Tuesday, November 21, 2017

1849-1855+ Autograph Album of S. Maria Spencer of Homer, New York; student at Cortland Academy at Homer


Autograph album that belonged to S. Maria Spencer of Homer, New York, with inscriptions from 1849 through the 1850s, with one possible inscription in the 1880s.

Most of the inscribers appear to have been students at Cortland Academy at Homer, New York, so it's likely that Maria was a student there as well.  Most inscribers gave residences of:
  • Baldwinsville, New York
  • Camillus, New York
  • Canton, New York
  • Cortlandville, Cortland, New York
  • Homer, New York
  • Van Buren Center, New York

Maria's name appears on the first end paper.


The album, which was published by J. C. Riker of New York, measures approximately 7-3/4" by 6".  It contains:
  • several engravings
  • the photograph of a house at Camillus, New York, with several unidentified people on the porch;
  • the sentiments of over 40 of Maria's relatives, friends and schoolmates

The photograph, mentioned above:




Below, an alphabetical surname list:

? [8]FFaxon [2]PPerry
AAngierFurbushPrice
BBennett [2]HHull [2]RRider
Brockway ?KKinney [3]Robinson
BurdickLLewisSSoule
CChurchillLord [2]Sowles
CronkiteMMarvin [2]Spencer [3]
DDeVoe [2]Morrison [2]Story
Dudley [2]NortonTTaggart
Toll ?



I found a Maria Spencer listed in the 1850 Census of Homer, New York; living in the household of Lydia Spencer with, presumably, some of Maria's siblings.  Maria was shown as having been born in New York about 1834.  

One inscriber, Harriet M. Spencer, called herself Maria's sister.  The 1850 Census of Homer shows a Harriet M. Spencer working as a servant in the household of the Keep family.


If you have information to share on the identity and family history of S. Maria Spencer, or information on any of the inscribers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Inscribers in the Album
  • Name is rubbed out; inscribed at Camillus, New York, on August 14, 1853.  Maybe there's a story there...
  • John S. Van de Bway [not sure of name]; inscribed at Canton, New York, on February 26, 1855.  Could Bwy be abbreviated for Brockway?
  • Tonia or Sonia
  • Inscription started at Canton, New York, on April 4th [no year written], but never finished
  • Narcissa of Camillus, New York; inscribed in 1851
  • Asenath
  • Modeste; inscribed on September 1, 1852
  • Unsigned
  • Charles T. Angier.  He may have been the Charles T. Angier who died in September 1849.
  • Isabell Bennett
  • H. L. Bennett
  • Mrs. Mary Melissa Brockway of Homer, New York; not sure of surname
  • Amos R. Burdick; inscribed at Scott, New York, on September 3, 1852
  • ? E. Churchill; possibly T. E. Churchill or S. E. Churchill or ?
  • M. Cronkite
  • Hannah S. DeVoe of Homer, New York.  There were two students named Hannah S. DeVoe over the years at Cortland Academy at Homer, New York, in the 1830s and 1840s
  • Modeste; inscribed on September 1, 1852.  Possibly Modeste DeVoe, a student at Cortland Academy at Homer, New York
  • G. Dudley; inscribed at Canton, New York, on March 26, 1854
  • Ira Dudley
  • B. Faxon
  • Sarah Faxon of Baldwinsville, New York
  • Mrs. M. Furbush of Van Buren Center, New York; inscribed on May 26, 1855.  Middle initial might be T or G or ?  She sketched a scroll as the background for her sentiment.
  • Sarah L. Hull; inscribed on May 15, 1849
  • M. A. Hull
  • Viola A. Kinney; inscribed a two-page sentiment on March 20, 1851 [not sure of year].  Student at Cortland Academy at Homer, New York
  • George W. Kinney
  • V. A. Kinney of Homer, New York; inscribed on March 20, 1851.  Presumably the Viola A. Kinney who inscribed another page.
  • Alonzo H. Lewis of Homer, New York; student at Cortland Academy at Homer, New York
  • Elias Lord; student at Cortland Academy at Homer, New York.  Possibly the same person as inscriber Eli H. Lord
  • Eli H. Lord; two page sentiment inscribed at Cortlandville, Cortland, New York, on September 10, 1852.  Student at Cortland Academy at Homer, New York; possibly the same inscriber as Elias Lord.
  • C. L. Marvin; inscribed at Camillus, New York, on August 15, 1853.  Not sure of middle initial.  Possibly Clark L. Marvin of Camillus, New York
  • Louisa C. Marvin; inscribed at Van Buren Center, New York, on August 12, 1853
  • William Morrison
  • Mary L. Morrison; inscribed on Christmas Eve, no year written
  • Isaac N. Norton; student at Cortland Academy at Homer, New York
  • Rhoda V. Perry; inscribed on May 14, 1849; student at Cortland Academy at Homer, New York
  • M. C. Price; perhaps Melvin C. Price, a student at Cortland Academy at Homer, New York
  • Anna Rider of Camillus, New York
  • Mary Robinson; inscribed at Baldwinsville, New York, on February 10, no year written.  Shared the page with Mrs. E. B. Soule.
  • Mrs. E. B. Soule; inscribed at Camillus, New York.  Shared the page with Mary Robinson.
  • Samuel W. Sowles; inscribed at Camillus, New York, on June 16, 1853
  • Miss S. Maria Spencer; album owner; her name appears on first end paper; student at Cortland Academy at Homer, New York
  • M. A. Spencer of Homer, New York.  Not sure about the M, as it looks as though there's a diagonal line through it.
  • Harriet M. Spencer; inscribed on March 16, 1881 [not sure of the year as the other inscriptions were from the 1840s and 1850s].  S. Maria Spencer's sister
  • Sarah Story of Homer, New York
  • C. C. Taggart
  • Jennie Toll or Jennie Tolls [not sure of surname]; inscribed at Baldwinsville, New York, on June 21, no year written
  • Mary Francis Wilcox of Baldwinsville, New York

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