1880s Autograph Album of Mattie A. Bailey, presumably of Logan County, Kentucky

1880s autograph album that belonged to Mattie A. Bailey, presumably of Logan County, Kentucky, and presumably a student at Pleasant Grove Academy and Logan Female College, which some of the inscribers cited.

The album was given to Mattie by Lula L. Hausford.

The album measures approximately 5-1/2" by 3-1/4" and contains the sentiments of over 40 of Mattie's relatives, friends, schoolmates and teacher, two of whom inscribed more than one page.  An alphabetical surname list and an alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appear at the end of this post.

Sadly, many people left only a given name or a nickname.

I'm not sure which of the several instances of a Mattie A. Bailey the album owner is.  Hopefully a reader will weigh in with a theory, based on the following clues:

• Aunt Carrie
• H. Bailey; "Your Acorn Hull cousin"
• J. G. Bailey
• S. Carrie Bailey

Some of the pages features intricate designs.  

 S. Carrie Bailey

 Mattie Townsend

 Aunt Carrie

Lizzie Bell - I think, but I welcome your interpretation

J. R. Frank Miles left several pages of inscriptions, two of them written backwards.

If you have a theory as to the identity of Mattie A. Bailey or information on any of the inscribers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Surnames in the Album

	? [27}	H	Hausford	P	Pratt
B	Bailey [4]		Hixon ?	T	Thomas ?
	Beauchamp		Howard ?		Townsend
	Bell	M	Miles	W	Williamson
E	Evans		Mimms

Inscribers in the Album

• Dal
• Lizzie W.; inscribed at Pleasant Grove, Kentucky, on January 25, 1883
• M. L. W. or M. T. W. or M. ? W.
• T. F. B.
• E. G.; inscribed on January 8, 1883
• Wallis M.
• Lizzie ?, possibly Lizzie P. or Lizzie R. or Lizzie ?.  Mattie's schoolmate
• Annie
• Signed with XXX on May 10, 1884
• A. O. R.; inscribed on February 27, 1888
• Too faint to decipher
• Unsigned; inscribed at Pleasant Grove Academy in Logan County, Kentucky
• Nell
• Mollie R.; inscribed on January 17, 1885.  Mattie's schoolmate
• Facing pages inscription by E. S. [not sure of surname initial].  "Remember Sunday night, April 26, 1885".  Mentions Mattie's beau Ed G.
• Ada; inscribed on April 25, 1885.  Mattie's schoolmate
• Aunt Carrie; she worked her name into an intricate bird design
• G. C. B.
• Hummer, inscribed on February 15, 1883.  Mattie's schoolmate
• W. A. E.
• Q. Q.
• ? L.; inscribed on April 2, 1883
• Unsigned
• Vill; inscribed on April 30, 1885
• "A. Sucker"; inscribed on "3-9-83"
• G.
• Unsigned
• H. Bailey; "Your Acorn Hull cousin"
• J. G. Bailey - not sure of middle initial - of Olmstead, Kentucky, in Logan County.   Possibly John B. Bailey, son of George W. Bailey and Sarah Williams (Bell) Bailey
• Mattie A. Bailey of Pleasant Grove, Kentucky; presented by album by Lula L. Hausford
• S. Carrie Bailey; she worked her name into a bird design
• Belle Beauchamp; inscribed at Logan Female College at Russellville, Kentucky
• Lizzie Bell, though I can't be sure as she worked her name into a very intricate design.
• Nora Evans; inscribed at Pleasant Grove Academy on January 17, 1883
• Lula L. Hausford; gave the album to Mattie A. Bailey
• M. H. Hixon - not sure of surname; inscribed on October 29, 1883 at Union Point, Georgia
• Dolly Howard - not sure of surname
• J. R. Frank Miles, Jr., inscribed in November 1883.  He wrote his name backwards, as Knarf Selim.  Frank inscribed several other pages as well.
• Belle Mimms; Mattie's deskmate
• Margaret H. Pratt; inscribed at Logan Female College on January 15, 1883
• Emma ?, possibly Emma Thomas, of Dacus, Texas
• Mattie Townsend; she worked her name and Mattie A. Bailey's name into an intricate design of two birds and scrolls
• J. H. Williamson; inscribed at Pleasant Grove, Kentucky, on June 7, 1883.  He inscribed another page as well.  Mattie's teacher.