Civil War History Books Donated to Folklife Center in Honor of Alumnus

A local family has donated a first edition set of Civil War history books to Fairmont State University and the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center in honor of Norman L. Kronjaeger.

Through the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc., Laura Kronjaeger Baker of Fairmont and Sherry Kronjaeger Hickman of Cornelius, N.C., presented “The Photographic History of the Civil War in Ten Volumes” to Dr. Judy P. Byers, Executive Director of the Folklife Center, and Tammy Whitacre, Director of Development for the Foundation, on Friday, Sept. 12.

“We are proud to receive these volumes that will become part of the Fidura Special Collections Library and will be preserved here at the Folklife Center as a resource for students and visiting scholars,” Byers said. “This very touching tribute from Sherry and Laura for their father illustrates the importance of collecting, preserving and sharing your family history.”

Published in 1911, the donated books originally belonged to their father, Norman L. Kronjaeger, and had been handed down to him by his uncle, Thomas Hayes. Many generations of Kronjaeger’s family have served in the military. The books are a Semi-Centennial Memorial published by The Review of Reviews Company with Francis Trevelyan Miller as editor-in-chief and contain many photos of the Civil War.

“My father has been a huge influence in the greater Fairmont area through his passion for change, commitment to education and dedication to supporting local government,” Hickman said. “Our decision to donate these historical books is yet another example of his desire to make our community a better place, as visitors, students and scholars will learn from our community’s history.”

Baker and Hickman said donating the books to the University is of great significance to their family because Kronjaeger attended Fairmont State and taught surveying classes on campus.

“My father earned his Regents Bachelor of Arts degree here at Fairmont State and talked me into getting my Regents degree,” Baker said. “He has made a very big impact on a lot of people. I’m sure he’s talked a lot of people into getting their Regents degree because he has been a big supporter of that program since it was first available at Fairmont State.”

The Marion County Commission recognized Sept. 10, 2014, as Norman L. Kronjaeger Day for his services to Marion County and the City of Fairmont.

Born in Wheeling and raised by his father, Davis Kronjaeger, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1959 to 1962 and is active in the Honor Guard for Military Funerals. Kronjaeger moved from Coraopolis, Pa., to Fairmont in 1963 after attending West Virginia University and Fairmont State, where he received a Regents Bachelor of Arts degree in 1987. He became a licensed land surveyor in 1986 and taught surveying at Fairmont State.

Kronjaeger worked for the City of Fairmont, the Marion County Commission and assisted with the revision of the county tax maps and precinct maps with the Assessor’s Office. He has served on various boards and with many local companies in the capacity of surveyor. From the early 1970s to the 1990s, he worked with K and R Engineering in Fairmont. He and his wife Tina reside in Fairmont.

The Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center is dedicated to the identification, preservation and perpetuation of our region’s rich cultural heritage through academic studies; education programs, festivals and performances; and publications. The Folklife Center is part of the Fairmont State University College of Liberal Arts. For more information about the Folklife Center, visit www.fairmontstate.edu/folklife or call (304) 367-4403.

For more information about the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc., visit www.fsufoundation.org or call (304) 534-8786.

 

About the photo:

Pictured in the Fidura Special Collections Library of the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center from left to right are Laura Kronjaeger Baker of Fairmont, Sherry Kronjaeger Hickman of Cornelius, N.C., Tammy Whitacre of the Fairmont State Foundation, Inc., and Dr. Judy P. Byers, Executive Director of the Folklife Center.

Folklife CenterFairmont StateJudy P. ByersTammy WhitacreLaura Kronjaeger BakerSherry Kronjaeger Hickman