Friday, January 2, 2015

1876-1880s Autograph Album of Helen E. Comstock of the Warsaw, New York Area


1876-1880s autograph album that belonged to Helen E. Comstock of the area of Warsaw, New York, and Canandaigua, New York.


The album measures approximately 7" x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of 59 of Helen's relatives and friends.  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 brief online research, hopefully correct:  [corrections and additions welcome!]

Helen E. Comstock was born January 24, 1862 in New York, the daughter of Harlow Loveridge Comstock and his second wife Helen E. (Buxton) Comstock, who died a few months after Helen's birth.  It appears that Helen went to live with her maternal grandparents Chauncey and Mary Buxton at Warsaw, New York.

Helen's father Harlow Loveridge Comstock inscribed a page; Thomas B. McLeod also signed the page.  Harlow died 24 September 1883 at Canandaigua, New York.


Several signers indicated a family relationship with Helen; I don't know if they were full siblings, half siblings, step siblings or in-laws.  There were probably more; refer to the list of signers below.
  • Annah L. Comstock called herself Helen's sister on the 2-page sentiment she inscribed on January 4, 1877.
  • D. C. Blair called himself Helen's brother on the page he inscribed at Canandaigua, New York, on November 5, 1878
  • L. M. Lange [not sure of surname], called himself Helen's brother on the page he inscribed at Warsaw, New York 
  • Alice F. Glass of LeRoy, New York, called herself Helen's cousin on the page she inscribed at Warsaw, New York, on July 2, 1880
  • Laura called herself Helen's cousin on the page she inscribed at Warsaw, New York, on September 4, 1878; she referred to bangs, so it's possible Helen wore her hair in bangs.
  • Lucy Munger called herself Helen's cousin on the page she inscribed on "11-8-1878"
  • Edward Buxton called himself Helen's cousin on the page he inscribed at Warsaw, New York, on January 29, 1877
On December 7, 1882, Helen E. Comstock married attorney and businessman John Snow Rockwell, son of Daniel and Mercy (Burton) Rockwell.  John was born April 20, 1854 at Pike, New York.  John and Helen had two sons: Harlow Loveridge Rockwell and Kenneth Daniel Rockwell.  John died in 1928 and Helen in 1948.  John Snow Rockwell and his brother George H. Rockwell of Pike, New York, inscribed pages in Helen's album, John on May 28, 1877 and George on August 10, 1877.



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.

Julia Ward Howe inscribed a page at Warsaw, New York, on January 2, 1880.  Perhaps it was abolitionist and social activist Julia Ward Howe on a speaking tour.


Surnames in the album

? [7]DKP
ADannKeeneyPerkins
ArnettDavisLPhillips
BDudleighLangeQ
BakerDudleyLawrenceQuick
BartlettFLeeR
BlairFisher [2]MRockwell [2]
BroughtonGMartinS
BrownGatesMcLeod [2]Seely
BurdetteGibsonMcPhersonSnyder
BuxtonGlassMontgomeryT
CHMorseTruesdell
ChaceHawleyMungerVan Slyke
ChapinHolmesNW
Comstock [4]HowardNassauWalker
CookHoweNorthup
CottonHumphrey

Signers in the album        [Note: Given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]
  • Unsigned
  • ?
  • Agnes, signed on August 19, 1877
  • Laura, signed at Warsaw, New York, on September 4, 1878; Helen's cousin. Refers to "banged hair", so perhaps Helen wore her hair in bangs.
  • Unsigned
  • Laura; shared the page with S. L. Chace
  • Mary Dean or Mary Dear or May Dean or May Dear
A
  • Aroline Arnett of Warren, Pennsylvania
B
  • Annie S. Baker, signed on January 15, 1877
  • Cora Bartlett, signed at Warsaw, New York, on November 28, 1879
  • D. C. Blair, signed at Canandaigua, New York, on November 5, 1878; "your brother". I'm not sure if he was a half-brother, a step-brother or a brother-in-law
  • S. Broughton
  • Nellie Brown, signed on March 1, 1879
  • Robert J. Burdette, signed at Warsaw, New York, on January 9, 1880 "Hawkeye", American humorist and clergyman
  • Edward Buxton, signed at Warsaw, New York, on January 29, 1877.
C
  • S. L. Chace; possibly Sarah L. Chace; shared the page with Laura
  • A. P. Chapin of Warsaw, New York
  • Helen E. Comstock, Christmas 1876; album owner
  • H. L. Comstock, "Your Affectionate Father". Harlow Loveridge Comstock died September 24, 1883, probably not many years before signing this page. Helen's mother died not long after her birth.  He shared the page with Thomas B. McLeod
  • 2-page sentiment left by Annah L. Comstock, Helen's sister, signed on January 4, 1877.
  • Kitty Comstock, signed at Canandaigua, New York, on October 2, 1877
  • F. Gaylord Cook, signed at Warsaw, New York, on July 23, 1877
  • Kate Cotton, signed on December 9, 1877
D
  • Mary E. Dann, signed at Warsaw, New York, on April 3, 1879
  • L. A. Davis
  • Martie H. Dudleigh of Warsaw, New York, signed on March 4m 1879
  • May Dudley, signed on March 14, 1879
F
  • Grace Webster Fisher, signed at Warsaw, New York, on January 9, 1877
  • Frances Fisher, signed on February 8, 1877
G
  • W. C. Gates
  • Catharine S. Gibson
  • Alice F. Glass of LeRoy, New York, signed at Warsaw, New York, on July 2, 1880; Helen's cousin
H
  • Carrie Moss Hawley
  • Annie Holmes, signed on January 8, 1877
  • S. A. Howard of Warsaw, New York, signed on January 15, 1877
  • Julia Ward Howe, signed at Warsaw, New York, on February 2, 1880. Perhaps the abolitionist and social activist Julia Ward Howe on a speaking tour.
  • Harry C. Humphrey of Warsaw, New York. Year 1875 in upper left corner - this year was before the album was started.
K
  • Fred B. Keeney, signed on January 17, 1877
L
  • L. M. Lange, signed at Warsaw, New York; called himself Helen's brother; whether half-brother, stepbrother or brother-in-law, I don't know.
  • Virginia S. Lawrence, signed in January 1877
  • Cora E. Lee of Fenton, Michigan, signed at Warsaw, New York, in October 1877
M
  • Jennie F. Martin, signed at Warsaw, New York, on November 8, 1877
  • Mattie McLeod, signed on January 4, 1877
  • Thomas B. McLeod; shared the page with Helen's father Harlow Loveridge Comstock
  • Frank C. McPherson of Caledonia, New York, signed at Warsaw, New York, on December 4, 1877
  • Lizzie Montgomery, signed on January 18,1877
  • Mina J. Morse of Wyoming, New York, signed at Warsaw, New York, in June 1880
  • Lucy Munger, signed on "11-8-1878"; Helen's cousin
N
  • Jennie Nassau, signed at Warsaw, New York, on January 9, 1877
  • Emily A. Northrup of Norwalk, Connecticut, signed on August 2, 1878
P
  • Fanny O. Perkins of Perry, New York, signed on April 3, 1879
  • L. M. Phillips
Q
  • Emma E. Quick of Auburn, New York, signed at Warsaw, New York, on April 9, 1878
R
  • G. H. Rockwell of Pike, New York, signed on August 10, 1877. Presumably George H. Rockwell, brother of Helen's future husband John Snow Rockwell.
  • J. S. Rockwell, signed on May 28, 1877; presumably John Snow Rockwell, future husband of album owner Helen E. Comstock. 
S
  • Charles D. Seely, signed at Warsaw, New York, on January 13, 1877
  • O. C. Snyder, signed at Warsaw, New York, on August 29, 1878
T
  • Mamie Truesdell, signed on November 19, 1877
V
  • Lu L. Van Slyke, Pedagogue, of Pike, New York, signed on December 29, 1879
W
  • W. A. Walker, signed at Warsaw, New York, on April 25, 1880
Warsaw, New York


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