J. T. and E. J. Crumbaugh Library facts for kids

The J. T. and E. J. Crumbaugh Spiritualist Church and Public Library is a special building in LeRoy, Illinois. It holds both a church and a public library. This unique place first opened its doors on January 1, 1927. It was built to honor James Thomas Crumbaugh and his wife, Elizabeth Jane Crumbaugh. They wanted it created as a lasting memory after they passed away, as stated in their will.

History of the Crumbaugh Library

The idea for the library came from James Thomas Crumbaugh. He was born on January 24, 1832, in McLean County, Illinois. His parents, Daniel and Martha M. Robinson, had German roots. James Thomas grew up with his twin brother, Daniel T. Crumbaugh. They even worked together on their family farm for a while.

Later, James Thomas decided to rent out his farms. He moved to the town of LeRoy. There, he built his home at 313 East Center Street. James Thomas also helped start the Citizens Bank. This bank later became The First National Bank. He did this with his brother, Leonard A. Crumbaugh, and a friend, James Bonnette.

On September 13, 1862, James Thomas married Elizabeth Jane Wiley. Elizabeth was born on November 17, 1841. She also grew up in McLean County. They had one son together, who they called "Bright Eyes." He was born on July 2, 1865, but sadly passed away on August 20 of the same year. The loss of their son made the Crumbaughs very interested in spiritualism. This was a belief system about communicating with spirits. Their interest stayed with them throughout their lives.

James Thomas passed away on April 3, 1905. Elizabeth followed less than a year later, on January 24, 1906. In their will, they clearly stated their wish. They wanted a library and a spiritualist church built as a lasting memorial. Their family members tried to challenge this decision. However, after five years of legal discussions, their wishes were finally honored. The library and the Spiritualist Church opened on January 1, 1927. Both are still actively used today.

Building Design and Construction

The job of building the library and church was given to F. C. Swartz. He was from Villa Grove, Illinois. The project cost $60,000. Mr. A. L. Pillsbury of Bloomington, Illinois, designed the building.

Originally, there were plans for two separate buildings. However, it was decided to connect them. This created one building with a wing for the church and another for the library. The building has a classic colonial design. It is made from red brick from Danville, Illinois. It also features Bedford stone finishes.

The beautiful stone carvings were created by Joseph Petarde. Petarde was originally from Rome, Italy. He later lived in Peoria, Illinois, and Bloomington, Illinois. You can also see his work in other places. These include the Illinois Wesleyan School of Music and the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. He also worked on the McBarnes Memorial Building in Bloomington. His art is also at the gymnasium in Illinois State University and St. Peter's Church in Peoria.

What the Library Offers

The library itself holds about 14,000 books. These books cover many different topics and types of stories. Since it is a special "endowed" library, anyone can get a library card for free.

Besides books, the library also provides other helpful resources. It has computers for public use. You can also use the internet and a printer there. The library keeps old copies of the LeRoy Journal, which is the local newspaper. You can find issues going back to 1903 on microfilm.

Genealogy Section for Family History

The Crumbaugh Library has a special section for genealogy. This part of the library helps people research their family history. It started in the fall of 1977. At that time, the Crumbaugh family bibles and their family history were placed there.

Since then, this section has collected over 500 family histories. Most of these are from local families. Anyone can donate their family's history to this section. These documents are for research only. This means they must stay inside the library.

In addition to the LeRoy Journals, the library has many LeRoy High School yearbooks. These go all the way back to 1920. Other helpful resources include:

• Indexes of marriages and deaths in LeRoy.
• Indexes of marriages and deaths in the Saybrook area.
• A collection of The Farmer City Mirror. This is a publication from the Farmer City Genealogical and Historical Society.
• A collection of The Gleanings. This is a publication from the McLean County Genealogical Society.
• Records from the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Empire Township Historical Museum

The J. T. and E. J. Crumbaugh Library also has a museum. It is called the Empire Township Historical Museum. This museum focuses on the history of LeRoy and Empire Township. You can find the museum on the lower level of the library building.

The LeRoy Historical Society first opened the museum. However, that society closed down in 2006. A group of community volunteers worked hard to reopen the museum in 2008. The museum displays items related to LeRoy's past. These include things from local businesses, schools, and organizations. The museum also works closely with the LeRoy Community Unit School District #2.