Monday, October 27, 2014

Album 1 of 2 Autograph Albums of May Ola Johnson of Ivesdale, Illinois; 1879+


1879-1890s autograph album of May Ola Johnson of Ivesdale, Illinois.  See another post that features May's 1880s autograph album.

The album was given to May by Doc Redford, presumably the O. W. Redford who inscribed the first page in the album, on December 25, 1879.



The album measures approximately 7-1/2" x 4-3/4" and contains the sentiments of over 30 of May's relatives and friends, including her future husband Andrew Stratton and son Charley Stratton  [images of those pages farther below].  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.  A few also inscribed pages in May's other album.


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

May Ola Johnson was born March 24, 1862 at Ivesdale, Illinois, the daughter of William Henry Johnson and second wife Catherine Louisa Rosenplanther, who were born in Massachusetts and Germany, respectively.  It's tempting to think that a page written in German in the album might have been inscribed by Catherine Louisa or one of her relatives.  Hopefully a reader will provide a translation.


May's father, William Henry Johnson, the son of Enoch and Lydia (Purinton) Johnson, was first married to Catherine Leagle, who died in 1849 after having at least three children.  I believe it was one of these children, Frederick, who inscribed two pages in his half-sister's album.



Another half-sibling, Adeline (Johnson) Gillman and her daughter Minnie Gillman, inscribed pages in the other album, which you can see there.

About 1891, May Ola Johnson married Andrew Stratton, son of Thomas and Margaret (Pringle) Stratton.  Andrew was born at Hamilton, Ontario, on June 30, 1855.  He inscribed several pages in the other album and a page in this album in August 1881.


Their son Charles Stratton inscribed what appears to be the latest page in the album.  He didn't write the year, unfortunately, but I assume it was sometime in the mid to late 1890s, as he was born about June 1891.  Sadly, Charley died in 1908.


Andrew and May had another child, daughter Louise M. Stratton, who lived a long life.  Andrew died in 1927 and May in 1953.

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.

Surname list

?L
? [3]Lumley [2]
AM
AlbrightMeridith
BP
BenefielPalmgreve
BoylePercy
CPostlewait
CulbertsonPratt
DR
Donovan [2]Redford
GRedmond [2]
GrahamS
HSchmitt [2]
HatfieldSlagle
HawkesStratton [2]
Heyman [2]W
JWatts
JackwellWithey
Johnson [3]

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

?
  • Stant G., signed at Cerro Gordo on March 30, 1880
  • Page written in German in 1880
  • "Constant Trouble", signed on April 22, 1883
A
  • Bertha C. Albright, signed on October 11, 1880
B
  • ? ? Benefiel, signed on December 13, 1880. First two initials might be N or A, both or mixed.
  • Isabella G. Boyle, signed at Flora, Illinois
C
  • Jennie May Culbertson, signed at Tolono, Illinois, on February 3, 1880
D
  • Hattie Donovan, signed at Ivesdale, Illinois, on July 13, 1880
  • J. W. Donovan, signed at Ivesdale, Illinois, on "7/9-1880"
G
  • J. M. Graham, signed at Ivesdale, Illinois, on January 25, 1880
H
  • Mary Hatfield of Denver City, signed at Ivesdale, Illinois, on July 5 [no year written]
  • Alice Hawkes, signed at Decatur, Illinois, in 1880
  • Edy; presumably Edy J. Heyman, who signed another page.
  • Edy J. Heyman of Chicago, Illinois. 
J
  • W. M. Jackwell of Ivesdale, Illinois
  • ?, possibly Fred, signed on January 2, 1880.  Possibly May's older half-brother Frederick Johnson, who inscribed another page.
  • Fred, E. C. N [or H.]., signed at Ivesdale, Illinois, on June 11, 1880; May's older half-brother Frederick Johnson.
  • May Ola Johnson of Ivesdale, Illinois; album owner
L
  • Ellen Lumley, signed at Sadorus, Illinois, on December 19, 1881
  • Annie Lumley, signed at Sadorus, Illinois, on November 28, 1881
M
  • Hester Meridith, signed on February 9, 1884
P
  • Mrs. J. Palmgreve or J. Palmgrove
  • M. P. Percy, signed at Hannibal, Missouri, on July 14, 1889
  • Lillie Postlewait, signed at Philo, Illinois, on July 10, 1880
  • C. H. Pratt, signed at Ivesdale, Illinois, on December 13, 1880
R
  • O. W. Redford, signed at Lafayette, Indiana, on December 25, 1879.  "Doc" Redford presented the album to May on December 25, 1879.
  • Frank Redmond, signed on December 30, 1880
  • Ida Redmond, signed on December 30, 1880
S
  • Carrie Schmitt, signed at Ivesdale, Illinois, on November 15, 1880
  • Mrs. H. F. W. Schmitt, signed on November 15, 1880
  • Robert E. Slagle of Sadorus, Illinois, signed on August 23 [no year written]
  • Charley Stratton, signed on October 22 [no year written]; May's son Charles Stratton
  • A. Stratton, signed at or from Hamilton, Canada on August 1881; May's future husband, Andrew Stratton
W
  • Mrs. F. M. Watts
  • Ervin Withey, signed at Springfield, Illinois


Thanks for stopping by!

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