Beda Cornwall Collection on the Citizen's Library Association of Las Vegas (MS-00001)

Educator and community worker Beda (Tabitha) Brennecke Cornwall was born in Tulare, South Dakota to Frederick William and Martha Brennecke. Her father was a German Evangelical Lutheran minister. She received her education at the University of Idaho, Southern Branch, at Pocatello and at the University of Denver, majoring in education and social services. She taught school for four years in Montrose, Colorado. Later she was appointed by the government to do social work for the Farm Security Administration under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, serving from 1935 to 1939.

In 1932 she married Charles Norman Cornwall of Aspen, Colorado. Mr. Cornwall was a graduate of the University of Colorado Law School at Boulder, Colorado. They had two children, a daughter, Gretchen, and a son, William Leo Cornwall. They moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1943. Mr. Cornwall was a well-known attorney and he served as City Attorney from 1944 to 1948.

Their first year in Las Vegas, Mrs. Cornwall taught school at Dry Lake, Nevada. She became very active in United States Overseas (USO) activities during and after World War Two as well as Traveler's Aide, Red Cross and other social and civic endeavors. She served on the Las Vegas City Recreation Board and was appointed through that group and the city commission to start a group of interested local people to see what could be done to have an adequate library to serve the city of Las Vegas. She was then appointed chair of the Citizen's Library Association. The groups membership was composed of interested members of various local charitable and social organizations. By 1948 an all-out drive to raise money for the library building was launched. The city donated the building site at 4th and Mesquite Streets. The library building was dedicated to the city on June 1, 1952. Over $100,000 was raised by public subscription and donations. On completion it was the largest and most modern library in the state of Nevada.

Mrs. Cornwall served as chair of the Citizens’ Library Association until 1972, when the Las Vegas Public Library merged with the Clark County Library District. She was chair of National Library Week and was honored in 1952 by the American Library Association for her contributions to public library service. Beda Cornwall was president of Service League (now Junior League) from 1950 to 1951. She served as chair of the Clark County Safety Council. She was given an award by the Shell Oil Company for her outstanding contributions to public safety.

In 1954 Cornwall was elected to the Las Vegas City School District and served until 1956, when the school districts combined to form the Clark County School District. She was active with the Community Chest and was campaign chairman in 1954. She was named Mrs. Las Vegas in 1952 by the American Legion for her work in the community and was recognized as one of the three Outstanding Women of the Year by the Soroptomists. The local Hadassah chapter presented her with an award of merit for her outstanding service to the community. Mrs. Cornwall is one of the founders of the Home of the Good Shepherd Auxiliary, serving as their president from 1963 to 1965.

Cornwall was a member of the Children’s Services Guild and of the Boy's Club of Clark County, and the Founder’s Club. The Boys’ Club library was named the “Cornwall Library” in honor and of Mr. and Mrs. C. Norman Cornwall. Beda Cornwall died on June 13, 1994.