This Library Committee was established in 1985 to support the Southwest Virginia Heritage Library, a part of the Smyth-Bland Regional Library. In late 1986 a Declaration of Trust was drawn up establishing the Frederick and Eve Copenhaver Memorial Library Fund to provide financial assistance to the Smyth-Bland Regional Library.
Over the years our family has contributed generously to this fund by direct donations, memorials, and profits from the sale of the book, The Copenhaver Family of Smyth County, Virginia. While this book is no longer in print, a Genealogy of Judge John Alexander Kelly still is available. This extensive book chronicles this important family and how it intertwined with Copenhavers, Pecks, Snidows and so many more.
This fund has been used to help obtain a security system for the entire library, furniture, books and other materials for the Heritage Library.Other past projects include acquisition of research journals, historical annals, and preservation equipment for precious items in the archives as well as helping the library purchase needed equipment for ongoing shared efforts. The trustees continue to raise funds for future projects and are currently joint ventured with the library and Emory & Henry College to begin digitizing important documents, microfilm and photo items in the archives for preservation and easy sharing in this digital age. Further efforts will include web links for research and helping the library pay for databases such as ancestry.com.
The Committee urges family members to consider this fund when planning donations and memorials. It especially urges that family members consider remembering this fund in their wills. The Southwest Virginia Heritage Library houses the history of our family and all those it touches which we are handing down to our children, our grandchildren, our grandchildren’s grandchildren, ad infinitum. If you would like to make a contribution at this time, donations should be sent to Francis Joseph Copenhaver, Jr. and not the library directly. You can contact him by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by mail at 515 Crab Orchard Lane, Marion VA 24354.
It must be noted that many non-monetary donations have been made. These donations help to document our shared Copenhaver history.
Each year a survey is taken which proves individuals from across the country visit this room for genealogical research.In 2008, 321 people visited from 20 states. This project is most unique to the area and provides an invaluable resource to all who visit.
Katy Copenhaver Davidson, Committee Chairperson
Trustees of the Copenhaver Library Fund include:
Nance Southworth Barrow
Martha Pearl Copenhaver Bates
Sarah Copenhaver Carr
F. Joe Copenhaver, Jr.
John Alden Copenhaver
Katy Copenhaver Davidson
Lelia Copenhaver Siebold
Lelia Spears
Charlotte Dutton Warren