Tuesday, January 6, 2015

1883-1886 Autograph Album of Martha Weidner of Buffalo, New York


1883-1886 Autograph Album of Martha Weidner of Buffalo, New York, with many autographs from her schoolmates at Public School #31.  Some pages were inscribed to Martha's nickname "Little Marcie".

No signers indicated "New York", but I checked a few of the inscribers and found people of that name and approximate age living at Buffalo, New York.   I had trouble deciphering many of the names and may have missed the mark on some of them.  If you notice corrections that must be made, please let me know.


The album measures approximately 6-1/4" x 3-3/4" and contains the sentiments of 66 of Martha'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!]

I believe Martha was Martha Emma Weidner who was born March 22, 1872, possibly at Buffalo, New York, the daughter of German immigrants Carl George Weidner and wife Clara.  This Martha had a younger brother, Paul, and there happens to be a page inscribed by Martha's brother Paul.


About 1894, Martha married George Robert Gibson Reister; they lived at Buffalo, New York and had at least one child, a son, George Carl Gustave Reister, who appeared to be named at least partially for his maternal grandfather.  Martha died in 1964; her husband had predeceased her in 1942.  They and their son are buried at the Ridge Lawn Cemetery at Cheektowaga, New York.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or if you feel that the album owner was a different Martha Weidner, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Please also comment if you have information on any of the signers listed below.  Thanks!

Other signers who indicated a family relationship [and there may be more who didn't]:
  • Cousin Martha Wandel [not sure of surname]
  • Cousin Bertha, who signed at Buffalo
  • Cousin Clara Wendel [not sure of surname]
Mamie F. Villiaume inscribed a page at Public School #31 on March 23, 1885.


The page below, written in a foreign language, was signed by a person with the surname Linke, possibly Eliza Linke.


Daniel Pfitzinger inscribed his page to "Little Marcie".


I could use some help with the name of the person who inscribed the page below.


If you can translate the page below, or at least determine the name of the inscriber, please leave a comment.  [I've now been told the name is Katharina Broede, which makes sense, as there are other people named Broede who signed pages in the album.


Surnames in the album

? [8]FLS
AF ?LiesSchlegelmilch
AbellGLinkeSchutrum
BGiegerLoepereSimon
BachmanGrandisonMSpohr
BaitzGutekanstMillerV
BakerHOVilliaume
BingemanHarvieOttoW
BoehmeHildmeyerOwensW ?
Broede [3]Hubberd [2]PWandel or Wendel
BrownJParkerWeidner
CJenkinsPfitzinger [2]Wendel or Wandel
CavanaughKQWhite
ChandlerKarnesQuadlanderWilliams
CogginsKing [2]RWurtz
ConnerKleinRiceY
DKlotzYaiser
Dahn or DalenKohlertYeackey
Dalen or DahnYox
Duffy
Dunkan

Signers in the Album       [Note: Given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]
  • Bertha; signed at Buffalo, New York, in May 1883; Martha's cousin
  • Blanche signed on December 7, 1885
  • Lottie, signed on March 31, 1883
  • "Your brother Paul".  Martha's brother or half-brother or stepbrother or brother-in-law or ?
  • Clara; Martha's cousin
  • Eva, signed on December 8, 1885
  • Lulu, signed at Buffalo, New York, on January 22, 1884; Martha's schoolmate
  • ?
A
  • H. M. Abell, signed on February 25, 1884
B
  • W. Bachman, signed on March 12, 1885
  • Ida Baitz, signed on January 17, 1884
  • F. H. Baker, signed at Buffalo, New York, on April 20, 1883
  • Louisa Bingeman, signed on May 4, 1883
  • Katharine Broede, signed on February 5, 1884; her sentiment was written in German
  • Minnie Boehme, signed on March 31, 1883
  • Mary Broede, signed on January 22, 1886
  • Lena Broede, signed on February 5, 1884
  • Tillie Brown, signed on December 15, 1885; Martha's schoolmate
C
  • Anna M. Cavanaugh, signed at Buffalo, New York, on December 14, 1885
  • Ralph Chandler, signed on January 19, 1886
  • Annie Coggins, signed on March 30, 1886; #31 [Public School #31]; Martha's schoolmate.
  • Kittie M. Conner
D
  • A. S. Dahn, signed on February 5, 1884
  • M. A. Dalen, signed on February 4, 1883
  • Jennie G. Duffy, signed on February 27, 1884
  • Lizzie B. Dunkan, signed at Buffalo, New York, on March 14, 1885 at Public School #31
F
  • Ornate font that's hard to decipher. Signed at Buffalo, New York, on April 6, 1885, by ? Ella Franzheff ?
G
  • Minnie Gieger, signed at Buffalo, New York, on February 26, 1884; Martha's schoolmate
  • Emma Grandison, signed on March 3, 1884
  • Lillie Gutekanst, or Lillie Gutekunst, signed on January 29, 1884
H
  • Ella A. Harvie, signed on December 10, 1885
  • Elmer Hildmeyer, signed at Buffalo, New York, on January 20, 1885
  • Emma Hubberd, signed at Buffalo, New York, on April 27, 1883; Martha's classmate
  • Helen E. Hubberd, signed on April 27, 1883 at Public School #31.
J
  • Grace E. Jenkins, signed on January 18, 1885
K
  • Ella E. R. Karnes, signed on September 17, 1883
  • Martha King, signed on January 22, 1884; Martha's schoolmate
  • Martha King, signed on January 22, 1884; Martha's schoolmate
  • G. Klein, signed at Buffalo, New York, on April 15, 1883
  • Rica Klotz, signed at Buffalo, New York, on October 30, 188? [last digit is smeared]
  • Katie Kohlert, signed at Buffalo, New York, on January 24, 1884
L
  • Anna Lies, signed at Buffalo, New York, on April 1, 1883
  • ? Linke, possibly Eliza Linke, signed in 1884; written in, I think, German
  • Henry Loepere, signed at Buffalo, New York, on April 26, 1883
M
  • Tillie Miller, signed on May 3, 1883
O
  • Lizzie Otto, signed at Buffalo, New York, on January 16, 1884
  • May Owens, signed at Buffalo, New York, on March 13, 1885; Martha's schoolmate
P
  • Laura E. Parker, signed on December 14, 1885
  • Daniel Pfitzinger, to "Little Marcie"
  • Emma Pfitzinger; Martha's schoolmate
Q
  • Mary J. Quadlander, or Quallander, or Quadlauder of ?; signed on March 23, 1885
R
  • Helen May Rice, signed at Buffalo, New York, on March 20, 1885
S
  • Katie Schlegelmilch, signed on May 4, 1883; Martha's schoolmate
  • Hattie K. Schutrum, signed at Buffalo, New York, on January 16, 1884
  • Annie Simon, signed at Buffalo, New York, on April 22, 1883
  • George Spohr, signed on February 11, 1886
V
  • Mamie F. Villiaume, signed on March 23, 1885 at Public School #31
W
  • Carl W.
  • Martha Wandel, signed on December 8, 1883; Martha's cousin
  • Martha Weidner of Buffalo, New York; album owner
  • Clara Wendel, signed on December 8, 1883; Martha's cousin
  • K. E. White, signed at Buffalo, New York, on April 12, 1883
  • Kittie Williams; Martha's schoolmate
  • Katie Wurtz, signed on January 14, 1884
Y
  • Minnie Yaiser, signed on May 3, 1883
  • William Yeackey [not sure of surname]; signed at Buffalo, New York, on March 27 [no year written]
  • Mary Yox, signed on May 4, 1883; Martha's schoolmate
Buffalo, New York


Thanks for stopping by!

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