The papers meticulously compiled by Mary Hale Dean (1857-1955) stand as a testament to a bygone era. Known by many as the “Matriarch of the Daviess County Public Library,” Dean meticulously curated these papers, which later served as a foundational cornerstone for the development of what became the library’s Kentucky Room, housing a rich collection of historical and genealogical treasures.
The documents span various family articles, genealogies, biographies, wills, and other public records, not only encapsulating the personal histories of individuals but also offering insights into the broader narrative of Kentucky’s past.
The genesis of these papers can be traced back to Dean’s involvement with the General Evan Shelby Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in Owensboro. The notebooks in which they were originally bound were known as the “Traveling Library” for the DAR chapter.
Dean’s role in shaping the library began long before the compilation of those papers.
The Carnegie Free Public Library opened on the corner of Frederica and 9th streets in 1912 through the efforts of the Owensboro Women’s Club — of which Dean was the first president in 1896. Though Dean was born in 1856 in Ohio County, she called Owensboro her home.
She was elected president of the newly formed Owensboro Library Association in 1896. The Owensboro Carnegie Free Public Library opened on the corner of Frederica and 9th streets in 1912 through the efforts of the Owensboro Women’s Club, of which Dean was the first president. Dean was also on the first Board of Directors of the Owensboro Carnegie Free Public Library, serving from 1914-1918.
The Women’s Club led an effort to revitalize interest in a local library.
In 1915, the General Evan Shelby Chapter of the DAR chapter had been given a small room in Owensboro’s Carnegie Free Public Library. Dean joined the DAR chapter in 1920, and DAR Library room was established in 1923 — the same year Dean was elected as the group’s librarian and historian.
At the time, the room was used solely by the DAR, which had 75 members. Over the years, Dean meticulously expanded the collection, adding various sources and materials of historical significance. Her efforts culminated in the establishment of a reference room, heralded as a vital resource for historical research in an annual report at the Kentucky DAR conference.
By the first year, the total library circulation reached 11,593 — and at the time, the library was stocked more with non-fiction books for reference purposes than fiction books.
After the library had been open for nine years, Dean reported they had 101 lineage books in the DAR’s reference library.
In recognition of her lifelong dedication to historical preservation, the General Evan Shelby Chapter honored Dean by naming their library the “Mary Hale Dean Genealogical Library” in 1947, when she was 90 years old.
It was later renamed to the “Kentucky Room,” a moniker it still carries today.
In 1968, the entire library moved to 450 Griffith Avenue and was called Owensboro/Daviess County Public Library.
Their online card catalog began in 1993. The Daviess County Public Library Taxing District was formed 2 years later, and the facility was renamed Daviess County Public Library.
The library moved again in 2007 to its current location at 2020 Frederica Street.
Now, the Kentucky Room sits in a small room on the south side of the first floor. After three different locations, current Director of the Kentucky Room Savannah Warren-Lee said little has changed about the room’s mission.
According to Warren-Lee, they now have 15,000 books in their system and close to 20,000 items when including their storage and non-physical catalog.
Some of the earlier books are still in the Kentucky Room today, with 1879’s 1st edition copy of “Biographical Register of Officers & Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy” being the eldest book.
“It’s neat, and it’s important to know what people were reading at the beginning of the library,” Warren-Lee said. “Some of the books (Dean) had were original Carnegie Library books from the very beginning of our public library. To look at those, you can tell what people in Owensboro were reading back in 1912, and it’s really interesting.”
Dean died at the age of 98 in Louisville, but her legacy continues on. Her papers served as a cornerstone for later endeavors in historical preservation. Collaborative efforts with individuals such as Emma Dunn Mastin led to the compilation of volumes detailing genealogies, wills, and graveyard records. Although the volumes of the “Traveling Library” no longer exist, their legacy endures through references in genealogical research manuals and memorials.
Warren-Lee said she tries to ensure all Kentucky Room staff know about Dean’s importance not just to the library but to preserving historical records for the area.
“She is the whole reason we’re here. She’s the reason the library is here,” Warren-Lee said. “… Without knowing how we’re formed and everything we’ve gone through to get here, then you don’t fully know everything else going on.”
A commemorative plaque bearing Dean’s name is still on display in today’s Kentucky Room.
Editor’s note: Information compiled using information from the Kentucky Room records and “Notes on the Ancestry of the Kentucky Room” by former Kentucky Room Assistant Jerry Long.
