Monday, October 21, 2013

1890s Autograph Album of Cora Ethel Ellis (1878-1974); inscribers from Artesian, South Dakota, and Maine


1890s autograph album of Cora Ethel Ellis (1878-1974), with many inscriptions from Artesian, South Dakota.  Some of the signers were born in Maine or were descended from Mainers.

Cora, the daughter of William Harrison Ellis and Clara E. (Fitch) Ellis, would marry Salter Almon Brooker (1871-1941), who inscribed the page below.


Interestingly, some inscribers directed their sentiment to Cora, and some to Ethel.

People inscribing to Cora:
  • Aunt Sarah of South Bridgton, Maine; presumably Sarah Palmer (Fitch) Berry (1845-1924).
  • Lela Senska, Cora's teacher, signed at Woonsocket [presumably the Woonsocket in South Dakota]
  • A. Dwight Thomas at Artesian, South Dakota
  • Carl P. Hibbard
  • Mina Thomas
  • Charles Hibbard
  • Mabelle Ashton
  • Addie Ashton, at Artesian, South Dakota
People inscribing to Ethel
  • Wilda Hughes at Artesian, South Dakota
  • C. F. Ellis - Cora Ethel's brother Charles Franklin Ellis (1881-1971).
  • Marie Martin at Van Metre, South Dakota; Cora Ethel's niece
  • Teacher Frank Schuyler
  • Laura Hughes at Artesian, South Dakota
  • Jessie Hughes at Artesian, South Dakota
  • Tillie Sanmark at Artesian, South Dakota
  • Clara J. Sanmark at Artesian, South Dakota
  • Hattie A. Thomas at Artesian, South Dakota
  • Bertha Sanmark at Artesian, South Dakota
  • Thomas C. Sanmark at Artesian, South Dakota
  • Herman Sanmark at Artesian, South Dakota

The page below was inscribed to Cora by her Aunt Sarah at South Bridgton, Maine, on Christmas Day 1891.  Sarah was Sarah Palmer (Fitch) Berry (1845-1924).



The only other signer from Maine in the album was cousin 
Philip P. Berry (1887-1902), son of Sarah Palmer (Fitch) Berry (1845-1924) andPhilip would have been about 4 years old, so, judging from a comparison of the two inscriptions, it's likely his mother wrote his inscription.


V. P. Fessenden was Viola (Powers) Fessenden (1843-unk), sister of inscriber 
Hannah Elizabeth (Powers) Fitch (1840-1916), mentioned further below. Viola's children Ned and "Louie" also inscribed pages.  Hannah was an aunt to Cora Ethel by marriage. Viola's title of aunt was apparently an honorific.


Ned, or Edwin F. Fessenden (1876-1936), inscribed a page at Spring Valley, South Dakota, on November 20, 1892.


I believe the Louie Fessenden who signed a page at Spring Valley, South Dakota, was Viola's daughter Llewella M. Fessenden.


The Aunt Lizzie who inscribed the page below was likely Hannah Elizabeth (Powers) Fitch (1840-1916), wife of Edwin Peabody Fitch (1840-1931) and mother to the two signers below, Fred C. Fitch and Maude E. Fitch.  Edwin Peabody Fitch was the brother of Cora Ethel's mother Clara (Fitch) Ellis (1847-1925).


Lizzie's son Fred C. Fitch signed a page at Artesian, South Dakota, on February 5, 1892. He was Frederick C. Fitch (1876-1959).


Lizzie's daughter Maude E. Fitch inscribed a page on March 13, 1893 at Artesian, South Dakota.  She was Maude Ella Fitch (1878-1954).


Wilda Hughes inscribed a page to Ethel at Artesian, South Dakota, in February 1895.


Another page was inscribed to Aunt Ethel by Marie Martin, at Van Metre, South Dakota, on April 6, 1928, the only page signed after the 1890s.


If you have corrections and/or information to share on any of the people mentioned here, please leave a comment for the benefit of other researchers. 

Alphabetical list of the signers in the album: [Note: given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]
  • Mabelle Ashton, signed on January 29, 1894; inscribed to Cora
  • Addie Ashton, signed at Artesian, South Dakota, on February 9, 1894; inscribed to Cora
  • Philip P. Berry of South Bridgton, Maine, signed on December 25, 1891 - presumably inscribed by his mother.  He was Cora Ethel's cousin Philip P. Berry (1887-1902), son of Sarah Palmer (Fitch) Berry (1845-1924) and Moses Freeman Berry (1849-1902)
  • Aunt Sarah, inscribed to Cora at South Bridgton, Maine, on December 25, 1891.  She was Sarah Palmer (Fitch) Berry (1845-1924), wife of Moses Freeman Berry (1849-1902), who, presumably, inscribed the page of their son Philip on the next page.
  • S. A. Brooker, signed on October 15, 1897; presumably Cora Ethel Ellis' future husband Salter Almon Brooker (1871-1941)
  • C. F. Ellis, inscribed to Ethel; presumably Cora Ethel's brother Charles Franklin Ellis (1881-1971).
  • Cora Ethel Ellis (1878-1974), album owner; she would marry Salter Almon Brooker (1871-1941), presumably inscriber S. A. Brooker
  • Louie M. Fessenden, cousin, inscribed at Spring Valley, South Dakota, on November 29, 1892.  Presumably Llewella M. Fessenden, daughter of inscriber Viola (Powers) Fessenden (1843-unk)
  • Ned Fessenden, cousin, of Spring Valley, South Dakota, signed on November 20, 1892.  He was Edwin F. Fessenden (1876-1936), son of inscriber Viola (Powers) Fessenden 
  • V. P. Fessenden, signed at Spring Valley, South Dakota, on December 1, 1892.  Viola (Powers) Fessenden (1843-unk), mother of inscribers Edwin F. Fessenden (1876-1936) and Llewella M. Fessenden; sister of inscriber Hannah Elizabeth (Powers) Fitch.  
  • Fred C. Fitch, cousin, of Artesian, South Dakota, on February 5, 1892.  He was Frederick C. Fitch (1876-1959), whose parents were inscriber Hannah Elizabeth (Powers) Fitch (1840-1916) and Edwin Peabody Fitch (1840-1931), a brother to Cora Ethel's mother.
  • Aunt Lizzie, who was presumably Hannah Elizabeth (Powers) Fitch (1840-1916), wife of Edwin Peabody Fitch (1840-1931). Edwin was a brother to Cora Ethel's mother. Lizzie's children Fred and Maude also signed pages.  
  • Maude E. Fitch, cousin; inscribed a page at Artesian, South Dakota, on March 13, 1893.  Maude Ella Fitch (1878-1954), whose parents were inscriber Hannah Elizabeth (Powers) Fitch (1840-1916) and Edwin Peabody Fitch (1840-1931), a brother to Cora Ethel's mother.
  • Carl P. Hibbard, signed on January 30, 1894 and inscribed to Cora
  • Charles Hibbard, signed on January 20, 1894; inscribed to Cora
  • Wilda Hughes inscribed a page to Ethel on February 18, 1895 at Artesian, South Dakota
  • Laura Hughes, signed at Artesian, South Dakota, on February 2, 1894, and inscribed to Ethel
  • Jessie Hughes, signed at Artesian, South Dakota, on August 11, 1896; inscribed to Ethel
  • Marie Martin, inscribed to Aunt Ethel, and signed at Van Metre, South Dakota, on April 6, 1928
  • Tillie Sanmark, signed at Artesian, South Dakota, on January 7, 1895; inscribed to Ethel
  • Clara Sanmark, signed at Artesian, South Dakota, on January 7, 1895; inscribed to Ethel.
  • Bertha Sanmark, signed at Artesian, South Dakota, on January 7, 1895; inscribed to Ethel.
  • Thomas C. Sanmark, signed at Artesian, South Dakota, on January 7, 1895; inscribed to Ethel
  • Herman Sanmark, signed at Artesian, South Dakota, on January 7, 1895; inscribed to Ethel
  • Teacher Frank Schuyler, inscribed to Ethel during the Winter term on November 20, 1894.
  • Teacher Lela Senska inscribed a page to Cora at Woonsocket, South Dakota, on November 1, 1893
  • A. Dwight Thomas [at least I think it's Thomas], at Artesian, South Dakota, inscribed to Cora
  • Mina Thomas; inscribed to Cora
  • Hattie A. Thomas, signed at Artesian, South Dakota, on August 19, 1894; inscribed to Ethel.


Thanks for stopping by!

2 comments:

  1. Sarah Powers died in 1857. As far as I know Elizabeth, Viola, and Andrews were the only children of William Harmon Powers to live past the civil war. Sarah Berry would be Sarah P. Fitch Berry b. 16 Jan 1845, d. 13 Mar 1924, sister of my g-grandfather Edwin Fitch and sister-in-law to Elizabeth (Lizzie) Powers Fitch. So Cora and Ethel are likely Fitches also. There are lots of Fessendens linked with the Fitch family, but Viola did marry a Fessenden. Fred Fitch was my grandfather. Most of the family wound up in California.

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  2. I did a quick check on Ancestry.com. G-grandpa Edwin's sister Clara Fitch (1847-1925) married William Harrison Ellis (1847-1887) and their children included Cora Ethel Ellis (1878-1974). It all matches up.

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