Monday, May 19, 2014

1890s Autograph Album of Mabelle C. Ford of Biddeford, Maine; student at Biddeford High School


1890s autograph album of Mabelle C. Ford of Biddeford, Maine; some pages were signed by her classmates at Biddeford High School.


The album is approximately 7" x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of 40 of Mabelle's relatives, friends, classmates, at least one teacher and a Vice Deputy US Consul to Italy.  An alphabetical list of the signers, and any supporting information, appear at the end of this post.


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

Mabelle C. Ford was born 28 March 1880, the daughter of Radcliffe H. and Constance H. (Littlefield) Ford of Biddeford, Maine.  For a brief period, the family moved to Nova Scotia where Radcliffe was the U.S. Consul.


Mabelle was a teacher; I don't believe she ever married.  She died in 1969 at Old Orchard Beach, Maine.

Mabelle's mother and paternal grandparents signed pages in her album.  Her mother, Constance H. (Littlefield) Ford, signed one of the pages with a preprinted illustration.


Mabelle's paternal grandparents, Horace and Maria L. (Davis) Ford signed pages in 1892.



Another page was signed by a Maria L. Ford, possibly the same person as above, though the handwriting is different.


Mabelle's mother Constance H. (Littlefield) Ford had a sister Annie G. (Littlefield) Owen.  Annie signed a page at Saco, Maine, in February 1892, as did her husband George F. Owen and their son Daniel E. Owen.




Mabelle's cousin Annie Smith signed a page at Biddeford, Maine, on February 20, 1892 and referred to a possible trip to Italy.


That possible trip might explain why Emilio Masi, Vice Deputy U.S. Consul to Leghorn, Italy, signed a page on May 6, 1892.


Mabelle's teacher Fannie E. Cowan of Biddeford, Maine, signed a page on February 6, 1891.


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

Surnames in the album

Andrews
Bacon
Brackett
Cowan
Crosfield
Davis     [3]
Derby     [2]
Drown
Emery
Falker
Ford     [5]
Garland
Goodwin
Gordon     [2]
Hill
Hooper
Huntress     [2]
Hussey
Lunt
Masi
McDonald
McIntire
Mildon
Mitchell
Owen     [3]
Rumery
Smith
Spofford
Thompson
Watson

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

A
  • Ellen A. Andrews, signed at Biddeford, Maine, on November 11, 1890
B
  • L. Estelle Bacon of Biddeford, Maine, signed on February 2, 1891
  • Rena W. Brackett of Biddeford, Maine, signed on February 5, 1891
C
  • Fannie E. Cowan of Biddeford, Maine, signed on February 6, 1891; Mabelle's teacher
  • M. L. Crosfield, signed on November 28, 1890
D
  • Durborn Davis of Clarence, Missouri; his daughter Lillian Davis signed the right facing page. (Their handwriting looks identical.)
  • Lillian Davis of Clarence, Missouri, signed at Biddeford, Maine, on August 24, 1890; her father Durborn Davis signed the left facing page. (Their handwriting looks identical.
  • Horace F. Davis of Oakes Post Office, Arapahoe County, Colorado
  • Mary E. Derby, signed on November 12, 1890
  • Allen Derby, signed on November 11, 1890 at B.H.S., presumably Biddeford High School at Biddeford, Maine
  • Minnie Drown
E
  • Gracie Emery of Biddeford, Maine, signed on February 3, 1891
F
  • Susie A. Falker of Biddeford, Maine, signed on February 2, 1892
  • Mabelle C. Ford of Biddeford, Maine; album owner
  • Horace Ford, signed at Biddeford, Maine, on March 21, 1892; presumably Mabelle's paternal grandfather
  • Maria L. Ford, signed at Biddeford, Maine, on March 21, 1892; perhaps the same person who signed another page. Presumably Mabelle's paternal grandmother Maria L. (Davis) Ford
  • Maria L. Ford; perhaps the same person who signed another page; possibly Mabelle's paternal grandmother Maria L. (Davis) Ford)
  • Constance H. Ford; Mabelle's mother Constance H. (Littlefield) Ford
G
  • Lottie Garland of Biddeford, Maine
  • Grace M. Goodwin of Biddeford, Maine, signed on January 21, 1895 at B.H.S., presumably Biddeford High School
  • Alice P. Gordon of Biddeford, Maine, signed on January 22, 1895
  • Mabel Gordon of Biddeford, Maine, signed on February 5, 1891
H
  • Helen E. Hill of Biddeford, Maine, signed on February 3, 1891
  • D. D. Hooper
  • Sabra A. Huntress of South Berwick, Maine, signed on June 5, 1894
  • S. A. Huntress of South Berwick, Maine, signed on March 22, 1892
  • Lois M. Hussey of Biddeford, Maine
L
  • Jessie W. Lunt of Biddeford, Maine, signed on February 3, 1891; Mabelle's classmate
M
  • Emilio Masi, Vice Deputy U.S. Consul at Leghorn, Italy, and his grandchild Emilia G. Masi, signed at Leghorn, Italy on May 6, 1892
  • Lilla E. McDonald, signed on February 5, 1891
  • Hattie McIntire of Biddeford, Maine, signed on January 21, 1895
  • Fred W. Mildon of Biddeford, Maine, signed at B.H.S., presumably Biddeford High School at Biddeford, Maine
  • Mabel R. Mitchell of Biddeford, Maine, signed on February 3, 1891
O
  • Aunt Annie Owen, signed at Saco, Maine, on February 17, 1892; she was Annie G. (Littlefield) Owen, sister of Mabelle's mother Constance H. (Littlefield) Ford.
  • Daniel E. Owen, son of signers Annie G. (Littlefield) Owen and George F. Owen
  • George F. Owen of Saco, Maine, signed on February 20, 1892; husband of Annie G. (Littlefield) Owen and father of signer Daniel E. Owen
R
  • Gracie Rumery of Biddeford, Maine
S
  • Annie Smith, signed at Biddeford, Maine, on February 20, 1892; Mabelle's cousin. "Ouija says I am going to Italy. Hope Ouija is right." Perhaps both Mabelle and Annie went to Italy, which would explain the page signed by Deputy US Vice Consul Emilio Masi.
  • Mildred Spofford of Biddeford, Maine, signed on February 3, 1891
T
  • Mrs. F. F. Thompson of Somerville, Massachusetts
W
  • Gertie Watson
Biddeford, Maine  [showing nearby Saco, Maine, and Old Orchard Beach, Maine]


Thanks for stopping by!

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