1878-1887 Autograph Album of Hattie Sprague of Machiasport, Maine

1878-1887 autograph album that belonged to Hattie Sprague, presumably of Machiasport, Maine, the residence of the majority of the well wishers who inscribed pages in her album.  The album was given to her by her Aunt Ella at Christmas in 1878.

The first person to inscribe a page in the album was Ella P. Blanchard, presumably "Aunt Ella".  She was Ella M. (Peterson) Blanchard, daughter of James Hewitt Blanchard and Mary Patten (Hunter) Peterson and wife of John H. Blanchard.  Ella's sister Elizabeth Josephine Peterson married Francis Stephen Sprague, though there may have been an additional relationship between Hattie and Ella.  Ella's husband John H. Blanchard signed the following page.

The album measures approximately 5-1/4" x 3-1/8" and contains the sentiments of 55 of Hattie's relatives, friends and schoolmates; many of the signers were related by blood or marriage.  Two signers indicated that they were students at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, and one at Colby College in Waterville, Maine:

• Fletcher Howard, a member of the Class of 1879 at Bates College; he signed at Machiasport, Maine on January 4, 1879.
• Alonzo Emery Tinkham of Monmouth, Maine, a member of the Class of 1883 at Bates College
• Frank A. Weed of Skowhegan, Maine, a member of the Class of 1881 at Colby College, signed a page on November 4, 1880.

An alphabetical surname list and an alphabetical list of the signers, together with any personal information they offered, appear at the end of this post.

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

I believe that the album owner was Hattie Evelyn Sprague, born at Machiasport, Maine, on June 18, 1870, the daughter of Daniel Noble Sprague and Mary Hannah (Larrabee) Sprague.  Hattie would marry Edward Benjamin Ramsdell on July 12, 1890 at Machias, Maine.  Edward was the son of Benjamin and Harriet Helen (Card) Ramsdell.  Edward and Hattie lived at Lubec, Maine; Jefferson, Maine, and Eastport, Maine.  They had, I think, nine children, two of whom died in infancy.  Edward worked as a grocer, a fisherman and a farmer.

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

?	G	S
? [2]	Gates	Sanborn
B	Grant [2]	Sawyer [5]
Bateman [2]	H	Small
Benson	Harding	Sprague [2]
Blanchard [4]	Harmon	Stuart
C	Howard	T
Cooper	M	Thompson [2]
Corliss	Marston	Tinkham
Crocker [2]	McKenzie	Tobey [4]
D	Means [2]	Tosier
Drisko [2]	P	W
Drisko [2]	Palmer	Waide [2]
F	Phinney	Weed
Foster	R	White
Frank	Rand	Woodbury
	Robinson [3]

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

?

• E. S., signed on October 27, 1879
• M. P. H. P.

B

• Belle M. Bateman of Machiasport, Maine, signed on January 28, 1879
• George L. Bateman of Machiasport, Maine, signed on January 25, 1879
• Fred Benson of Newfield, Maine, signed at Machiasport, Maine, on December 30, 1887
• Aunt Ella; gave the album to Hattie Sprague at Christmas in 1878.  Presumably Ella M. (Peterson) Blanchard, daughter of James Hewitt Peterson and Mary Patten (Hunter) Peterson, and wife of John H. Blanchard.
• J. H. Blanchard; presumably John H. Blanchard, whose wife Ella M. (Peterson) Blanchard signed the previous page.
• Addison Blanchard, signed at Machiasport, Maine, on April 14, 1880
• Henry Clay Blanchard of Richmond, Maine

C

• W. J. Cooper of Portland, Maine, signed on May 14, 1881
• M. W. Corliss of Milltown, Maine, signed on February 27, 1880
• Charles W. Crocker of Machiasport, Maine, signed on January 8, 1879
• Cinnie M. Crocker of Machiasport, Maine, signed on January 8, 1879. Presumably named for her mother Lucinda C. (Kenney) Crocker, wife of Jacob Crocker.

D

• Mary F. Drisko of Machiasport, Maine, signed on December 27, 1878
• Mabel E. Drisko of Machiasport, Maine, signed on July 18, 1881

F

• Carrie Foster of Milbridge, Maine at Machiasport, Maine, on January 8, 1879. "C.F."
• Eloise Frank of Machiasport, Maine, signed on April 4, 1880; presumably Eloise Frances Sprague, daughter of Frank Stephen Sprague and LIzzie (Peterson ?) Sprague.

G

• Nathan Gates of Machiasport, Maine, signed on January 9, 1880
• Jennie S. Grant of Machiasport, Maine, signed on January 1, 1879
• Abbie A. Grant of Machiasport, Maine, signed on January 25, 1880

H

• A. S. Harding of Bangor, Maine; not sure of ornate initials
• Lottie A. Harmon of Machiasport, Maine, signed on January 29, 1879
• Fletcher Howard of Lewiston, Maine, Bates College Class of 1879; signed at Machiasport, Maine, on January 4, 1879

M

• M. Lizzie Marston of Machiasport, Maine, signed on February 13, 1880
• A. K.McKenzie of Addison, Maine, signed on February 25, 1880
• Harry F. Means of South Boston, Massachusetts, signed on June 29, 1880
• Grace A. Means of Machiasport, Maine, signed on December 28, 1878

P

• H. Palmer, signed at Machiasport, Maine, on March 6, 1885. Middle initial might be S or ?
• Millard F. Phinney of Machiasport, Maine, signed on September 4, 1879

R

• Wilbur Rand of Machiasport, Maine, signed on August 17, 1880
• Addie J. Robinson, signed at Machiasport, Maine, on December 17, 1879
• Frank S. Robinson of Machiasport, Maine, signed on January 26, 1881
• Winslow H. Robinson of Machiasport, Maine, signed on January 9, 1879

S

• Arthur Sanborn of Machiasport, Maine, signed on Kanuary 5, 1880
• S. E. Sawyer of Machiasport, Maine, signed on January 9, 1880. He was Stephen E. Sawyer, whose wife Ada L. (Gates) Sawyer signed the right facing page.
• Ada G. Sawyer of Machiasport, Maine, signed on January 9, 1880. She was Ada L. (Gates) Sawyer, whose husband Stephen E. Sawyer signed the left facing page.
• Warren Sawyer of Machiasport, Maine, signed on Januaryn 10, 1879. Presumably the Warren Sawyer who was a younger brother to signer Stephen E. Sawyer.
• Myra D. Sawyer of Steuben, Maine, signed at Machiasport, Maine, on July 15, 1881
• Charles B. Sawyer of Machiasport, Maine, signed on July 2, 1880; brother of signers Stephen E. Sawyer and Warren Sawyer
• H. E. Small of Machiasport, Maine, signed on January 31, 1880
• Hattie Sprague, album owner.  Given the album at Christmas in 1878 by Aunt Ella.  Presumably Ella M. (Peterson) Blanchard, daughter of James Hewitt Peterson and Mary Patten (Hunter) Peterson, and wife of John H. Blanchard.
• Mamie E. Sprague of Machiasport, Maine, signed on January 21, 1883
• Morrill M. Stuart, signed on November 29, 1880

T

• Mary A. Thompson of Machiasport, Maine, signed on February 6, 1879
• Annie M. Thompson of Machiasport, Maine, signed on February 4, 1879
• Emery Tinkham of Monmouth, Maine, Bates College Class of 1883; Alonzo Emery Tinkham
• Lizzie E. Tobey of Machiasport, Maine, signed on October 27, 1879
• Sarah E. Tobey of Machiasport, Maine, signed on October 27, 1879; wife of Horatio N. Tobey, who was presumably the signer H. N. Tobey
• H. N. Tobey, signed at Machiasport, Maine, on October 27, 1879; presumably Horatio N. Tobey, wife of signer Sarah E. Tobey
• Sam N. Tobey of New York, signed at Machiasport, Maine, on May 31, 1880; presumably Samuel N. Tobey, son of Horatio N. Tobey and Sarah E. Tobey.
• J. M. Tosier of Woodstock, New Brunswick, signed on February 24, 1880

W

• Hattie E. Waide of Machiasport, Maine, signed on April 17, 1881
• Ida F. Waide of Machiasport, Maine, signed on April 3, 1881
• Frank A. Weed of Skowhegan, Maine, signed on November 4, 1880; Class of 1881 at Colby College
• George S. White of Brunswick, Maine; intricate bird sketch
• Horatio Woodbury of Danville, Maine