Saturday, October 25, 2014

1880s Autograph Album of Laura B. Tanner, student at LaGrange College at LaGrange, Missouri


1880s autograph album that belonged to Laura B. (Tanner) Anderson from her time at LaGrange College at LaGrange, Missouri, before her marriage to Joseph Mason Anderson.

Most of the signers appear to have been Laura's fellow students at LaGrange College, which was founded as a Baptist school in 1858 and which exists today as Hannibal-LaGrange University, located at Hannibal, Missouri.


The album measures approximately 7-1/4" x 4-1/2" and contains the sentiments of nearly 80 people, a few of whom inscribed an individual page and also wrote their names on a group page.  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.


Surnames in the Album

?  [3]
Anderson  [2]
Bland
Boulware
Brent
Brock
Cook  [3]
Crouch  [2]
Davis
DeCoster
Durrett  [3]
Farmer
Faucett
Ford  [2]
Fretwell
Griffith
Hagood  [4]
Halley
Hirons
House
Hull
Jacobs
Jeffries  [2]
Johnson
Leyhe
Lovelady
McNutt
McPheeters
Meadows
Merchant
Mitchell
Morey  [3]
Morrow
Morton
Motley
Mugg  [2]
Owen
Owens
Palmer
Penix
Penley
Pierce
Porter  [4]
Probasco
Pulliam  [2]
Reid  [3]
Risk
Sanderson  [2]
Schofield
Shaw
Sherwood
Shouse
Stephens
Stone  [2]
Tanner
Thomas
Thompson
Thurmond
Unsell
Washburn
Wilson
Woodard

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

Laura B. Tanner was born about October 1868 in Missouri, the daughter of George Robert Tanner and Nancy Jane (Lasswell) Tanner, who were born in Virginia and Missouri, respectively.   Laura attended LaGrange College at least during the year 1886.

One signer, Lula K. Cook, indicated that she was Laura's teacher, on a page she inscribed at LaGrange, Missouri, on May 10, 1886.


Laura B. Tanner married Joseph Mason Anderson about December 1891.

An inscriber, whose name appears to be J. H. Anderson, signed a page on April 11, 1887.  I wonder if he or she was a relative of Joseph.


At some point, whether all together or separately, Laura and Joseph and Laura's parents moved to Canon City, Colorado.  Joseph was a grocery merchant.

If you have corrections and/or information to share on any of the people mentioned, please leave a comment for the benefit of other researchers.



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

?
  • "Guess"
  • Written upside down; possibly Webber
  • Dona or Doria, signed at Camden Point, Missouri
A
  • Mrs. Laura Anderson,written on first end paper; album owner Laura B. (Tanner) Anderson
  • J. H. Anderson, signed on April 11, 1887; not sure of first initial
B
  • L. P. Bland of Canton,Missouri, signed on March 8, 1886
  • J. R. Boulware of Gregory,Missouri, signed at LaGrange College on April 15, 1886; "Riverside view"
  • Jennie F. Brent, signed on "3.10/86"
  • Emma Brock, signed on April 28, 1886; "Remember the pleasant [?] we have spent together at the 'Cook House'".
C
  • W. M. Cook of Edgerton, Missouri, signed on March 25, 1886. Schoolmate
  • Lula K. Cook of LaGrange, Missouri, signed on May 10, 1886; Laura's teacher
  • W. F. Cook, signed on May 2, 1886
  • Sallie Crouch of LaGrange, Missouri; shared the page with Mattie Reid; Rilla Washburn; and Cora Pierce
  • J. M. Crouch, signed at LaGrange College in 1886 [not sure of initials]
D
  • G. R. Davis of Ellington, Illinois, signed at LaGrange College on March 22, 1886
  • Leona DeCoster, signed at LaGrange, Missouri, on April 28, 1886
  • Bessie Durrett of Benjamin, Missouri, signed at LaGrange, Missouri, on March 10, 1886
  • Mattie Durrett of Benjamin, Missouri, signed at Cashman House on "9/3/1886"
  • J. L. Durrett of Canton, Missouri, signed on LaGrange College, on "3/9/86"
F
  • Katie Farmer of Louisville, Kentucky, signed on April 28, 1886; schoolmate
  • J. T. Faucett of Hallock, Missouri, March 24, 1886; schoolmate
  • Elijah Ford of Williamstown, Missouri, signed on February 25, 1886; shared the page with A. P. Stone; J. M. Ford; and Ellery House [?]
  • J. M. Ford of Williamstown, Missouri, signed on February 25, 1886.  Shared the page with Elijah Ford; A. P. Stone; and Ellery House [?]
  • Sallie Fretwell of Prairieville, Missouri, signed on May 11, 1886
G
  • Cora Griffith, signed on March 23, 1886; schoolmate
H
  • J. Hagood, signed at West Lawn, on February 27, 1886
  • Julia Hagood, signed at LaGrange, Missouri, on March 2, 1886
  • N. F. Hagood of LaGrange, Missouri, signed on March 2, 1886. Presumably Newton F. Hagood
  • Matilda Hagood, signed at LaGrange, Missouri, on March 2, 1886
  • P. W. Halley, Jr., of Eolia, Missouri, signed at LaGrange College on February 25, 1886. Perhaps Presley W. Halley, Jr.
  • Drusilla Hirons, signed at Wyaconda Farm on March 3, 1886
  • Ellery House [not sure of surname]; shared the page with Elijah Ford; A. P. Stone; and J. M. Ford
  • E. R. Hull of Weston, Missouri, signed at LaGrange College, on April 22, 1886; schoolmate. Presumably Egbert R. Hull; became druggist and doctor
J
  • E. L. Jacobs of Sorghotown, Kentucky, signed at LaGrange College on March 24, 1886; schoolmate
  • Mary E. Jeffries of LaGrange, Missouri, signed on March 25, 1886
  • Belle C. Jeffries of LaGrange, Missouri, signed on March 26, 1886
  • Jancey Johnson, or Janey Johnson, signed on March 3, 1886
L
  • Henry W. Leyhe of Alton, Illinois, signed at LaGrange College on April 22, 1886. Henry William Leyhe.
  • Lu Lovelady of Weston, Missouri, signed at LaGrange, Missouri, on April 22, 1886; schoolmate
M
  • Irvin P. McNutt, signed at LaGrange College, Missouri, on March 16, 1886; "Park View"
  • Julia L. McPheeters, signed on April 14, 1886 at LaGrange, Missouri.
  • Mattie Meadows of Clarence, Missouri, signed at LaGrange, Missouri, on February 18, 1886
  • Lizzie Merchant
  • Egbert W. Mitchell of LaGrange, Missouri, signed on April 2, 1886; "Remember Jeffries"
  • Annie Morey
  • Emma V. Morey of LaGrange, Missouri; schoolmate
  • Minnie Morey; schoolmate
  • Maggie Morrow of Canton, Missouri, signed at LaGrange College on March 21, 1886; schoolmate
  • H. H. Morton of Calumet, Missouri, signed on April 22, 1886; "Cedar Mansion"
  • G. W. Motley of New Hartford, Missouri, signed on March 22, 1886
  • Carrie E. Mugg of Center, Indiana, signed at LaGrange College on March 28, 1886
  • Rebecca Mugg of Center, Indiana, signed at LaGrange College on March 28, 1886
O
  • W. H. Owen of LaGrange, Missouri
  • J. J. Owens of Weston, Missouri, signed at L.G.C. [LaGrange College] on April 22, 1886; schoolmate. Mentions "Cedar Mansion"
P
  • Jennie Palmer of LaGrange, Missouri, signed on March 28, 1886
  • Annie Penix of Buzzard Roost, Missouri, signed at Sunny Side, LaGrange College, on March 24, 1886
  • A. C. Penley of Canon City, Colorado, signed on June 11, 1889. Possibly Albert Eames Penley, born about 1862 in Oxford County, Maine, son of Charles Freeland Penley and Abigail S. (Locke) Penley of Bethel, Maine; was a PO clerk in the 1900 Census of Canon City, Colorado.
  • Cora Pierce of LaBelle, Missouri, signed on March 21, 1886; shared the page with Sallie Crouch; Mattie Reid; and Rilla Washburn
  • A. P. Porter, signed at LaGrange, Missouri, in March 1886
  • Sallie Porter of Newark, Missouri, signed on March 26, 1886
  • R. R. Porter of New Ark, Missouri, signed at LaGrange College on April 18, 1886
  • E. W. Porter of New Ark, Missouri, signed at LaGrange College on April 18, 1886
  • Mary Probasco of Philadelphia, Missouri, signed at LaGrange College on March 18, 1886
  • J. T. Pulliam of Maywood, Missouri, signed at L.G.C. on March 22, 1886 [LaGrange College]
  • Lonnie Pulliam of Maywood, Missouri, signed at LaGrange College on March 22, 1886; schoolmate
R
  • Georgie Reid of LaGrange, Missouri, signed on March 30, 1886
  • Amy L. Reid of LaGrange, Missouri
  • Mattie Reid of LaGrange, Missouri, signed on March 30, 1886; shared the page with Sallie Crouch; Rilla Washburn; and Cora Pierce
  • Dora Risk; schoolmate
S
  • Blanche Sanderson of LaGrange, Missouri, signed on "3-7-'86"; schoolmate
  • Cornelia Sanderson, signed at LaGrange, Missouri, on March 6, 1886
  • Hettie Schofield of Durham, signed at LaGrange, Missouri, on March 22, 1886; schoolmate
  • Byrnina Shaw of Prairieville, Missouri, signed at Sunny Side, perhaps at LaGrange College, on February 17, 1886
  • Kizzie Sherwood of LaGrange, Missouri, signed on March 26, 1886; schoolmate
  • Ida Shouse, signed at LaGrange, presumably LaGrange College, on February 18, 1886. "Sunny Side", possibly a dormitory or other building at the college.
  • Ida Stephens of Apex, Missouri, signed at LaGrange College on March 26, 1886; schoolmate
  • A. P. Stone of Edgerton, Missouri, signed on February 25, 1886 [not sure of first initial]; shared the page with Elijah Ford; J. M. Ford; and Ellery House [?]
  • A. P. Stone, signed at LaGrange, Missouri, on February 24, 1886; schoolmate
T
  • Mrs. Laura Anderson,written on first end paper; album owner Laura B. (Tanner) Anderson
  • C. N. Thomas of LaGrange, Missouri, signed on April 8, 1886
  • Jane Thompson of Canton, Missouri, signed at LaGrange College on April 28, 1886; schoolmate
  • S. E. Thurmond of Williamstown, signed on "3-10-1886"
U
  • H. T. Unsell of Frankford, Missouri, signed at LaGrange College on March 24, 1886. Presumably Homer T. Unsell
W
  • Rilla Washburn of LaBelle, Missouri; shared the page with Sallie Crouch; Mattie Reid; and Cora Pierce
  • Loni Wilson, signed at Camden Point, Missouri, on January 22, 1892 [not sure of year]
  • W. C. Woodard of Chicago, Illinois, signed on May 3, 1886



3 comments:

  1. I was interested to see that Julia L. McPheeters signed the album on 14 Apr. 1886! The last record I had of her was from 1880. She was a daughter of James Edward and Sarah A. (Winston) McPheeters, and was born about 1867 in Lewis County, Missouri. I wish I knew what happened to her after 1886...

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    1. That's what I love about autograph albums - an informal record where there might be no other. Googling, I found a possibility for you to check out. See if she might be the (1857-1932) in 1888 and raised her family in Nebraska. Their children: Stanleigh L., born 1889; Cecile M., born 1897; Gladys A., born 1903; and Arthur E. John, born 1910. See if you can find obits of children that might give Julia L. John's maiden name. My subscription has ended so I can't read it, but I see that Newspapers.com lists the obituary for Julia's brother Arthur W. McPheeters in the Nov 18, 1936 issue of Courier-Journal of Louisville KY (he died the day before). You might be able to access this at your local library or nearest Family History Center. With any luck, it might mention Julia. Went to a genealogy soc meeting last night and heard a researcher say that there are 21 different spellings of McPheeters in New Brunswick, Canada, alone!

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    2. Oops, my cut and paste did not work out very well. Julia L. (1868-1941) married Joseph Auten John (1857-1932)

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