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Located
off the beaten path in the residential area of town, the Denny
Ashby Memorial Library is a beautiful turn-of-the-century
building. Constructed in 1909 by Frank Cardwell for use as
a residence, it was owned by Walter and Grace Robinson for a
year before being purchased by John J. and Mary Ashby.
John
J. and Mary Ashby had two children, both of whom died
early. Jennie, born in Weston, Oregon on December 23 1873,
passed away at the Ashby's home on Falling Springs in July of
1887. It was believed that she suffered from organic heart
disease.
J.D.
Ashby, also know as Denny, was born February 8, 1876 on Pataha
Flat and was the first person born in Garfield County to receive
a Bachelor of Arts degree. He attended both Idaho
University and the University of Portland, and graduated from
Wesleyan University in Montana. In 1900 he entered the New
York Homeopathic College and would have received his degree in
1905. Tragedy struck, however, during a vacation with his fiancée,
Miss Oughtred, on Oak Island Beach, near Fire Island, New
York. Miss Oughtred was caught by a huge wave while
swimming. Denny tried to save her, but they both drowned.
John Ashby died in 1914,
leaving his entire estate to his wife. She died in 1923
and left the use of the home to her sister, Alice F. Grueb, with
the provision that upon her sister's death, the property was to
be given to the city of Pomeroy for use as a public library in
memory of her son. The city acquired the property in
January of 1925.
About
three years passed between the time the city received the
building and a library was started. The city eventually
relegated that responsibility to the Civic Club, with the club
agreeing to finance and operate the library for a term of five
years, and the city agreeing to pay for the upkeep of the
building.
On
June 1, 1928, Mrs. J.T. Ledgerwood opened the library, using her
own books as the library's first collection. The Civic
Club operated the library until 1935, when it could no longer
meet the financial burden. At that time, the city leased
the building to the county, and a library board was established.
Up
until April of 1999, half of the building served as the
librarian's living quarters. The entire building is now a
library, with a special room designated as the Helen Shepherd
Reading Room in acknowledgement of Helen's interest in the
library. Many renovations have been made possible
through the Shepherd Foundation.
The
collection is made up of more than 5,000 titles, with a smaller
number of audio-books and videos also being available. For
more information visit the library website at
www.pomeroy.lib.wa.us,
or call (509)
843-3710.
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