1880s-1890 autograph album of Alice Frances (Bliss) Rathburn of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, who later lived at Gardner, Massachusetts. Most of the inscriptions came from or near these two places.
The album measures approximately 7" by 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of 29 of Alice's friends and her pastor, J. J. Woolley and his wife. An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.
Surnames in the Album
From brief online research, hopefully correct - corrections and additions requested:
Alice Frances Bliss was born August 22, 1864 at Pawtucket, Rhode Island, the daughter of Ezra Bliss and Sarah Elizabeth (Phillips) Bliss. Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914 and Rhode Island Marriages, 1724-1916
About 1885, according to an entry in the 1900 Census of Gardner, Massachusetts, Alice Frances Bliss married Christopher Columbus Rathburn, son of John Mott Rathburn and Sarah Ann (Foster) Rathburn. Alice and Christopher lived at Gardner, Massachusetts, where many of the inscriptions were collected. They had at least two children.
Christopher died in 1937 and Alice in 1954. They buried with their son Carl and members of Christopher's family in the Crystal Lake Cemetery at Gardner, Massachusetts.
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.
Page inscribed by Alice's pastor J. J. Woolley and his wife, presumably Rev. Joseph Judah Woolley and wife Mary Augusta (Ferris) Woolley:
Inscribers in the Album
- Jennie S. Bixby of Essex, Vermont; inscribed at Gardner, Massachusetts, on November 29, 1889
- Frank H. Borden of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; inscribed on February 25, 1884
- Etta M. Burnham; inscribed at Gardner, Massachusetts, on January 20, 1888
- H. D. Burnham of Gardner, Massachusetts; inscribed on January 25, 1888
- Nettie M. Carpenter of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; inscribed on October 3, 1884
- Lucy A. Childs of Gardner, Massachusetts; inscribed on November 26, 1890
- Mary E. Ellis; inscribed at Gardner, Massachusetts, on February 27, 1886
- John Ferguson of Boston Store, Pawtucket, Rhode Island; inscribed on February 25, 1884
- Grace D. French of Gardner, Massachusetts; inscribed on November 22, 1886
- Eugene Garrett of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; inscribed on February 23, 1885. His wife Almira Russell (Carpenter) Garrett inscribed the right facing page.
- Mrs. Eugene Garrett of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; inscribed on February 23, 1885. Presumably Almira Russell (Carpenter) Garrett, wife of Eugene Garrett, who inscribed the left facing page.
- Carrie J. Goddard of Worcester, Massachusetts; inscribed at Gardner, Massachusetts, on March 24, 1887
- Maggie Harley; inscribed on April 2, 1884
- Calvin H. Hill of Gardner, Massachusetts; inscribed on December 1, 1890
- Naomi Childs Hill of Gardner, Massachusetts, on November 25, 1890
- Lillie M. Knox of Pawtucket, Rhode Island
- John W. Little of Pawtucket, Rhode Island
- Thomas F. Little of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; inscribed on February 25, 1884
- Charles McKean of Providence, Rhode Island, inscribed on February 25, 1884
- W. H. Niblock of Pawtucket, Rhode Island
- Carrie Polsey of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; inscribed on February 25, 1884
- Alice F. Rathburn of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; album owner
- Edgar Spears of Central Falls, Rhode Island; inscribed on March 28, 1884. His wife, Mary Alice (Evans) Spears, inscribed the left facing page.
- Mary A. Spears of Central Falls, Rhode Island; inscribed on March 28, 1884. She was Mary Alice (Evans) Spears, whose husband Edgar Spears inscribed the right facing page.
- Juliette E. Synyer of Rockville, Connecticut; inscribed on November 22, 1886
- W. W. Wilcox of Pawtucket, Rhode Island
- Bertha M. Wilkins of Amherst, New Hampshire; inscribed at Gardner, Massachusetts, on March 31, 1887
- Albert N. Williams of Pawtucket, Rhode Island; inscribed on February 26, 1884
- J. J. Woolley, Pastor, inscribed at Pawtucket, Rhode Island, on September 26, 1884. Joseph Judah Woolley
- Mary Woolley; middle initial C. or A. If A, she was presumably Mary Augusta (Ferris) Woolley, wife of Joseph Judah Woolley
the alice frances rathburn of pawtucket rhode island bears alot of significance to the people of massachusetts the Autograph Album of Alice Frances (Bliss) Rathburn of Pawtucket, Rhode Island should be stored in arts gallery for preservation
ReplyDelete