1908-1912 Autograph Album of Viola, possibly Viola M. Briggs of Westport, Massachusetts

1908-1912 autograph album that belonged to a Viola of the Westport, Massachusetts, area.  She may have been Viola M. Briggs, daughter of Albert Bradford Briggs and Mary Elizabeth (Sherman) Briggs and future wife of Lester Clifford Lawson, whose 1890s-1910s autograph album was featured in another post.

Several of the signers indicated they were students at the school Rogers and Allens' at Fall River, Massachusetts.  A handwritten card with the school's name is inserted in the album.

One of the signers, Leslie E. Livingstone sketched himself in a Rogers & Allens' jersey and included his calling card.  He gave his address as 1232 Plymouth Avenue, Fall River, Massachusetts.

The album is approximately 7-3/4" x 5" and contains the sentiments of 54 of Viola's schoolmates, friends and possibly relatives.  An alphabetical surname list and an alphabetical list of the signers, complete with any residential and school information they offered, appear at the end of this post.

In the event that the album owner was Viola M. Briggs, and from online research, hopefully correct:                                                               [corrections and additions welcome!]

Viola M. Briggs was born 27 April 1893 at Westport, Massachusetts, the daughter of boat builder Albert Bradford Briggs and Mary Elizabeth (Sherman) Briggs, who were both Westport, Massachusetts natives.  On 29 July 1917, Viola married Lester Clifford Lawton, son of Isaac Macomber Lawton and Annie D. (Lawton) Lawton.  Lester was born 7 June 1890 at Westport, Massachusetts.  Viola and Lester made their home at Westport, Massachusetts, and had at least one child, a daughter.

One signer mentioned W.H.S., which might have been Westport High School.  That signer was Janie M. Hull, who signed on January 5, 1909.

Several signers indicated they were in the Class of 1911 at Rogers and Allens' school.  One of these was Elsie Hathaway of Pottersville, Massachusetts, presumably at Somerset, Massachusetts; she signed her page on January 26, 1911.

Other Rogers and Allens' students were Clarence T. Borden; Cora Brightman of Pottersville, Massachusetts; Miriam Marsden of Fall River, Massachusetts; Miriam A. Murray; Anna Gertrude Wood of Swansea, Massachusetts, the above mentioned Leslie E. Livingstone; and possibly more who didn't mention their school affiliation.

If you have a theory as to the identity of album owner Viola, or if you have information on any of the signers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Surnames in the album

?
Audella
Bartlett
Baxter
Borden     [2]
Bridge
Brightman     [3]
Cahoon
Davis
Deterra
Duffany
Gorton
Hathaway
Hull
Jones
Kirby     [4]
Lake
Lawrence
Lawton
Livingstone
Manchester
Marsden
Mount
Murray
Obery
Pettey
Reed
Roach
Selinger
Sharkansky
Sherman     [7]
Snell
Tripp     [4]
Whalon
Whelden
Wood     [4]

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

?

• Unsigned sentiment of December 25, 1908

A

• Helen Audella, signed on February 8, 1911; she implied that the album owner's name was Viola.

B

• Marion M. Bartlett of Pottersville, Massachusetts
• Lillian L. Baxter of Melville, Newport, Rhode Island
• Arline A. Borden of Westport, Massachusetts, signed on December 29, 1908
• Clarence T. Borden, signed at Rogers and Allens' school on January 27, 1911
• Ruth M. Bridge of Westport, Massachusetts, signed on January 6, 1909
• Cora Brightman of Pottersville, Massachusetts, signed on January 26, 1911; Rogers & Allens' Class of 1911
• Omar D. Brightman, signed on February 12, 1911 at Westport, Massachusetts
• Oliver T. Brightman, Head of Westport, Massachusetts

C

• Earle Cahoon of Westport, Massachusetts, signed on December 31, 1908

D

• Carlton W. Davis of 2873 Highland Avenue, Fall River, Massachusetts
• Mary L. Deterra of Melville Station, Newport, Rhode Island, signed on February 14, 1912
• Dora Delena Duffany of North Westport, Massachusetts, signed on February 8, 1911

G

• Joseph Gorton

H

• Elsie Hathaway of Pottersville, Massachusetts, signed at Rogers & Allens' on January 26, 1911; Class of 1911
• Janie M. Hull, signed on January 5, 1909 at W.H.S., perhaps Westport, Massachusetts High School

J

• Charlotte G. Jones of North Westport, Massachusetts, signed on December 28, 1908

K

• Madeleine Kirby of 311 Bank Street, Fall River, Massachusetts, signed on January 31, 1909
• Albert Kirby of Westport, Massachusetts, signed on January 4, 1909
• Etta M. B. Kirby of Westport, Massachusetts, signed on January 3, 1909
• Harry E. Kirby of Westport, Massachusetts

L

• Roscoe Capen Lake of Westport Point, Massachusetts, signed on January 6, 1909
• Margaret L. Lawrence, signed on January 6, 1909
• Alice L. Lawton, signed on March 31, 1911
• Leslie E. Livingstone of 1232 Plymouth Avenue, Fall River, Massachusetts; he sketched himself in a Rogers & Allens' jersey and tucked his calling card in the album.

M

• Almyra S. Manchester of South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, signed on May 29, 1910
• Miriam Marsden of 34 Weybosset Street of Fall River, Massachusetts. Class of 1911 of Rogers and Allens' School
• ? Mount, signed on January 26, 1911
• Miriam A. Murray, Class of 1911, Rogers and Allens', signed on February 10, 1911

O

• Grace L. Obery of 205 George Street, Fall River, Massachusetts

P

• Florence Pettey, signed on December 31, 1908

R

• Allen Reed of North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, signed on January 27, 1911
• D. C. Roach, signed in 1911

S

• Lottie E. Selinger, signed on January 30, 1911
• Esther Sharkansky of 50 Richmond Street, Fall River, Massachusetts
• G. W. Sherman, signed on January 24, 1909; he noted that the album owner was 16 years old.
• Andrew W. Sherman of Westport, Massachusetts, signed on January 24, 1909
• Helena M. Sherman, signed on January 23, 1909
• Philip Sherman of Westport, Massachusetts, signed on December 28, 1908
• Durward Sherman of Westport, Massachusetts; presumably Charles Durward Sherman
• Mildred W. Sherman of Westport, Massachusetts, signed on December 28, 1908
• Lillian B. Sherman of Westport, Massachusetts; signed on December 28, 1908. Mentions Padanaram and refers to the album owner as Viola.
• Viola E. Snell of Puncatest Neck, Tiverton, Rhode Island

T

• Addie B. Tripp of Westport, Massachusetts, signed on January 8, 1909
• Aletha U. Tripp of South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, at Padanaram, signed on January 16, 1909
• Maud L. Tripp of Westport, Massachusetts, signed on December 26, 1908
• Mahlon B. Tripp of Padanaram, Massachusetts; Padanaram, a village in the town of South Dartmouth, Massachusetts

W

• Maude E. Whalon of Westport, Massachusetts, signed on December 29, 1908
• Charles C. Whelden of Westport, Massachusetts, signed on January 5, 1909
• Albert Wood of North Westport, Massachusetts
• George Wood of North Westport, Massachusetts, signed on December 31, 1908
• Charles A. Wood of Westport, Massachusetts, signed on January 20, 1909
• Anna Gertrude Wood of Swansea, Massachusetts, signed at Rogers & Allens' School on January 26, 1911

Westport, Massachusetts

Thanks for stopping by!