Mary Jane “Jennie” Wolcott Kent

Kalamazoo Public Library’s First Librarian

In 1860, Kalamazoo’s School District No. 1 inherited a small collection of books and documents, which was then made available exclusively to children of the school district and their families. During the summer of 1872, Jennie Wolcott, then associated with the Ladies Library, suggested that the school library, small as it might be, would be more useful if it were made available to the general public. The library committee agreed, and Miss Wolcott became Kalamazoo’s first public librarian.

Jennie Wolcott

Mary Jane Wolcott was born on 10 June 1836 in Adrian, Michigan, where her father, William Wolcott, was a clergyman. William and his wife, Mary Ann (Penniman) Wolcott, had moved from Massachusetts to Michigan, where they raised a son, William F. Wolcott (b.1831), and four daughters; Sarah P. (b.1838), Charlotte (b.1843), Emily A. (b.1846), and Mary Jane, more commonly known as “Jennie.”

By 1859, the Wolcotts and their three younger daughters had relocated to Kalamazoo. Jennie evidently became a teacher and was elected to the State Teacher’s Association in January that year. In 1860, Charlotte graduated from Kalamazoo College in the Normal and English class, most likely preparing to become a teacher herself. But Charlotte’s plans changed in June 1861 when she met and married James Anderson Kent, a New York native carpenter and homebuilder. Kent was then a partner in Dewing & Kent’s sash, door, and blind manufacturing company on Kalamazoo Avenue. He built a fine Italian Revival “villa” style home at the intersection of Douglas and West Kalamazoo Avenue, where the couple raised a son and three daughters: Alberta (“Bertha” or “Bertie”) (b.1863), Franklin James (“Frank”) (b.1865), Helen W. (“Nellie”) (b.1868), and Charlotte Georgiana (b.1871). The home still stands at the west end of Kalamazoo Avenue.

In May 1871, Charlotte passed away from consumption (tuberculosis) at the age of 28 shortly after the birth of her third daughter, leaving James with the care of their four young children. Jennie immediately stepped in to help finalize her younger sister’s estate and to assist with the Kent children.

Kalamazoo Public Library

Meanwhile, Jennie had become a member of the Ladies Library Association, more than likely working with Ruth Webster in their library. During the summer of 1872, she suggested to the school board that the school library would be more useful if it were made available to the general public. Books were expensive at the time and hard to come by, so there was much concern that they would become lost or damaged. Still, the library committee gave its consent and Jennie Wolcott was appointed librarian with a salary of $100 per year (roughly $2,700 today). Following Jennie’s appointment, the school library collection was made available publicly one day each week beginning Saturday, October 12, 1872, the date since recognized as the birth of the Kalamazoo Public Library.

“No new policy could have been more fortunate in its executive than was ours in respect to this library in the appointment of Miss Wolcott. Instead of the library being opened to the school children only, as heretofore, it was now opened to every resident of the district. After repairing about 200 volumes – which were past using – the library was found to number 2,800 volumes. These books were now arranged on opens shelves, and during the first year were catalogued so that books could be selected from the whole number – 2,000 catalogues were printed and offered for sale at a nominal sum to the patrons of the library.”

– Kalamazoo Gazette, 19 July 1881

Resignation

After three years of service to the library, Jennie Wolcott tendered her resignation during the July 1875 school board meeting, stating that she would no longer be able to give her complete time and attention to the library as she had done in the past. Jennie, it seems, had recently married James Anderson Kent, and had therefore assumed full care of the four Kent children. Her resignation became effective September 1.

During Jennie’s three-year tenure, much had been accomplished. During that time, 1,468 books had been added to the library and 102,719 books had been checked out. The library itself had nearly doubled, by then numbering 4,268 volumes, all inventoried and catalogued, with printed catalogs made available to district residents.

In January 1875, Kalamazoo native Isabella C. Roberts, a volunteer in the public library, was hired as Jennie’s assistant. When Jenny’s resignation became effective in September that year, the school board appointed Miss Roberts as the library’s second chief librarian. Roberts held in that position for 43 years, the library’s longest serving head librarian.

Caring for Children

Jennie seemed to have a special place in her heart for children. In her final report to the school board, she stated, “I feel deeply interested in the young people of our village, who have always preserved such perfect decorum in our library and so willingly met any demand upon their good-nature… I honestly hope that they may grow up into all that is noble and true.” Jennie had her own children to look after, too. In addition to caring for her four older youngsters, Jennie and her family welcomed a new son, Charles Wolcott Kent, on Christmas Day in 1877.

Jennie furthered her philanthropic efforts for the children of the community when she and several others signed articles of incorporation for the Kalamazoo Children’s Home, which opened in September 1885 at the corner of South West Street (Westnedge) and Ranney. Jennie served as a Children’s Home manager, trustee, fundraiser, and financial contributor for several years. She also gave substantially to the Lake Farm Home for Boys.

James and Jennie Kent remained in their Douglas Avenue home until around the time of James’s death in 1915 at the age of 80. Following her husband’s death, Jennie sold the home and moved to Los Angeles, where her sons Charles and Frank were living. By the end of 1919, Jennie was boarding in Preble, Wisconsin (part of Green Bay), where she passed away on 5 February 1920 at the age of 83. Both Jennie and James were laid to rest in Mountain Home Cemetery.

Written by Keith Howard, Kalamazoo Public Library Staff, 2022

Special thanks to Lynn Houghton, Regional History Curator, Western Michigan University Archives & Regional History Collections, for additional information and assistance.