Thursday, January 1, 2015

1878-1880s Autograph Album of Flora Elizabeth Scott of Plymouth, New York


1878-1880s autograph album that belonged to Flora Elizabeth Scott of Plymouth, New York.  Pages signed by relatives provided the clues to her identity.


The album measures approximately 7" x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of 64 of Flora's relatives, friends and schoolmates.  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!]

Flora Elizabeth Scott was born October 9, 1864, the daughter of Col. Jay Monroe Scott and Clarissa Minerva (King) Scott, who were born at Plymouth, New York, and Norwich, New York respectively.   Flora's mother, Clarissa Minerva (King) Scott inscribed the first page after the title page on February 15, 1880 [though she was not the first person to inscribe a page in the album].


J. M. Scott of 113 East Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois, inscribed a page on March 10, 1880.  He was Flora's brother, Jay Monroe Scott, Jr., not her father, who had died in 1875 before she started keeping this album.


Flora's sister Julia M. Scott inscribed a page on February 9, 1878.


Flora's brother Charles W. Scott inscribed a page at Preston, New York, on April 21, 1878.



Flora's brother Henry C. Scott, then living at 13 Sholto Street in Chicago, Illinois, inscribed a page on March 13, 1880, presumably while visiting his family in New York.


 Many other members of the Scott, King and related families inscribed pages in the album; refer to the list of signers below.

On December 31, 1889, Flora Elizabeth Scott married George E. Graff of Williamsport, Pennsylvania.  Interestingly, a few of the signers in the early 1880s mentioned high school at Williamsport.  It seems that Flora spent some time there or at least visiting there, if not attending school.  George and Flora settled at Williamsport.  I don't know if they had any children.

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

? [2]DKS
ADickerson [4]KelloggSanster
AshcraftDolanKing [3]Scott [8]
Avery [2]ELSeely [2]
BEvansLeachSlater
BenjaminGLewis [2]Smith [2]
BenningtonGale [2]MT
BerryGuilfordMosesThomas
BlackmanHNThompson
BlencoeHallNeishW
BlissHeady [4]NicholsonWestlake
Bliven [2]HolmesPWhitaker
BrewerJPatterson
Brown [2]JohnsonR
CRook
CovilleRussell

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

  • Mary Jane, signed at Preston, New York, on April 27, 1878; Flora's aunt
  • A Friend, signed at Preston, New York, on April 1, 1878
  • Julia, signed at Lock Haven, on December 31, 1881
A
  • Hattie Ashcraft of Preston, New York, signed on February 13, 1878
  • Mrs. Catharine Avery of Norwich, New York, signed on March 1 [no year written]
  • Samuel E. Avery, signed at Preston, New York, on November 28, 1879
B
  • Miss Lina E. Benjamin of Preston, New York, signed in 1878
  • Mollie E. Bennington, signed at Williamsport, Pennsylvania
  • Mrs. S. W. Berry
  • Frankie Blackman of Preston, New York, signed on February 13, 1878
  • William Blencoe, signed at South Plymouth, New York
  • P. P. Bliss of New York City
  • J. Bradley Bliven, signed on May 9, 1878. John Bradley Bliven, whose wife Emma (King) Bliven inscribed the right facing page.
  • Emma A. Bliven, signed on May 9, 1878. She was Emma A. (King) Bliven, whose husband John Bradley Bliven inscribed the left facing page.
  • Byron Brewer of Norwich, New York, signed on September 25, 1878
  • Nehemiah H. Brown of Norwich, New York, signed on July 12, 1880
  • Curtis E. Brown of East Pharsalia, New York, signed on November 30, 1879
C
  • Florence Coville of Preston, New York, signed on February 13, 1878
D
  • Charles Morell Dickerson of South Plymouth, New York, signed on April 21, 1878. His wife Helen Marr (Scott) Dickerson signed the succeeding page.
  • Helen M. Dickerson of South Plymouth, New York, signed on April 21, 1878. She was Helen Marr (Scott) Dickerson, wife of Charles Morell Dickerson who signed the preceding page.
  • Alice A. Dickerson of South Plymouth, New York, signed on April 21, 1878
  • Emma Dickerson of South Plymouth, New York, signed on April 21, 1878
  • Charles Dolan of McDonough, New York, signed on April 22, 1878
E
  • Flora A. Evans of Preston, New York, signed on February 13, 1878
G
  • Baron A. Gale of Preston, New York, signed on September 27, 1878
  • Frantie E. Gale of Norwich, New York, signed on May 25, 1879. Possibly Esther deFrance Gale?
  • A. Dolan of Guilford, New York, signed on January 30, 1879
H
  • G. H. Hall of Phelps, New York, in Ontario County; Flora's schoolmate
  • Eva L. Heady, signed on March 27, 1878
  • Duane B. Heady, signed on March 22, 1878
  • Miss Estelle R. Heady of Plymouth, New York, signed on January 12, 1878
  • Elmon M. Heady or Elnora M. Heady, of Preston, New York, signed on February 2, 1878
  • Alfred H. Holmes, signed at Sherburn on January 30, 1878
J
  • Laura H. Johnson, signed at the High School at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on February 14, 1881
K
  • Frank Kellogg of Norwich, New York, signed on March 1 [no year written]
  • Mary E. King, signed on April 26, 1878; Flora's cousin
  • Martha E. King of Norwich, New York, signed on February 26, 1878
  • Henry J. King of South Plymouth, New York, signed on January 29, 1878; Flora's cousin
L
  • Mabel P. Leach of Preston, New York, signed on February 13, 1878
  • Emily F. Lewis of Preston, New York, signed on February 3, 1878; Flora's cousin
  • Charles Lewis of Preston, New York, signed on January 24, 1879
M
  • Allie Moses of Blodgett Mills, New York
N
  • James A. Neish of Preston, New York, signed on November 18, 1878
  • Amanda L. Nicholson, signed on March 1, 1878
P
  • Gertrude Patterson, signed at Williamsport, Pennsylvania High School
R
  • Lizzie Rook, signed at Williamsport, Pennsylvania High School on February 15, 1881; Flora's schoolmate
  • Miss Vernie Russell of Vesper, New York, signed on June 27, 1878
S
  • Millie Sanster, signed on February 2, 1881
  • Flora Elizabeth Scott of Plymouth, New York; album owner
  • Mother, signed on February 15, 1880. She was Flora's mother Clarissa Minerva (King) Scott
  • Charles W. Scott, signed at Preston, New York, on April 21, 1878; Flora's brother Charles W. Scott
  • Julia M. Scott, signed on February 9, 1878; Flora's sister
  • Hettie E. Scott, signed on August 17, 1878; Flora's cousin
  • Henry C. Scott of No. 13 Sholto St., Chicago, Illinois, signed on March 13, 1880; Flora's brother.
  • Lucy O. Scott; Flora's cousin
  • Jay M. Scott of 113 E. Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois, signed on March 10, 1880; Flora's brother Jay M. Scott, Jr.
  • Mary E. Seely of Preston, New York, signed on February 17, 1878
  • Emily B. Seely, signed at Preston, New York, on February 15, 1878
  • Mary L. Slater of Preston, New York, signed on February 3, 1878
  • Emery F. Smith, signed on September 27, 1878
  • Cora L. Smith of Preston, New York, signed on February 17, 1880
T
  • George A. Thomas, signed on March 10, 1880
  • Hattie M. Thompson of Fabius, New York, signed on July 10, 1878
W
  • Mary I. Westlake of Preston, New York, signed on March 1, 1878
  • Rev. T. J. Whitaker of Franklin, New York
Plymouth, New York, and Williamsport, Pennsylvania


Thanks for stopping by!

2 comments:

  1. hello,
    do you have any information on Flora's family? I own the house she and George Graff lived in in Williamsport, PA I would love to find more information!
    Please contact me at rcm6@comcast.net
    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How interesting! I've heard from several other people researching their homes' previous owners. I'm contacting you separately.

      Delete