 The Romney Literary Society and the Romney Classical Institute both flourished and continued to grow in importance and influence until the onset of the American Civil War in 1861 . During the war , many members fought for the Confederate States Army forces and were killed during the conflict . The contents of the society 's library were plundered by Union Army forces and many of its 3 @,@ 000 volumes were either scattered or destroyed . Following the war 's end , only 400 of those volumes could be recovered , with just 200 remaining on the library 's shelves . 
