiram 8. Rey- nolds, William D. Cochran, and Leon- ard A. Morrison, who took the initi- atory steps for its establishment in April, 1871.

A library-room was prepared in the town-house, the books selected, pur- chased, and the formal opening of the library occurred June 21, 1871. It was a gala day, and marked a new era in the intellectual and social his- tory of the people. The hall was crowded with as intellectual and in- telligent an audience as ever met in Windham. Many of the absent sons and daughtei's returned, and many cultivated people from the neighbor- ing towns were present. An able address was delivered by Hon. John C. Park, of Boston, Mass. Short addresses were made by W. H. An- derson, Esq., of Lowell, L. A. Mor-

��rison, Esq., of Windham, Dea. Jon- athan Cochran, of Melrose, Mass., Rev. Augustus Berry, of Pelham, and others.

The library has been highly appre- ciated, largely patronized, and now numbers upon its shelves more than 2,400 volumes of well selected and valuable works. Many of the choic- est and most valuable works in the language can be found in it, and this will rank, does rank, among the very best public libraries in the state of its size. Long may it flourish, and may its influence never be less.

AUTHORS, BOOKS, AND PAMPHLETS.

Thomas Blackwell's book on Gen- uine Revealed Religion, with an in- troduction to the American edition by Rev. Simon Williams ; also, a small book by the Presbytery ; both published before 1793.

By Rev. Samuel Harris —

Funeral Sermon of Miss Mary Colby, of Chester; in 1815.

Memoir of Miss Mary Campbell, 1819 ; printed 1820.

Questions on Christian Experience and Character; printed in 1827-'28, two editions.

Farewell Sermon, 1826.

Poems of Robert Dinsmoor, the " Rustic bard ; " 264 pp., 1828.

Thanksgiving Sermon, Rev. Calvin Cutler; 1835.

By Rev. Loreu Thayer —

Sketch of the Presbyterian Church of Windham ; 1856.

Sermon on Assassination of Abra- ham Lincoln ; 1865.

Centennial Sermon, 1876 ; Rev. Charles Packard.

Com[)lete set of printed Town Re-

�� �