“The Proprietors of the Second Social Library, being desirous of forming ourselves into a society or 15ody Politic for the purpose of holding, increasing, preserving, and using, said Library according to Law * * * do each agree to pay the Treasurer on demand $6.00 and not less than $4.00 annually for that purpose.

Outsiders are allowed to join only on a unanimous vote by ballot and paying an amount equal to what existing members have already paid in, and signing the covenant. Members wishing to withdraw could have the value of their share in books set off to them by a committee, at an appraised value. By a provision in the covenant  ‘No By Law or regulation shall be made which shall contravene this Covenant, or any part of it, except by a unanimous vote of the Corporation.’ This covenant was signed by,—

John Taylor, Asa Stebbins, Elijah Williams,

Hezekiah Wright Strong, Epaphras Hoyt, Wm. Stoddard Williams,

Solomon Williams, Ebenezer Marnard, Jr., Rulus Saxton.

Members voted in: —

John Williams. 1801, Orlando Ware, 1803, John Wilson, 1806,

Elihu Hoyt, 1802, Erastas Marnard, 1805, George Arms, 1811.

John Hubbard, 1802, Pliny Arms, 1806

Samuel Clesson, 1802, Thomas W. Ashley, 1806,

Men joining later:—

Stephen W. Williams, Asa Stebbins, Jr., Henry K. Hoyt.

Zenas Hawks, John G. Williams,

Eb. Hinsdale Williams, Edwin Ware,

January 21st, 1802, the $6.00 to be paid “on demand” was demanded by “Ep. Hoyt Treasurer of the Corporation.”

A catalogue of one hundred and eighty-eight volumes has been found, and it would be hard to find another of its size containing more solid meat. If gauged by its mental food, our community must have had the intellectual digestive powers of an ostrich.”

Reference Data:

A History of Deerfield, Massachusetts, by George Sheldon, 1896, pages 824-5