Tuesday, February 6, 2018

1878+ Autograph Album of Eveline Bement, "Eva", of Hillsdale, Michigan


Autograph album given to Eveline Bement, "Eva" at Christmas in 1878.  She kept the album through the 1880s.  At some point, presumably after Eva's death, her daughter Helen Woodruff inscribed two pages.


The album measures approximately 5-1/4" by 3-1/4" and contains the sentiments of nearly 70 of Eva's relatives and friends.  An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.

Surnames in the Album


? [6]FFerrisRReese
AAdamsFurman [2]Rising [2]
AndrewGGray [2]SSage
AtchisonGriffithsSmith [2]
BBaker [2]HHawesStage
BankerHewitt [2]States
Bates [2]JJohnsonVViele
Bement [2]KKaneWWolcot
BettsKnickerbockerWoodruff [2]
Brooke [2]LLaub ?
Burns [2]Lawrence
CCampbellPParsons [2 or 3}
CaryPasons or Parsons ?
CillesPaylor
DDavisPerry
DePuy [2]Pettys [2]
Dibell [2]Prentice [4]
Dow [3]


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

Eveline Bement, "Eva", was born in 1858 in Cambria, Michigan, the daughter of Oliver Bement and, possibly, Mariah (Murray) Bement.   Eva's sister Emma Bement inscribed a page in the album.


On September 23, 1888 at Osseo, Michigan, Eva married Frank Woodruff, son of Franklin Woodruff and Jane (Carpenter) Woodruff.   Eva and Frank had a daughter Helen, born May 16, 1894; sadly, it appears that Eva died on that day.  She's buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Hillsboro County, Michigan.

At some point later, Eva's album apparently came to light, and daughter Helen inscribed two pages in it.



Frank died in 1943 and is also buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Hillsdale County, Michigan.  If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Inscribers in the Album

  • Sopha; inscribed at Hillsdale, Michigan; on June 15, 1880
  • Augusta
  • Walter, Eva's cousin; inscribed at Elk Rapids, Michigan, on May 23, 1886
  • A Friend; inscribed on March 27, 1881
  • M. S.
  • Friend
  • Mrs. S. H. Adams; inscribed at Cambria, Michigan, on November 2, 1879
  • Ellen Andrew; inscribed at Hillsdale, Michigan, on February 9, 1879.  "Remember Our Class"
  • Miss Lizzie Atchison of Bankers, Michigan; inscribed on January 12, 1879
  • Carrier Baker
  • Katie Baker of Steamburg, Michigan; inscribed on March 4, 1884
  • Miss Lill Banker of Bankers, Michigan; inscribed on January 12, 1879
  • Celia E. Bates; inscribed in June 1880
  • Libbie Bates; inscribed on January 6, 1879
  • Emma; Eva's sister Emma Bement
  • Eveline Bement, Eva; album owner of Hillsdale, Michigan.  Eva was given the album at Christmas in 1878.
  • Kate Betts; inscribed at Hillsdale, Michigan, on July 29, 1881
  • Celia Brooke; inscribed at St. Louis, Michigan, on March 2, 1883.  Eva's cousin.  When you are away in Germany or France, remember the nights we went to the dance.  Then of the oysters which were so seedy.  But Mohr of the fellow whose name is "Reedy", and the dance at Mrs. Barnes, and the fellow who encircled you with his arms, This he managed by some construction without once having an introduction."  "Is he a blacksmith?"  Looks like "Clarence" in one corner and "?ncker" in another.
  • Frank Brooke; inscribed at St. Louis, Michigan, on February 22, 1883
  • Della Burns of Ithaca, Michigan; inscribed on January 1, 1882.  Eva's cousin
  • Emma Burns; Eva's cousin
  • Anna I. Campbell; inscribed on December 25, 1878
  • John H. Cary; inscribed on November 29, 1879.  Eva's schoolmate
  • Anna Cilles; not sure of surname; of West Street
  • Mrs. R. S. Davis, or Mrs. A. S. Davis; inscribed on December 2, 1879
  • Bertie DePuy of Bankers City, Michigan; inscribed on January 12, 1879
  • Loverna M. DePuy of Owasco, New York; inscribed on November 11, 1881.  Eva's cousin
  • Clara Dibell; inscribed at Hillsdale, Michigan, on April 19, 1879
  • Mary Dibell; inscribed at Hillsdale, Michigan, on April 11, 1879
  •  Alex Dow; inscribed on April 4, 1881 at Cambria, Michigan
  • Matthew Dow; inscribed at Hillsdale, Michigan, on March 27, 1881
  • Miss Maggie Dow of Cambria, Michigan; inscribed on March 29, 1881
  • Mrs. G. E. Ferris
  • Chas B. Furman of Hillsdale, Michigan; inscribed in July 1879.  Presumably Charles Blake Furman
  • M. B. Furman; inscribed at Hillsdale, Michigan, in July 1879.   Presumably Maria (Blake) Furman, wife of Rev. Adoniram Judson Furman, and mother of Charles Blake Furman.
  • Eliza A. Gray; inscribed on January 12, 1879.  Eva's cousin
  • O. M. Gray; inscribed on December 12, 1879
  • Mrs. Ida Griffiths of Hillsdale, Michigan; inscribed on May 22, no year written
  • Winnie Hawes; of No. ? West Street; Hillsdale, Michigan, inscribed on February 7, 1880
  • Mrs. W. C. Hewitt; inscribed on February 8, 1879
  • W. C. Hewitt of Hillsdale, Michigan; inscribed on February 8, 1879
  • Lucy Johnson; inscribed on March 12, 1880
  • Hanna Kane; inscribed on March 11, 1881.  Eva's schoolmate
  • Eulah Knickerbocker; inscribed at North Adams, Michigan
  • Annie Laub or Annie Laube, or Saub; inscribed at Hillsdale, Michigan, on September 26, 1886.  Mentions I.O.O.F. and  C.T.M. and Samantha
  •  Herbert Lawrence; inscribed on November 29, 1879
  • Lillie Parsons; inscribed at Grand Ledge, Michigan, on January 5, 1883
  • William Parsons; "or simon BROE" [not sure of last word]
  • Nellie Pasons [Parsons ?]; inscribed at Grand Ledge, Michigan, on December 10, 1881
  • Zira Paylor of Steamburg, Michigan; inscribed on October 11, 1879
  • S. N. Perry; inscribed on January 12, no year written, at Hillsdale, Michigan
  • Clemie Pettys; inscribed at Hillsdale, Michigan, on April 20, 1879
  • Emma Pettys; inscribed at Hillsdale, Michigan, on April 20, 1879
  • A. B. Prentice of Hillsdale, Michigan; inscribed on January 4, 1879
  • Arthur Prentice; inscribed on March 5, 1879
  • Frank Prentice of Hillsdale, Michigan
  • Libbie Prentice
  • Miss Lizzie Reese; inscribed on October 5, 1888
  • C. A. Rising of Hillsdale, Michigan
  • Emma C. Rising; inscribed on April 25, 1879
  • Chloe Sage; inscribed at Hillsdale, Michigan, on March 5, 1887
  • Mary Smith; inscribed at Hillsdale, Michigan on Howell Street
  • W. A. Smith; inscribed at St. Louis, Michigan
  • Nellie M. Stage; inscribed at Hillsdale, Michigan, on December 13, 1879; mentions North Adams
  • Amy D. States; inscribed on July 27, 1880 at Liberty Centre, Michigan
  • Netta E. Viele; inscribed in Hillsdale County, Michigan, in October 1879
  • Kate Wolcot; inscribed on July 11, 1880
  • Helen Woodruff of Hillsdale, Michigan.  Eva's daughter.
  • Helen Woodruff of R.F.D. #6, Hillsdale, Michigan; Eva's daughter with Frank Woodruff


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