1890s autograph album of Emma Tucker of Bentley, Illinois, which many inscribers spelled as Bently. The inscriptions range from Illinois to Indiana, Kansas, Missouri. To have acquired inscriptions from such a wide area, Emma might have participated in religious retreats.
The album, which measures about 7-3/4" by 4-3/4", is in rough shape and may be missing covers, if it ever had them. Many pages are disbound, and there might be missing pages, including a page where Emma might have inscribed her name.
Fortunately, there are clues to Emma's identity:
- most inscriptions centered around Bentley, Illinois
- several people directed their inscriptions to "Emma Tucker"
- several of Emma's sisters inscribed pages - though I suspect that some of the inscribers who called Emma sister were in-laws or religious acquaintances.
Surnames in the Album
From brief online research, hopefully correct - corrections and additions requested:
Emma Frances Tucker was born in 1872 in Ohio, the daughter of Benjamin Franklin Tucker and Martha Eve (Preston) Tucker. Sisters who inscribed pages in the album and whose names I could discern were Cora Belle Tucker, Tamer Tucker and Martha H. Tucker. Another name was difficult to interpret.
Belle, "your Sister"; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on March 25, 1888. Emma's older sister Cora Belle Tucker
? Tucker, Emma's sister; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on March 25, 1888; on a page that faces a page inscribed by Emma's sister Cora Belle Tucker
M. H. Tucker; inscribed on June 21, 1892. Martha H. Tucker, Emma's older sister
Tamer, "your sister"; inscribed on August 21, 1887. Presumably Emma's older sister Elizabeth Tamer Tucker
Several inscribers identified as cousins:- Ernest Hopkins, inscribed at Middle Creek, on August 22, 1887. Emma's cousin. Ernest E. Hopkins. The Addie who inscribed the right facing page may have been Ernest's wife Minerva Adeline (Kimbrough) Hopkins.
- T. N. Kimbrough; inscribed at Montezuma, Kansas, on October 8, 1888. Emma's cousin
- Sarah M. T. Preston; inscribed on July 14, 1889. Emma's cousin. Presumably Mary Sarah Tamer Preston, daughter of William Johnston Preston, who was a brother to Emma's mother Martha Eve (Preston) Tucker
- W. J. Thompson; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on July 21, 1888. Emma's cousin
On January 4, 1893 in Hancock County, Illinois, Emma Frances Tucker married Wilborn Owen Mecum. Wilborn was born in Illinois in 1865, son of James Madison Mecum and Verlinna (Dorsett) Mecum. Emma and Wilburn farmed in Illinois and had, I think, four children.
Wilborn died in 1929 and Emma in 1953; they're buried with relatives in the Harmony Cemetery at Bentley, Illinois.
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
- Kate; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on April 13, 1889
- Belle B?; inscribed at Colchester, Illinois. Surname possible Barber or Bamber or ?
- H. E. ?, possibly H. E. Quint or Owens or ?
- Anna; inscribed at Plymouth, Illinois, on September 18, 1888
- Emma or ?
- Madie; inscribed on December 29, 1888
- B. M. H. or B. M. A; inscribed at Augusta, Illinois, on June 21, 1891
- Unsigned; Scriptural Question
- Hattie; inscribed at Plymouth, Illinois
- Unsigned; "guess if you can"
- Mary Alley; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on August 20, 1887
- ?. B. A?, possibly S. B. Ausmus, at Campton, Illinois [not sure of town] on June 8, 1889
- Alice Austin; inscribed at Carthage, no state written, on April 12, 1888. Emma's schoolmate
- David Bartley; inscribed at New Castle, Indiana, on November 5, 1889. Inscribed to "Sister Emma"
- E. M. Bishop; inscribed on January 7, 1892. "Your Brother". Emmett M. Bishop, husband of Emma's sister Barbara Alice (Tucker) Bishop
- Amanda Boston; inscribed on April 13, 1888
- Ella Boston; inscribed at Home on April 13, 1888
- George H. Boston of Bently, Illinois; inscribed on February 17, 1888. "Hon." was added before his name, possibly at time of writing but more likely afterward
- Kate Boston
- M. E. Boston; inscribed on August 10, 1888. Written on the page upside down.
- Jennie Burnett of Bently, Illinois; inscribed on August 20, 1888
- M. C. Busk, or M. C. Bush; not sure of surname] of Steffenville, Missouri in Lewis County.
- Narcissa Byers of Durham, Illinois; inscribed on September 15, 1888
- Etta Byler; inscribed on September 16, 1888
- M. Belle Byler; inscribed at Durham, Illinois, on September 19, 1887
- Walter Cash of Bucklin, Missouri; inscribed on November 29, 1889
- A. Cottrell; inscribed on September 18, 1888 at ? Ville, Illinois
- Mary Cox
- John R. Daily; inscribed at Lizton, Indiana, on March 23, 1892
- J. B. Dobbs of Xenia, Illinois
- Walter Dunsworth; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on February 19, 1888. The abbrev. "Hon" appears before Walter, but may have been added at a later time.
- Nora Frazee; inscribed at Elvaston, Illinois
- Bert ?; perhaps Bert Gray; inscribed on June 11, 1887 [or 1889]
- Della Hardy; inscribed on April 11, 1888
- Mollie Hardy; inscribed on May 8, 1888. Mentions Pleasant Valley. Emma's schoolmate
- Zula Hardy; inscribed on April 11, 1888 [or 1885]
- Ada Harter; inscribed at Denver, Illinois, on July 31, 1889
- S. A. Harter; inscribed at Denver, Illinois, on May 2, no year written
- Mattie Hatton; inscribed at Ursa, Illinois, on September 16, 1888. Mentions "Middle Creek Association"
- Addie; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on August 22, 1887. Emma's cousin. She was possibly Minerva Adeline (Kimbrough) Hopkins, whose husband Ernest Hopkins inscribed the left facing page.
- Ernest Hopkins, inscribed at Middle Creek, on August 22, 1887. Emma's cousin. Ernest E. Hopkins. The Addie who inscribed the right facing page may have been Ernest's wife Minerva Adeline (Kimbrough) Hopkins.
- Minnie Huff; inscribed at Burnside, Illinois, on September 5, 1889. Also mentions "Old Settlers" and Plymouth, Illinois
- Elbert W. Jenkins of Denver, presumably Illinois, but possibly Colorado; inscribed on March 7, 1888. He sketched a line of musical notes. He uses the word "Sis" twice and wrote the date June 5, 1892 in pencil
- H. W. Jones; inscribed in March 1890
- William F. Kettenring; inscribed at Rushville, Illinois, on July 21, 1889
- Flora Kimbrough; inscribed at Middle Creek, Illinois, on February 27, 1889
- T. N. Kimbrough; inscribed at Montezuma, Kansas, on October 8, 1888. Emma's cousin
- O. C. Kirkpatrick; inscribed on October 1, 1888. Emma's teacher. Orville C. Kirkpatrick, who later became an attorney.
- Adelia; inscribed on May 10, 1889. Possibly Adelia Langford, as the facing page was inscribed by Amanda L., who may have been Amanda Langford, younger sister of Adelia Langford.
- Amanda L.; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on May 10, 1889. Possibly Amanda Langford, as the facing page is inscribed by an Amelia, and Amanda Langford had a sister Amelia.
- Sallie Langford; inscribed at Bently, Illinois
- Alice Lincoln; inscribed at Carthage, no state written, on April 13, 1889
- Carrie Lincoln; inscribed on May 2, 1889
- Perry Mathias; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on July 15, 1888
- William Mauk or William Mank of Plymouth, no state written; inscribed on March 16, 188x [strikeover on last digit]
- H. W. Newton; inscribed at Vibbard, Missouri
- Della Perry; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on April 4, 1889
- W. J. Pollard of St. Joseph, Missouri; inscribed on December 8, 1889
- Lemuel Potter; inscribed at Fort Branch, Indiana, on July 23, 1891. Signed "Your Brother"
- Sarah M. T. Preston; inscribed on July 14, 1889. Emma's cousin. Presumably Mary Sarah Tamer Preston, daughter of William Johnston Preston, who was a brother to Emma's mother Martha Eve (Preston) Tucker
- Nannie B. Purcell; inscribed at Franklin, Illinois, on September 19, 1889
- B. F. Querry of Raymond, Illinois; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on November 9, 1888. Benjamin Franklin Querry (1846-1919)
- Allie Rigg; inscribed on December 8, 1889
- Mattie J. Ronken, but could be Mattie J. Rankin [looks like o, and no dotted "i"]; inscribed on July 7, 1890
- Ida Rymer; inscribed at Carthage, Illinois, on June 24, 1888
- Emma Sanderson; inscribed on December 25, 1888
- Mary Starkey; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on December 29, 1888. Not sure of surname
- Lizzie Stockton; inscribed at Basco, Illinois, on July 20, 1890
- Mahlon Symmonds; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on October 18, 1887
- W. N. Tharp; inscribed at Greenfield, Indiana, on November 13, 1888
- W. J. Thompson; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on July 21, 1888. Emma's cousin
- James M. True; inscribed at Seward, Nebraska, on April 30, 1888
- ? Tucker, Emma's sister; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on March 25, 1888;. Perhaps Agnes Tucker or Possibly Elizabeth Tamer Tucker; on a page that faces a page inscribed by Emma's sister Cora Belle Tucker
- Belle, "your Sister"; inscribed at Bently, Illinois, on March 25, 1888. Emma's older sister Cora Belle Tucker
- Emma Tucker of Bently, Illinois; album owner
- M. H. Tucker; inscribed on June 21, 1892. Martha H. Tucker, Emma's older sister
- Tamer, "your sister"; inscribed on August 21, 1887. Presumably Elizabeth Tamer Tucker
- I. N. Vanmeter; inscribed at Macomb, Illinois, on October 9, 1887. Presumably Isaac N. Vanmeter
- B. R. Warren of Bently, Illinois, inscribed to "Emma Tucker" on April 3, 1888
- S. L. Willis; inscribed at Kincaid, Kansas, on January 28, 1888
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