Tuesday, January 9, 2018

1896-1903 Autograph Album of May Cline of Blair Furnace, Altoona, Pennsylvania


1896-1903 autograph album that belonged to May Cline of Blair Furnace, Pennsylvania, located in Altoona, Pennsylvania.  Read more about Blair Furnace here.

The inside front cover shows that the album was presented to "Mable E. Cline" by Eva Cline.  I'm not sure if Mabel was actually her name, as I found clues that lead me to believe the album may have belonged to Emma May Cline.


The album, which measures approximately 9" by 6", is in poor condition, with many pages unbound and most of them brittle around the edges.   The album contains several pages of scribbling, presumably by one of May's children after the album came to light at some point, and the sentiments of 18 of May's friends and schoolmates.  An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.


Surnames in the Album

? [2]FFigartRReigh
CCline [2]FunkRider
CoxHHagerty [2]Robeson [2]
DDunnHammersSSherman
EEwingKKnauerStotler
YYon

As noted above, I wonder if May was Emma M. Cline, "May" or "Mae", daughter of William and Emma Cline and sister of Eva Cline, as listed in the 1900 Census of Logan Township, Pennsylvania.  Interestingly, Emma May Cline married widower Emory Nelson Stotler, a brother to inscriber John Ross Stotler, on April 15, 1903 at Duncansville, Pennsylvania.  Emma and Emory had two children; it's tempting to wonder if one of them did the scribbling on several pages throughout the album, one of which is shown above.

The page inscribed by John Ross Stotler on May 24, 1903, shortly after the marriage of Emma Mae Cline and Emory Nelson Stotler, in case that's a clue.


Emma Mae (Cline) Stotler is buried with Emory and other relatives in the Grandview Cemetery at Altoona, Pennsylvania.

If you have information on May Cline and Eva Cline who lived in or near Blair Furnace, or if you have information on any of the inscribers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Roy P. Yon of Blair Furnace, Pennsylvania; inscribed on January 30, 1896

Sources
  • Pennsylvania, Marriages, 1852-1968
  • U.S. Censuses
  • Obituary of Emory N. Stotler in the February 25, 1946 edition of the Altoona Tribune
  • FindaGrave.com

 Inscribers in the Album
  • Roxie; inscribed on September 9, 189x [written in the corner and a piece of corner missing; could be 1897]
  • Unsigned
  • Mabel E. Cline, "May"; album owner.  Possibly Emma May Cline, daughter of William and Emma (DeWalt) Cline
  • Eva Cline; gave the album to Mabel.  Possibly the Eva who was a daughter of William and Emma (DeWalt) Cline and a sister to Emma May Cline, who may have been the album owner.
  • Edward Cox; inscribed on January 31, 1896
  • Cloyd Dunn; inscribed on January 31, 1896.  Mary's schoolmate
  • Bessie Ewing; inscribed on January 28, 1896.  May's schoolmate
  • Amanda Figart; inscribed on August 23, 1896
  • Lucy Funk; inscribed on February 14, 1896.  May's schoolmate
  • Kyle Hagerty of Fair City, Pennsylvania, in Blair County; inscribed on January 31, 1896
  • Mary Hagerty; inscribed on January 28, 1896 at Blair Furnace, Pennsylvania.  May's schoolmate
  • Pearl Hammers; inscribed on January 28, 1896.  May's schoolmate
  • Harry R. Knauer; inscribed on January 31, 1896.
  • Mary Reigh of Blair Furnace, Pennsylvania; inscribed on January 28, 1896.  May's schoolmate
  • Florence Bell Rider; inscribed on February 20, 1896
  • Dessie M. Robeson; inscribed in 1896. May's schoolmate
  • Charles Robeson; inscribed on January 31, 1896
  • Mrs. Sherman
  • J. Ross Stotler; inscribed on May 24, 1903.  Presumably John Ross Stotler, whose brother Emory N. Stotler married Emma Mae Cline, who may have been the May who owned this album.
  • Roy P. Yon of Blair Furnace, Pennsylvania; inscribed on January 30, 1896


4 comments:

  1. Emory Nelson Stotler was my great great grandfather. He and Emma had two daughters and a son. The son was my great grandfather Robert William Stotler. It is speculated that he was adopted by them. I just started investigating our family tree and ran across this article. I'm curious about this item, do you still have it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad you happened by! Yes, I still have the album - contact info is under Inquiries in the right margin, near the top.

      Delete
  2. My name is Mike and I would be interested in purchasing this item, if you still have it. I am the one who commented above.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mike, yes, I still have the album. Contact info under Inquiries in the right margin.

      Delete