"The library in Belpre was a part of the family library of General Israel Putnam, who, during his life, collected a large library of useful books, embracing history, travels, belles-lettres, and the like for the benefit of himself and children, and called it the Putnam Family Library. At General Putnam's Death in 1790, this library was divided among his heirs, and quite a number found their way to Ohio, being brought out by his son, Colonel Israel Putnam. It is supposed that the books were brought to Belpre upon Colonel Putnam's second arrival, in 1795, at the close of the Indian war, when the Colonel returned from Pomfret, Connecticut, with his family.
"There is abundant evidence that stock in this library was sold at a very early day. The worth of the books and the intellectual cravings of the highly cultured and educated settlers of Belpre would not permit that this library be exclusive, and the generous nature and sound sense of Colonel Putnam would not deprive the community of its wanted mental nourishment. There was formed a regular organized company of shareholders in this, the first public library northwest of the Ohio river, and for aught that is known the first west of the Alleghanies. The shares were ten dollars, as is shown by the following receipt now in possession of Colonel John Stone:
'MARIETTA, twenty-sixth October, 1796 Received of Jonathan Stone, by the hand of Benjamin Mills, ten dollars, for his share in the Putnam family library. W. P. Putnam, Clerk.'
"In the records of the probate office of Washington county, among the items in an inventory of the estate of Jonathan Stone, dated September 2, 1801, there is found 'One share in the Putnam family library, ten dollars'
"This library, managed by the stockholders, was a source of great benefit, not only to the people of Belpre, but to settlers for miles around. In the Ohio Historical Collection, under Meigs county, there is an account of this library, by Amos Dunham, who settled in Belpre township, in what was then Washington county, in 1802. He says, 'in order to make the long winter evenings pass more smoothly, by great exertion I purchased a share in the Belpre library, six miles distant. Many a night have I passed (using pine knots instead of candles) reading to my wife while she sat hatcheling, carding or spinning.'
"Soon after its establishment, the library was known as the Belpre Farmers' library, and later as the Belpre library. For a number of years the books were kept at the house of Isaac Pierce, the librarian. Colonel John Stone remembers attending meetings at Pierce's, near Centre Belpre, for the drawing of books, and distinctly recollects that in 1815 or 1816 the association was dissolved by mututal consent. The books were distributed among the shareholders, and many of these old volumes are still preserved."
from History of Washington County, Ohio by H.Z. Williams, 1881.