Amos R. Eno (1810-1898)

Donated by: Eno, Amos R. (Amos Richard) (1810 – 1898)
Manuscript Number: MS 001

Series Arrangement:
Series 1. Art Work
Series 2. Architectural Drawings
Series 3. Print Materials
Series 4. Photographs

Amos R. Eno generously created the Simsbury Free Library and its Board of Trustees with an initial donation of $3,000 in 1874. Then, in 1887, Amos Eno made additional donations, totaling $20,000 of land and funds. He selected a building committee from the Simsbury Free Library’s Board of Trustees and hired a Hartford, Connecituct architect, Melvin H. Hapgood to design and build the library.

The Simsbury Free Library was dedicated in 1890. The following excerpts are from the Trustees’ report on this event: Report of the Proceedings at the Dedication of the Simsbury Free Library, January 28, 1893. (Hartford, CT: Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard Company, 1893).

Amos R. Eno was unable to attend the dedication himself; however his letter was read by his son, William Phelps Eno. In it he expressed the following:

Amos R. Eno (1810 – 1898) is a descendant of James Enno (1625 – 1682) who emigrated to Windsor, Connecticut from France in the 1600’s. Amos was born in Simsbury to Salmon and Mary Eno. He married Lucy Jane Phelps (1818 – 1882), also from Simsbury, in 1835. Amos began his career as a clerk in a dry goods store in Hartford, CT. He opened his first store in Simsbury, Connecticut and later made his fortune as a merchant and real estate investor in New York City.

In 1874 Amos R. Eno made his first donation for a library to the Town of Simsbury. In subsequent years, his donations of land and additional funds would result in the beautiful building called the Simsbury Free Library. Eno personally selected architect Melvin H. Hapgood of Hartford, Connecticut to design and build the library. The following excerpts are from the Trustees’ report on the dedication of the building in 1890: Report of the Proceedings at the Dedication of the Simsbury Free Library, January 28, 1893. (Hartford, CT: Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard Company, 1893, p. 3-6).

Gentlemen – This gift is due to the Town of Simsbury from me. . . . We boys of old Simsbury who have made, or will make our mark in the world, all know that self-denial begets strength, and that he who has a high aim in life must labor to attain it. . . . The influences that surrounded my youth were owing to the excellent character of the people in this town.

Simsbury Free Library Trustee, John B. McLean, declared in his speech at the same event (p. 11):

The generosity of our esteemed and respected townsman has given us control of this valuable property. The lot, the building, the pictures, the books, the fund are ours. What shall we do with them? . . . The answer to this question is in our hands, not his. It is we who are to collect the dividends, and they will be large or small in proportion as we use or neglect the advantages which this institution offers us. May we prove that this is the best investment that Mr. Eno ever made.

The report from the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees on Oct. 6, 1890, (p. 22-23) states:

. . . no other form of gift could be more elevating and refining in its influence – so far-reaching and permanent in its results, and we do believe that this library, founded by him, is, and will be, a constant and powerful force for good in this community so long as time shall last, and men shall draw inspiration, wisdom, and strength from the knowledge and experience of the past.

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Language: English
The collection is open for research.
The collection is in good condition.