1874-1875 Autograph Album of William Adams Sanborn, "Willie", of Massachusetts and Brooklyn, New York

1874-1875 autograph album that belonged to William Adams Sanborn, "Willie", a Charlestown, Massachusetts, native, who was then living at Brooklyn, New York.

Willie was the son of Daniel Alfred Sanborn [sometimes seen as Daniel Alford Sanborn] a map maker who founded the Sanborn National Insurance Diagram Bureau, which produced the "Sanborn Maps", now of great help to historians and genealogists.   Daniel, a native of Somerville, Massachusetts, had New Hampshire roots, which presumably explains the inscriptions by New Hampshire residents.

The album measures approximately 4-1/4" by 2-3/4" and contains the sentiments of 12 of Willie's relatives and friends.  An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.

Surnames in the Album

Camp ?
Cornwell - 476 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, New York
Cutter - 114 Lafayette Avenue, presumably at Brooklyn, New York
Ellis - Brooklyn, New York
Kellogg
Lea. ?
Nickels - Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Sanborn  [4] - Brooklyn, New York
Tennyson - Tennyson, Brooklyn, New York
Wilcox

From brief online research, hopefully correct - corrections and additions requested:

William Adams Sanborn, "Willie", was born September 4, 1864 at Charlestown, Massachusetts, the son of Daniel Alfred Sanborn and Annie Rogers (Foster) Sanborn.   Both parents inscribed a page in Willie's album.  Daniel noted on his inscription that he was writing on the day that Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner died.

Willie's brother Charles F. Sanborn, "Charlie", also inscribed a page.

About 1885 William Adams Sanborn, "Willie", married Nellie Aurelia Smiley.  They lived at Hartford, Connecticut, and had at least one child, daughter Eleanor.  William and Nellie died in 1930 and are buried in the Cedar Hill Cemetery at Hartford, Connecticut.  Eleanor married William Walter Wilcox, perhaps a descendant or relative of the Stephen Wilcox who inscribed a page in the album.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the inscribers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Inscribers in the Album

• S. H. Camp [not sure of surname]
• Ida G. Cornwell of 476 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, New York; inscribed on March 24 [no year written]
• Marion Cutter of 114 Lafayette Avenue, perhaps Brooklyn, New York
• Addie B. Ellis of Brooklyn, New York; inscribed at Sandwich, New Hampshire, on August 27, 1875
• Harry N. Kellogg; inscribed on March 11, 1874
• Ellis Lea; inscribed on March 7, 1874.  Lea might have been the abbreviated form of a surname, as there's a period after it.
• Mary E. Nickels of Portsmouth, New Hampshire; inscribed on March 4, 1874
• Willie A. Sanborn; album owner.  William A. Sanborn (1865-1930)
• "Your Affectionate Brother Charlie"; inscribed on March 3, 1874.  Charles F. Sanborn, Willie's older brother
• Annie R. Sanborn; inscribed at Brooklyn, New York, on March 4, 1874.  "Your loving Mother".  Annie Rogers (Foster) Sanborn, Willie's mother.
• D. A. Sanborn; inscribed on March 11, 1874.  "Your father".  "Senator Sumner died this day".  [Massachusetts Sen. Charles Sumner (1811-1874)].  D. A. Sanborn was Daniel Alfred Sanborn, Willie's father.  A Somerville, Massachusetts native, he founded the D. A. Sanborn National Insurance Diagram Bureau - the "Sanborn maps"
• Eddie Tennyson of Brooklyn, New York; inscribed on March 10, 1874.  "Your little friend"
• Stephen Wilcox