Thursday, May 22, 2014

1880s Autograph Album of Lilla M. Chapman of Salem, Connecticut


1880s autograph album of Lilla M. Chapman of Salem, Connecticut.  Many of the autographs were signed at Ashaway, Rhode Island.  Lilla may have attended school there or vacationed there.


The album is approximately 7" x 4" and contains the sentiments of over 70 of Lilla's relatives and friends.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

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

Lilla M. Chapman was born about May 1867 in Connecticut, the daughter of Benjamin Franklin Chapman and Mary Elizabeth (Gates) Chapman.  At least one of Lilla's siblings, Frank L. Chapman of Colchester, Connecticut, signed a page in her album.


Hattie Chapman signed the page right after the page signed by Lilla's brother, Frank.  Sadly, someone, presumably Lilla, added a note: "Died May 20, 1883".  Was Hattie another sister, or a first wife of Frank or someone else?


Another Chapman who signed was Ernest Chapman of Clarks Falls, Connecticut, who signed his page on March 2, 1882.


At some point after the enumeration of the 1880, Lilla married a Mr. Hall.  By 1900, she was a widow.

On 30 October 1907 at Norwich, Massachusetts, Lilla married William H. Sweet, son of Gardner W. and Olive (Harvey) Sweet.  William was born about January 1872.  He and Lilla lived at Norwich, Connecticut at least through the time of the 1930 Census.  Lilla died in 1932.

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.

Surnames in the album

?    [7]
Balch
Barber     [2]
Berry     [2]
Bland
Briggs     [3]
Brown
Browning
Buddington
Burdick     [4]
Call
Chapman     [4]
Clarke     [2]
Clegg
Corey
Crandall     [2]
Culverwell
Cundall
Dean
Dolbeare
Dudley
Edwards
Fish
Gladwin
Hall     [3]
Hamilton
Holmes
Hurlburt
Johnson
Kenyon
Lewis     [2]
Maginnis
Maine
McDade
Merritt
Miller
Nettleton
Palmer
Parmelee
Rogers
Rothwell
Saunders     [2]
Spicer
Steadman     [2]
Stillman     [2]
Taylor
Utley
Wells
White

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

?
  • Adelle M., signed at Ashaway, Rhode Island, on January 17, 1882
  • Ivie, signed at Ashaway, Rhode Island, on January 2, 1882
  • Hattie, signed at Ashaway, Rhode Island, on December 25, 1881
  • Lina
  • "A Friend Buttercup", signed on May 20, 1882; possibly R. J.
  • J. E. & L., signed on April 23, 1883
  • "Anonymous"
B
  • Etta M. Balch of Colchester, Connecticut, signed on July 3, 1882
  • Leonora Barber of Ashaway, Rhode Island, signed on January 17, 1882
  • Annie S. Barber, signed at Ashaway, Rhode Island, on march 20, 1882
  • Etta C. Berry of Westerly, Rhode Island, signed on February 18, 1882
  • C. F. Berry of Westerly, Rhode Island, signed on February 18, 1882
  • H. T. Bland, Jr., signed on March 25, 1882
  • Job S. Briggs of Ashaway, Rhode Island, signed in January 1882
  • Lizzie Briggs, signed in January 1882
  • Carrie L. Briggs of Ashaway, Rhode Island
  • Frank V. Brown of Colchester, Connecticut, signed on July 5, 1882
  • G. S. Browning of Ashaway, Rhode Island, signed on January 16, 1882; H.G.S.
  • George A. Buddington of New London, Connecticut, signed on March 5, 1882
  • Sade Burdick of Ashaway, Rhode Island
  • Annie M. Burdick of North Stonington, Connecticut, signed on April 22, 1882
  • Viola E. Burdick of North Stonington, Connecticut, on April 22, 1882
  • John S. Burdick of Ashaway, Rhode Island, signed on January 16, 1881
C
  • Name is hard to read, but possibly S. W. Call
  • Lilla M. Chapman; album owner
  • Ernest Chapman of Clarks Falls, Connecticut, signed on March 2, 1882
  • Frank L. Chapman of Colchester, Connecticut; "your Brother"
  • Hattie Chapman Later note: "Died May 20, 1883"
  • Lizzie Clarke of Clarkes Falls, Connecticut, signed on March 24, 1882
  • E. W. Clarke of Clarkes Falls, Connecticut, signed on February 28, 1882 at H.G.S.
  • Anna M. Clegg, signed on July 27, 1883
  • Belle R. Corey, signed at North Madison, Connecticut; future wife of Lilla's brother Fred A. Chapman
  • Orrin Crandall, signed on January 9, 1882
  • A. J. Crandall of Ashaway, Rhode Island, signed on March 13, 1882; G.M.A.C.
  • Mrs. Emma L. Culverwell of Westerly, Rhode Island
  • Bessie Cundall of Ashaway, Rhode Island, signed on January 18, 1882
D
  • Fred A. Dean of Colchester, Connecticut, signed on March 25, [looks like '62, but more likely '82]
  • Lizzie B. Dolbeare of Salem, Connecticut, signed on December 21, 1884
  • Clara B. Dudley, signed at Saybrook, Connecticut, on October 6, 1885
E
  • Hattie Edwards of Canonchet, Rhode Island
F
  • Mrs. Clara A. Fish of Groton, New York, signed on July 24, 1882
G
  • M. Gladwin of East River, Connecticut, signed on November 2, 1883
H
  • Marvin W. Hall of Madison, Connecticut, signed on October 17, 1885
  • Florence Hall of Essex, Connecticut, signed on December 13, 1889
  • Miss Cora B. Hall of Madison, Connecticut
  • Mary W. Hamilton of Salem, Connecticut, signed on May 15, 1883
  • Mamie A. Holmes of New London, Connecticut
  • Florence E. Hurlburt of New London, Connecticut, signed on December 13, 1889
J
  • Lizzie A. Johnson of Ashaway, Rhode Island, signed on January 9, 1882
K
  • Minnie Kenyon of Potter Hill, Rhode Island, signed on March 24, 1882
L
  • W. M. Lewis, signed at Ashaway, Rhode Island, on January 14, 1882
  • Ida M. Lewis of Ashaway, Rhode Island, signed on January 14, 1882
M
  • John T. Maginnis of Salem, Connecticut, signed on June 30, 1884
  • Loren S. Maine, signed at Salem, September 21, 1882
  • Tillie McDade, signed on July 27, 1883
  • Charles Merritt of Ashaway, Rhode Island, signed on March 12, 1882
  • H. Julia Miller, signed at Saybrook Point, Connecticut, on August 2, 1886
N
  • Jennie Nettleton, signed at Milford, Connecticut, on April 23, 1883
P
  • W. E. Palmer, signed at Ashaway, Rhode Island, on January 2, 1882
  • J. L. Parmelee of Minneapolis, Minnesota, signed on February 1, 1890
R
  • T. R. Rogers of Providence, Rhode Island, signed in 1944; not sure of initials
  • Mary Alice Rothwell of Ashaway, Rhode Island, signed on January 18, 1882
S
  • Jennie Saunders of Alfred Centre, New York, signed at Ashaway, Rhode Island, on June 9, 1882
  • E. P. Saunders of Ashaway, Rhode Island, signed on January 6, 1882
  • Mamie Spicer of Ashaway, Rhode Island, signed on January 9, 1882; Lilla's schoolmate
  • C. E. Steadman, signed February 9, 1882; very faint. Sketched a fancy banner
  • W. I. Steadman of Westerly, Rhode Island, signed on March 19, 1882; I.S.U.L. Presumably Walter I. Steadman
  • Clara L. Stillman of Potter Hilll, Rhode Island
  • Gertie Stillman, signed at Ashaway, Rhode Island, in January 1882
T
  • Mabel Taylor of Ashaway, Rhode Island, on March 1, 1882
U
  • Lottie A. Utley of Clarence, New York, signed at Ashaway, Rhode Island, on June 9, 1882
W
  • Myra H. Wells of Ashaway, Rhode Island, signed on April 24, 1882
  • Adelle White of Hebron, Connecticut, signed at Salem, on February 5, 1884
Salem, Connecticut


Ashaway, Rhode Island


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