A Brief History of the Jeudevine Memorial Library

Malvina M. Jeudevine was born Malvina Maria Tuttle on August 13, 1828, in Hardwick, Vermont.  She was the daughter of Captain David and Anna Emerson (Goss) Tuttle and the granddaughter of the Reverend Amos Tuttle, the first settled minister of Hardwick. Given the times, not much is known about her early years.  On April 11, 1858, she married Alden E. Jeudevine. Their first home is located on Route 14 North at what is known as Jeudevine Falls. 

Alden E. Jeudevine was born August 4, 1811, and educated in Concord, Vermont. As an adult in the town of Hardwick, he became successful as a businessman with diverse interests in mercantile, granite, lumber, and real estate enterprises. He also served the community in various capacities, including town clerk, select board member, postmaster, assistant county court judge, and in the state legislature.

Malvina and Alden had four children, but only one survived past infancy. His name was Cornelius “Nealy” Alden Jeudevine. Sadly, Nealy passed away at the age of sixteen following a brief illness. Following Nealy’s death, the couple moved from the house in the country to a home they had built in town, now known as the Jeudevine Mansion, just down the street from where the library stands today.

Ten years after their son died, on February 10, 1888, Alden passed away. Since he had long wanted to do something more to benefit his hometown, Malvina created the library lot, consisting of two adjoining parcels totaling approximately 0.17 acres, in August 1895.  She had the Jeudevine Memorial Library built as a memorial to her husband and son.

Malvina contracted with Lambert Packard to design and build a new library. Packard was an architect employed by the Fairbanks Company in St. Johnsbury. He designed many buildings in Vermont, including the Bradford Library and the Fairbanks Museum. The Jeudevine is built of dark brownstone brought up from the quarries of Libby, Massachusetts. Only the foundation is made of the local granite. Packard was a student of Henry Hobson Richardson, and he followed the Romanesque design that Richardson had made famous in many public buildings. Indeed, the plan of the Jeudevine Memorial Library is similar to the Richardson plan of the Quincy (Massachusetts) Public Library.

All around the stonework of the building, both inside and outside, are lovely carvings produced by Hardwick stonecutter Bert Reed. There are nine original stained glass windows and golden oak walls. There are portraits of Malvina and Alden, as well as an engraved portrait of Cornelius, on view inside.

When the building was finished, the Hardwick Select Board called a special Town Meeting on December 15, 1897, and accepted the gift from Mrs. Jeudevine. The dedication of the library was held at the Hardwick Academy and was attended by a full house. It cost $29,000 to build, including the site.