Founded by cousins Eleanor Pearre Abbot and Nancy Pearre Lesure for the acquisition and preservation of materials on Maryland genealogy.

Josephine Pearre Etchison a Frederick native was known for her dedication to the C. Burr Artz Library, serving as its first librarian from 1937 until her retirement in 1967. Ms. Etchison was also an avid researcher of Maryland’s history. To honor her love for the Library and Maryland’s history, her cousins—Eleanor Pearre Abbot and Nancy Pearre Lesure—established The Josephine Pearre Etchison Memorial Fund for the Maryland Room of C. Burr Artz Library. This Fund supports the acquisition and preservation of materials pertaining to Maryland genealogy and displayed at the C. Burr Artz Library. Ms. Etchison’s passion to grow the Maryland history collection at the Library will forever be her legacy through this fund.