If one wanted to make the case for one individual to be the “founder” of The Urbana Free Library, a very strong case could be made for Francis Granger Jaques. Frank Jaques (pronounced Jakes) was a founding member of the Urbana Library Association, 1872-1874, a fee-based lending library typical of the era. He then helped lead the transition to The Urbana Free Library. In a petition presented to the City Council in June 1874, Jaques and the Urbana Library Association asked for the city to take over the Library because “it appears that the reading room and library are patronized more by laboring men and men of small means who cannot well afford to pay dues as the businessmen of the city.” The city agreed, and The Urbana Free Library was born.
Jaques remained active on the Library board and served as treasurer from 1874 until he died in 1896. He also undertook annual book-buying trips to Chicago and New York City on behalf of the Library and solicited money from friends and colleagues for book purchasing. His involvement in the Library was also a family affair. His niece, Ida B. Hanes, served for fifty years (1874-1924) as The Urbana Free Library’s head librarian, and his daughter, Minnie Jaques, took up his treasurer role upon his death and remained in the position for fifty years.
Image of a newspaper article that reads, "Library Fair. Ladies will remember that fancy articles donated by them are to be delivered before Saturday, of next week, either at residence of Frank G. Jaques or any evening at the library.
When Jaques died on November 11, 1896, the local newspapers mourned his loss, one declaring, “The name of Frank Jaques is familiar to every man, woman, and child that has lived in the Twin Cities during the past 40 years.” While the writing style of newspapers during this time period leaned towards glorification and hyperbole, in Jaques’ case, they may have been right. He was an extremely well-known individual in Urbana-Champaign.
He was born in New York City on January 5, 1839, and arrived in Urbana in 1858 at 19, where he worked at William N. Coler’s law firm. He went into private practice in 1866, building an office onto his house at 207 W Elm St, Urbana, where he focused on real estate, divisions of estates, and correcting titles. Col. Samuel T. Busey, the same Busey that the Library’s historic 1918 building section is named after, is quoted in one of the obituaries saying:
“Frank Jaques was the most accurate man on titles that I ever knew. He never made a mistake in his business affairs. He used to deposit with us and when he would come to the window and lay down specie, paper money, and checks, stating that there was so much, I would never count it, but give him credit for the amount that he stated.”
However, Busey should not be considered the most unbiased rater of Jaques' character because one of my favorite articles about Jaques is a report from the Champaign County Gazette from October 18, 1871, stating, "Frank Jaques has an easy chair in the back room of Busey's Bank," in a column called "Locations."
Image of a newspaper column titled "Locations," which details happenings around town.
In addition to practicing law, Jaques was involved in several other business ventures, including owning and operating the Urbana and Champaign Street Railway (1863-1890) with his father-in-law, William Park. He was instrumental in building the Champaign and Eastern railroad in 1881 from Champaign to Sidney and was a founder of the Loan and Building Association of Urbana.
Photograph of Frank Jaques wearing a photoshopped santa hat.Frank Jaques married Eliza J. Park of Urbana on September 11, 1860. They had four children: William P. Jaques, Robert L. Jaques, Minnie Jaques, and Fred S. Jaques, who died at a young age. While Minnie supported Frank Jaques' library work, the boys, William and Robert, helped with another family venture, spreading Christmas cheer.
A 1936 News-Gazette article dubbed Jaques "Urbana's First Santa." The article republished in the Champaign County Genealogical Society Quarterly reports that Jaques would provide needy families a "market basket containing a dressed turkey and all the trimmings, and shawl or warm underclothes" each Christmas. Too canny to be caught delivering the items himself, he sent his sons William and Robert and friends Thomas Dougan and Charles A. Kiler. The article states how "after one Christmas passed into history, he started preparations for the next." He even required one of his farm tenants to raise a certain number of turkeys, potatoes, etc., each year to furnish the baskets.
Generous to his friends and community, Francis Granger Jaques was well-known to his contemporaries of the day for his business ventures, community work, and all the card parties hosted by himself and his wife. Although his name may not be as recognized today, the Library he was instrumental in establishing and supporting through its early years is still thriving 150 years on, which is a pretty good legacy.
-Sherrie Bowser
Archives Librarian
Captions
Picture 1: Portrait of Frank Jaques taken in Urbana, IL
Picture 2: Newspaper notice soliciting donations for Library Fair to support The Urbana Free Library published in Champaign County Herald, December 10, 1879
Picture 3: Newspaper column “Locations” updating the public on business changes in the area published in the Champaign County Gazette on October 18, 1871.
Picture 4: Picture of Frank Jaques in a Santa hat. An image that was cheekily photoshopped by Archives staff.