Author, Description or "Title" of item, date. Collection name, collection number, box, folder. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.
Photographer, "Title," date. Collection name, object ID. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.
Collection is open for research.
Mary Emma (Belknap) Forney was born to Corrington and Anne Belknap in Oregon state. As a child her and her family moved to California. Here she graduated from the College of the Pacific.
In September of 1881 she married James H. Forney in Santa Barbara, California. She returned with him to his home in Mount Idaho, Idaho Territory. About ten years later, the family moved to Moscow, Idaho. Mary Forney took an active role in the social life of the town. During this time Mary corresponded with Andrew Carnegie to receiving funding for a public library building. This building still stands as Moscow's public library.
Mary died at her Moscow home at the age of 72.
Mary Emma (Belknap) Forney was an active member of the local Moscow community and the University of Idaho. She was the driving force behind the founding of the Moscow public library with the help of Andrew Carnegie. This manuscript outlines that process, providing a historical context to Idaho's first public library.