Sunday, January 4, 2015

1904-1910 Autograph Album of Dorothea A. Scott of Brooklin, New York and Montvale, New Jersey; Nova Scotia Roots


1904-1910 autograph album that belonged to Dorothea A. Scott of Brooklyn, New York, and later, Montvale, New Jersey.  Her father, James Edward Scott, was a well-known Sea Captain and Steamship Captain from Nova Scotia.

Many of the signers pasted photographs of themselves to the pages they inscribed.  The signers lived in Nova Scotia, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut; refer to the list at the end of this post.

The album was given to Dorothea, "Dorothy", at Christmas in 1904 by her Sunday School teacher Lulu Schall.   Lulu wrote "Christmas 1905" but she later inscribed a page on December 29, 1904, and many people inscribed pages in 1905 before December, so I'm assuming that she meant "Christmas 1904".




The album measures approximately 6-1/2" x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of about 60 of Dorothea's relatives, friends and schoolmates.  I believe some of the later schoolmates were with Dorothea at a Normal School.  An alphabetical surname list and an alphabetical list of the signers, together with any personal information they offered and noting any photographs, appear at the end of this post.

Dorothea herself inscribed a page of welcome to her future well-wishers and included a photograph dated June 12, 1907.



The inside back cover has a painting of a girl with long blond hair; could it have been a self portrait?


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

Dorothea A. Scott was born June 24, 1894, in New York, at Brooklyn, I believe, the daughter of James Edward Scott and Adelaide May (Gowen) Scott, who were natives of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

There's a page that follows the format of a regular sentiment but I believe it was made to look as though it was inscribed by Dorothea's father, who had perhaps died by the time Dorothea thought of including him in her album.  His name and address were cut from other documents or letters and pasted on the page, along with a photograph.  A Find-A-Grave entry for James and Adelaide includes an obituary for James and describes his family, career and final illnesses.  Note that the Scott's address in Brooklyn, New York was 726 President St.





Dorothea's mother, Adelaide May (Gowen) Scott inscribed a page at Arcadia, Nova Scotia, on June 24, 1906.


Dorothea had at least four siblings, one of whom, her oldest brother Ellery Balfour Scott, inscribed a touching page on January 28, 1905.


Other relatives who inscribed pages include:  [and there are likely more who didn't specify a relationship; refer to the list at the end of this post.]
  • Aunt Lydia of Paradise, Nova Scotia, who inscribed a page on March 5, 1905
  • Aunt Jennie M. Gowen
  • Aunt Ella M. Gowen, who inscribed a page on June 22, 1906.  A later note indicates that Ella died June 26, 190? [last digit obscured, but I think the year was 1906]
After Normal School, Dorothea became a teacher and eventually a principal.  I found her living with her mother in the 1930 Census of Montvale, New Jersey.  The 1940 Census of Montvale shows Dorothea living alone and working as an elementary school principal; her mother had died the previous year.  Dorothea died in 1984.

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]EKS
AEdsallKayhartSchall
Aspinall [3]EverettKendallScott [6]
AtkinsonFKetcham [2]Sibbald
BFloydLSmith
BakerFountainLumsden [3]Stalter [2]
BarwickGMStark
BowersGoldthwaite [2]MarshallSterner
CGowen [2]MittagT
Cogswell [2]GracePTrefry
CookHParry [2]U
CowlesHeale [2]Pender [2]Utley
DJRW
DeGroff [2]JohnsonRobbinsWeeks [3]
DensmoreWinans
Donaldson

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

  • Martha, signed on June 25, 1914; "Last day at Normal Hall"
  • Lydia, signed at Paradise on March 5, 1905; Dorothea's aunt. Presumably Paradise, Nova Scotia.
  • Mildred, signed on August 23, 1907
A
  • Albert Aspinall, signed on December 17, 1910; he pasted a photograph of himself on a bicycle.
  • Albert Aspinall; photograph.  Shared the page with D. A. Scott; ? Scott; Linda DeGroff; C. A. Edsall; L. E. Sterner; and Ethel Stalter
  • Lizzie Aspinall of Brooklyn, New York, signed on September 1, 1909; she affixed a photograph.
  • Ethel L. Atkinson of Cliftondale, Massachusetts, signed on August 7, 1905
B
  • Margaret Baker
  • Anniss M. Barwick of Park Ridge, New Jersey
  • William A. Bowers of Somerville, Massachusetts, signed on August 6, 1905
C
  • Ruth K. Cogswell of Jersey City, signed on November 11, 1910; she affixed a candid snapshot of herself.
  • Claire J. Cogswell of 211 Myrtle Ave, Jersey City, New Jersey, signed on December 12, 1910 [or 1918]; she affixed a candid photograph.
  • Emma J. Kelley Cook, signed at Chebogue, Nova Scotia, on January 2, 1907. Emma Jane (Kelley) Cook, daughter of James Adolphus Kelley and Alva Scott (Baker) Kelley and wife of Capt. William A. Cook.
  • David D. Cowles, signed on December 17, 1910. He affixed a photograph of himself.
D
  • Linda DeGroff, signed at Montvale, New Jersey, on August 6, 1907. She affixed a candid photograph of 4 young women on her page, presumably two of whom were herself and Dorothea.
  • Linda DeGroff; shared the page with D. A. Scott; ? Scott; Albert Aspinall; C. A. Edsall; L. E. Sterner; and Ethel Stalter
  • Florence Densmore of Port Clyde, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, signed on February 1, 1906; Dorothea's teacher
  • Agnes Donaldson, signed at Park Ridge, New Jersey, on March 11, 1909
E
  • C. A. Edsall; shared the page with D. A. Scott; ? Scott; Albert Aspinall; Linda DeGroff; L. E. Sterner; and Ethel Stalter
  • Ethel G. Everett, signed on March 12, 1909
F
  • Mrs. S. W. Floyd of West Somerville, Massachusetts.
  • Mabel Fountain, signed on June 25, 1914
G
  • F. C. Goldthwaite of West Quincy, Massachusetts
  • Mrs. Delia M. Goldthwaite of West Quincy, Massachusetts
  • Jennie M. Gowen, Dorothea's aunt
  • Ella M. Gowen, signed on June 22, 1906; Dorothea's aunt. Later note: "Died June 26, 190x [strikeover, but I think the year is 1906
  • William R. Grace of 656 Carroll Street, Brooklyn, New York, signed at Arcadia on July 28, 1905; he affixed a photograph.
H
  • J. Pearl Heale of Park Ridge, New Jersey, signed on March 11. 1909
  • Bessie Heale, signed on March 12, 1909; Dorothea's classmate
J
  • Esther L. Johnson, signed on September 25, 1905; middle initial might be S.
K
  • Miss M. D. Kayhart of Park Ridge, New Jersey; possibly Minnie D. Kayhart
  • Miss H. W. Kendall of Boston, Massachusetts, signed on September 20, 1905
  • Lottie M. Ketcham, signed at South Norwalk, on July 28, 1908; presumably South Norwalk, Connecticut. She was Charlotte May (Warren) Ketcham, wife of Silas Ketcham, who inscribed the right facing page
  • S. Ketcham, signed at South Norwalk, on July 2, 1908; presumably Silas Ketcham of South Norwalk, Connecticut, whose wife Lottie, Charlotte May (Warren) Ketcham, signed the left facing page.
L
  • Ronald Frazer Lumsden, signed on June 18, 1905
  • James Freeman Lumsden, signed on June 18, 1905
  • Gertrude Lumsden, signed on June 18, 1905
M
  • Eliza A. Marshall, signed on March 18, 1905
  • Marita C. Mittag, signed at Park Ridge, New Jersey, on March 12, 1909; she affixed her photograph.
P
  • Written upside down: Mrs. E. Parry of Montvale, New Jersey, signed on July 21, 1907. Middle initial possibly W or M or H or ?
  • Arthur Parry of Montvale, New Jersey, signed on July 23, 1907; middle name might be Neal or Cal or ?
  • Frances Pender, signed on March 12, 1909; Dorothea's classmate; she affixed a photograph.
  • Florence Anna Pender, signed on December 16, 1910; she affixed a photograph.
R
  • Ethel M. Robbins of Arcadia, Nova Scotia, signed on March 30, 1905
S
  • Lulu Schall, signed on December 29, 1904. It was she who gave the album to Dorothea at Christmas in 1904; she wrote 1905 but must have meant 1904.
  • Dorothea A. Scott of New York and Arcadia, Nova Scotia - album owner.  She inscribed a welcome page and attached a photograph of herself dated June 12, 1907.  There's a hand drawn and colored photograph of a girl with long blond hair on the inside back cover: Dorothea?
  • Adelaide M. Scott of Arcadia, Nova Scotia, signed on June 24, 1906. She was Adelaide May (Gowen) Scott, Dorothea's mother.
  • D. A. Scott, presumably album owner Dorothea A. Scott; photograph; shared the page with ? Scott; Albert Aspinall; Linda DeGroff; C. A. Edsall; L. E. Sterner; Ethel Stalter
  • ? Scott; given name is partially obscured, ends in "ry", possibly Dorothea's brother Ellery; shared the page with D. A. Scott; Albert Aspinall; Linda DeGroff; C. A. Edsall; L. E. Sterner; Ethel Stalter
  • James E. Scott, 726 President Street, Brooklyn, New York, 3 March 1904. The page consists of a photograph and two pasted scraps of paper, which appears to be a recreation of a page that James Edward Scott, Dorothea's father, might have signed had he been able to; he was still alive then but perhaps not well.
  • Ellery B. Scott, signed on January 28, 1905. Dorothea's brother Ellery Balfour Scott.
  • Ruth I. Sibbald of Park Ridge, New Jersey, signed on March 11, 1909; she affixed a photograph.
  • Mrs. C. W. Smith of 375 5th Ave, Brooklyn, New York, signed at South Norwalk on July 28, 1908
  • Ethel Stalter of Montvale, New Jersey, signed on August 2, 1908; she affixed a small photograph of herself.
  • Ethel Stalter; shared the page with D. A. Scott; ? Scott; Albert Aspinall; Linda DeGroff; C. A. Edsall; and L. E. Sterner.
  • Cora Stark, signed on March 11, 1909
  • L. E. Sterner; shared the page with D. A. Scott; ? Scott; Albert Aspinall; Linda DeGroff; C. A. Edsall; L. E. Sterner; and Ethel Stalter
T
  • Alfred W. Trefry, signed on January 26, 1905
U
  • Clara P. Utley, signed on March 18, 1905
W
  • Adelaide B. Weeks, signed on May 6, 1907
  • William B. Weeks of Brooklyn, New York, signed on June 24, 1905
  • Mrs. William B. Weeks, signed at Brooklyn, New York, on July 12, 1905
  • George W. Winans of Brooklyn, New York, signed on July 18, 1909


Arcadia, Nova Scotia; Brooklyn, New York; Montvale, New Jersey



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