Thursday, December 12, 2013

Autograph Album Presented in 1878 to Eva A. Pomroy of Bangor, Maine, by Future Husband George W. Coffin


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Autograph album presented in 1878 to Eva A. Pomroy of Bangor, Maine, by her future husband George W. Coffin of Aroostook County, Maine, and Bangor.






The album is approximately 7-3/4" x 4-3/4" and contains the sentiments of nearly 50 of Eva's relatives, friends, schoolmates and Bangor, Maine, neighbors.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.




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


Eva A. Pomroy was born at Bangor, Maine, about May 23, 1860 [using her date of death and her age in years, months and days as appeared on her Maine death record].  Her parents were Daniel Kilby Pomroy and Margaret (Gullifer) Pomroy, who were born at Charlotte, Maine, and Bangor, Maine, respectively.


Eva's mother, Margaret (Gullifer) Pomroy, signed a page in her album on March 13, 1879.




Eva's sister, Lillian F. Pomroy, signed twice, once at Bangor, Maine, on December 12, 1878, and again after her marriage to Edward P. Austin, who signed the left facing page on February 21, 1885.








On 22 April 1879, Eva A. Pomroy married George W. Coffin, son of Rufus S. and Olive (Brown) Coffin, who were born in Freedom, Maine, and Greene, Maine, respectively.  Rufus and his older brother Artemas were among the early settlers of the Ashland, Maine, area.   George W. Coffin was born in this area about April 1855.


At the time of their marriage, Eva was a teacher at Six Mile Falls, Bangor, and George was a tanner at Bangor, living in the household of Simeon Lord on Broadway.  This information came from information provided by AmericanPomeroys.org, which gives Eva's surname as Pomeroy.


It appears that after their marriage, George and Eva lived at Ashland, Maine, for a while.  The 1880 Census found them living in a household at Ashland with George's younger sister Vara.


By the time of the 1900 Census, they were enumerated at Bangor, Maine.  They may have moved back to Bangor, Maine, by 1885 when some Bangor people signed in Eva's album, or perhaps she was visiting.


Eva and George had several children, one of whom, Fred Leslie Coffin, inscribed a page on January 4, 1896.



Eva's granddaughter, Clarene Coffin, signed several pages in 1922, 1923 and 1933.  She was the daughter of Eva's oldest son Millard Fillmore Coffin, and would become a poet, author, teacher and minister.  She would marry Rev. Jack Grenfell, whom she met at Hartford Theological Seminary.








Eva died on 18 October 1914 and is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery at Bangor, Maine.  George died 16 August 1919.


Other relatives of Eva and George signed in the album; see the list below.


If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the signers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!


Signers in the album:  [Given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]

  • "Your Loving Brother", E. P. Austin, signed on February 21, 1885.  Edward P. Austin of Milford, Maine, husband of Eva's sister Lillie F. (Pomroy) Austin, who signed the right facing page.
  • Lillie F. Austin of Milford, Maine.  Eva's sister Lillie F. (Pomroy) Austin, wife of Edward P. Austin who signed the left facing page.
  • Josie M. Babcock of Lincoln Centre, Maine, signed on September 16, 1880
  • I. W. Barker of Bangor, Maine, signed on January 22, 1888.  Presumably Ira Walter Barker, Eva's cousin. His mother, Frances Caroline (Gullifer) Barker, who also signed a page, was Eva's mother's younger sister.
  • Fannie C. Barker of Bangor, Maine, signed on March 13, 1879.  She was Frances Caroline (Gullifer) Barker, younger sister of Eva's mother Margaret (Gullifer) Pomroy and mother of signer Ira Walker Barker
  • Emma Bearce of Ashland, Maine, signed on May 30, 1880.  She was a sister to Dearborn F. Bearce, who married George W. Coffin's sister Louisa [or Lovisa]
  • George W. Brown; Eva's cousin
  • Josie W. Butler of Ashland, Maine
  • Cora E. Butler, signed at Ashland, Maine in 1880.
  • Ada B. Caillonette of Bangor, Maine; wife of signer J. S. Caillonette who signed the facing page
  • J. S. Caillonette of Bangor, Maine.  John S. Caillonette
  • George W. Coffin presented the album to his future wife, Eva A. Pomroy, on September 21, 1878.  They were married at Bangor, Maine, on 22 April 1879.  He signed another page.
  • Louisa A. Coffin, or Lovisa A. Coffin, signed on August 1, 1879.  She was the older sister of Eva's future husband, George W. Coffin.  About 1883, she would marry Dearborn F. Bearce.
  • Fred L. Coffin of Bangor, Maine, signed on January 4, 1896; Eva's son Fred Leslie Coffin, born 28 February 1883 at Ashland, Maine.
  • Vara D. Coffin of Ashland, Maine, signed on September 9, 1879.  Younger sister of Eva's future husband, George W. Coffin. 
  • George Coffin of Ashland, Maine; not sure if this is the George W. Coffin who became Eva's husband or another George Coffin.  The handwriting seems different, and he didn't use a middle initial as George W. Coffin did on both pages he signed.
  • Clarene M. Coffin of Bangor, Maine, signed at February 28, 1922; daughter of Eva's son Millard Fillmore Coffin.  She signed other pages: on March 11, 1923 and gave her address as 782 Broadway, Bangor, Maine, and on Christmas Day in 1933
  • Lute M. Flint of Ashland, Maine
  • Ada C. Hews of Ashland, Maine, signed on July 15, 1880
  • Henry Jones, signed at Ashland, Maine, on September 30, 1880
  • Margaret E. Lee of Bangor, Maine, signed on November 9, 1885
  • Mary E. Lee of Bangor, Maine, signed on December 9, 1885
  • Perley S. Libby of Presque Isle, Maine
  • E. E. Longley of Ashland,  Maine, signed on November 27, 1881
  • Hattie L. Maxfield of Bangor, Maine, signed on December 15, 1878
  • Dora A. McLure of New Haven, Connecticut, "City of Elms", signed at Bangor, Maine, on August 5, 1886
  • J. H. McLure of New Haven, Connecticut, signed at Bangor, Maine, on May 25, 1892
  • Carrie E. McNally of Ashland, Maine, signed on April 24, 1882
  • Maud M. McNally of Ashland, Maine, signed on April 24, 1882
  • George L. Merchant of Bangor, Maine, signed at Bangor, on March 26, 1885; his wife Abbie signed the right facing page.  [They divorced in April 1888.]
  • Mrs. Abbie Merchant, signed at Bangor, Maine, on March 26, 1885; Eva's neighbor, and wife of George L. Merchant, who signed the left facing page.  [They divorced in April 1888.]
  • Mary E. Mooers of Ashland, Maine, signed on September 9, 1879
  • Climena Mosher of Ashland, Maine, signed on May 28, 1880
  • Dolly Mosher of Ashland, Maine, signed on May 27, 1880
  • Eva A. Pomroy, album owner; the album was presented to Eva on September 21, 1878 by her future husband George W. Coffin.  They were married 22 April 1879 at Bangor, Maine.
  • Margaret Pomroy, signed at Bangor, Maine, on March 13, 1879; Eva's mother Margaret (Gullifer) Pomroy
  • Lillian F. Pomroy of Bangor, Maine, signed on December 12, 1878; Eva's sister.
  • Can't quite make out the first name, possibly Luelle Richardson of Presque Isle, Maine, signed at Ashland, Maine, on September 9, 1879
  • Mary L. Rogers of Newburyport, Massachusetts, signed at Ashland, Maine, on September 5, 1879
  • Eva L. Smith, signed at Ashland, Maine, on September 9, 1879
  • Annie S. Smith of Ashland, Maine, signed on September 8, 1879
  • Phebe G. Storer of Bangor, Maine, signed on July 18, 1899
  • Alice Storer of Bangor, Maine, signed on July 23, 1899; Eva's neighbor
  • Charles W. Sylvester of Castle Hill, Maine
  • Charles A. Thurston of Ashland, Maine; husband of Mary A. Thurston who signed the following page.
  • Mary E. Thurston of Ashland, Maine; presumably the wife of Charles A. Thurston who signed the preceding page
  • Louis K. Tilley of Castle Hill, Maine
  • E. F. Wheelden of Bangor, Maine, signed on November 4, 1880; Eva's schoolmate


3 comments:

  1. It says Clara and Millard had three children, but really they had six children. They had four sons (Millard Fillmore Coffin, Merle Leon Coffin, Lloyd Oscar Coffin, and Hazen Bartlett Coffin), and two daughters: Lillian Fellows Coffin, and Clarene Mildred Coffin (who later spelled her name Clarine).

    See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarine_Coffin_Grenfell

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for your comment with this additional information.

    ReplyDelete