Friday, December 28, 2012

1860s Autograph Album of Willie D. Peirce of Clinton, Massachusetts


Autograph album comprised mostly of pages signed in the 1860s by young adults from Clinton, Leicester and West Boylston, Massachusetts, many of them students at Leicester Academy.


The album  belonged to Willie D. Peirce of Clinton, Massachusetts.  He signed the first page in the album, but the date he signed, 16 May 1870, was later than any of the other dates shown in the album.  



The album is approximately 4" x 2-1/2" and contains 72 pages signed by Willie himself, his relatives, friends and schoolmates.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections welcome!]

Willie D. Peirce was born 4 July 1856 at Clinton, Massachusetts, the son of William N. and Mary Ann (Dickinson) Peirce, who were born at Sutton, Massachusetts, and Leicester, Massachusetts, respectively.

Willie's paternal grandparents were John and Lucy (Carroll) Peirce.  His maternal grandparents were Loyal G. and Elizabeth (Burgess) Dickinson.  

Many records show the spelling variation Pierce, and it seems that various members of the greater Peirce/Pierce family adopted either spelling.

Sadly, Willie died at Leicester, Massachusetts, on 9 June 1872, at the age of 15.

Alphabetical list of signers: [Note: given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]


  • R. Edgar Avery of Union Village, New Hampshire, 1867
  • Etta A. Baldwin of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1868
  • Charles H. Baldwin of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • Fannie E. Ballard of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • Horace N. Broad of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • Nettie Brown of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1867
  • Sarah J. Brown of Grafton, Massachusetts
  • Henry B. Clapp, signed at Leicester Academy, Leicester, Massachusetts, 1870
  • Eddie A. Cowee of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869; Edward A. Cowee
  • Emma F. Cutler of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1868
  • Abby E. Dame of Clinton, Massachusetts, 1867
  • Henry Fairbank of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • Hattie E. Fairbank of West Boylston, Massachusetts
  • Willie H. Fairbanks of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • Edwin C. Fairbanks of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • Alice C. Fitts of Candia Village, New Hampshire, 1879
  • M. F. Gammell of West Boylston, Massachusetts
  • Hattie F. Goodell of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • Mary D. Goodell of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1868
  • Charles Graff of Leicester, Massachusetts
  • F. C. Hardy of West Boylston, Massachusetts
  • Delia M. Hardy of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1867; album owner's cousin
  • Maria Harper, 1869
  • Linus G. Harris of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • Vrylena Hathorn of West Boylston, Massachusetts
  • Emmie M. Holden of Ware, Massachusetts, 1867
  • George H. Holmes of West Boylston, Massachusetts
  • Sarah Houghton, 1869; perhaps the Sarah M. Houghton of West Boylston, Massachusetts, who signed the facing page in 1868
  • Sarah M. Houghton of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1868; perhaps the same Sarah Houghton as signed the facing page
  • Augustus F. Howell of Worcester, Massachusetts, 1867
  • John H. Howell of Worcester, Massachusetts, 1867
  • Louisa M. Hubbard, signed at Malden Hill, 1869; Willie's schoolmate
  • F. G. Johnson of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • B. Judkins, Jr., 1867.  This was likely Rev. Benjamin Judkins, Jr.
  • S. M. Judkins, 1867.  This was likely Sarah Judkins, wife of Rev. Benjamin Judkins, Jr.
  • Nellie E. Judkins, 1867.  Daughter of Rev. Benjamin Judkins and wife Sarah
  • Charles Keith of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1868
  • Frank A. Keith of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • Laura M. Loring of Sterling Junction, Massachusetts, 1869
  • E. Lester Lovell of West Boylston, Massachusetts
  • Josie Merrifield of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1867
  • Charlie E. Merrifield of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869; Charles E. Merrifield
  • Charles D. Monroe of Leicester, Massachusetts
  • Charles F. Morse of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • Eddie A. Murdock of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1867.  Edward A. Murdock, born about 1854
  • Carrie H. Murdock of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1868
  • Julia Belle Newton of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869; Willie's schoolmate
  • Willie S. O'Brien of Cherry Valley [I assume the Cherry Valley that is in Leicester, Massachusetts], signed at Leicester Academy in 1870
  • Susie E. Parker of Clinton, Massachusetts, 1867; album owner's cousin
  • M. Dora Parker of Clinton, Massachusetts, 1868
  • Willie D. Peirce of Clinton, Massachusetts; student at Leicester Academy, Leicester, Massachusetts
  • Mary D. Peirce of Clinton, Massachusetts.  Possibly Mary (Dickinson) Peirce, Willie Pierce's mother
  • Jennie Peirce of South Brookfield, Massachusetts, 1868
  • H. M. Peirce of Clinton, Massachusetts, 1867; cousin of Willie D. Peirce
  • Lucretia P. Peirce of South Brookfield, Massachusetts, 1868
  • John W. Peirce, Jr., of Clinton, Massachusetts, 1867.  He may have been the older brother of Willie's father William N. Peirce
  • George F. Perkins of West Boylston, Massachusetts; he may have been living at Minnesota at the time
  • Willie Phelps of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • H. R. Pierce of Worcester, Massachusetts, 1867
  • Maria L. Pierce of Grafton, Massachusetts, 1867
  • Henry Pratt of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1868
  • Edna Rand of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • Josie P. Raymond of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1867
  • Abbie H. Ring of Clinton, Massachusetts, 1867
  • Lizzie Sawyer of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1868
  • Edna C. Smith of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • Walter H. Smith of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1869
  • Isabell Taylor of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1868
  • ? Emma Twiss of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1867
  • Nellie C. Warren of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1868
  • Charles T. White of West Boylston, Massachusetts, 1868
  • Phebe Wilson of Boylston, Massachusetts, 1868
Clinton, Massachusetts


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