1880s-1890s Autograph Album of Laura Marilla Finnie of Collins, Iowa

1880s-1890s Autograph Album of Laura Marilla Finnie of Collins, Iowa.

Surnames in the Album [note: an alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post]

?	? [4]	F	Finnie [2]	P	Parker [2]
B	Belcher	H	Holmes		Phillips [2]
	Bennett	M	Maxwell	T	Torkelson
E	Denniston [2]		McConnell ?	W	Woods
	Eatherton		Morrison
	Evans	O	Ozmun [3]

There may be some pages missing at the beginning of the album, including any ownership page, presentation page or title page, if they had ever been present.

Many of the pages are inscribed "to Laura", but the page that identified her was that inscribed by her mother Martha Ellen (John) Finnie at Collins, Iowa, on January 30, 1893.

The album measures approximately 5-1/2" by 3-1/2" and contains the sentiments of 24 of Laura's relatives, friends and schoolmates, from Iowa and Nebraska.  An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.

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

According to her Find-a-Grave memorial, Laura Marilla Finnie was born June 20, 1872 in Story County, Iowa, the daughter of George Sylvanus Finnie and Martha Ellen (John) Finnie.  On December 1, 1895 at Maxwell, Iowa, Laura married George Harrison Holmes.   Again from Find-a-Grave, George was born August 16, 871, also in Story County, Iowa, the son of Henry Dobson Holmes and Mary Ellen (Cockin) Holmes.

The John E. Holmes who inscribed a page at Collins, Iowa, on January 23, 1893, was presumably George Harrison Holmes' brother John Edward Holmes.

Laura and George had at least one child, daughter Mary Ellen Holmes, who was born February 11, 1899 at Collins, Iowa, according to Iowa, County Births, 1880-1935.   George died in 1950 and Laura in 1955.

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.

I invite readers to decode the name of this inscriber, who left a sentiment on March 7, 1891.

Inscribers in the Album

• L. Maud A.; inscribed at Collins, Iowa, on July 4, 1776 [perhaps 1886?]
• Amy E.; inscribed on November 26, 1891  "Remember the 4 of July 1891 G. Tand C.B. [or O.B.]"
• Lucy D.; inscribed at Collins, Iowa, on Jan 29, 23.  Not sure if she meant 1923, as this would be long after the rest of the inscriptions.
• Name very hard to decipher as the inscriber dressed it up with human faces.  Possibly John Bull; inscribed on March 7, 1891
• Minnie Belcher; inscribed at Collins, Iowa, on January 12, 1893.  She pasted a newspaper clipping with a cute anecdote featuring a Laura.
• Charles Bennett; inscribed at Maxwell, Iowa, on February 27, 1890
• Flora Denniston; inscribed at Collins, Iowa, on January 31, 1892
• Linnie Denniston; inscribed on January 29, 1893 at Collins, Iowa
• Myrtle Eatherton; inscribed at Collins, Iowa, on November 26, 1891.  "Remember to-day Thanksgiving"
• Mrs. Jennie Evans; inscribed at Rhodes, Iowa, on May 5, 1889.  She pasted a scrap of fabric to the page.
• Laura Marilla Finnie of Collins, Iowa; album owner
• Martha E. Finnie, inscribed at Collins, Iowa, on January 30, 1893.  She was Martha Ellen. (John) Finnie, wife of George Sylvanus Finnie
• John E. Holmes; inscribed at Collins, Iowa, on January 23, 1893.  Perhaps the brother of Laura's future husband George Harrison Holmes
• Mrs. J. W. Maxwell; inscribed at Maxwell, Iowa, on December 25, 1887
• Becca McConnell [not sure of surname] of Maxwell, Iowa; inscribed on April 14, 1889
• Lydia Morrison; inscribed at Collins, Iowa, on August 30, no year written
• Will Ozmun; inscribed at Collins, Iowa, on June 6, 1889
• Alice C. Ozmun; inscribed at Collins, Iowa, on April 24, no year written.  "Laura, Remember Easter Sunday, April 21, 1889
• Myra L. Ozmun; ;inscribed at Collins, Iowa, on May 1, 1889.  "Maxwell, Collins or Peoria, J."
• Lena Parker; inscribed at Collins, Iowa, on September 22, 1892
• Minnie Parker; inscribed on June 12, no year written, at Collins, Iowa.
• Aunt Mollie; inscribed at Indianola, Nebraska.  Perhaps Mary A. (Peterman) Phillips, wife of inscriber William S. Phillips
• W. S. Phillips of Indianola, Nebraska; inscribed at Maxwell, Iowa, on September 9, 1889.  Perhaps William S. Phillips, husband of inscriber "Aunt Mollie", Mary A. (Peterman) Phillips
• Millie A. Torkelson; inscribed at August 9, 1893 at Collins, Iowa
• Orvel M. Woods; inscribed at Maxwell, Iowa, on January 10, 1890