Tuesday, March 13, 2018

1880s Autograph Album of Inez Putnam, "Ina", of Russell, Pennsylvania


Autograph album kept by Inez Putnam, "Ina", of Russellsburg, Pennsylvania, in Warren County.  Inscribers spelled it as Russellburg or Russelsburg or Russell, as it's known today.

Inez acquired the album on March 24, 1880, as shown on the first end paper below.


Inez also inscribed the last end paper, where she wrote her name twice, once as Ina and once as Inez.


The album measures approximately 4" by 2-3/4" and contains the sentiments of over 50 of Inez's relatives, friends, schoolmates and teacher.  An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.

Surnames in the Album

? [12]DDunnPPerkins
AAkeleyFFrenchPutnam [7]
Allen [2]IIngalsbeRussell [2]
BBennett [2]Irvine ?SShorts
BriggsJJonesStanton
Brogan [2]LLittlefield [2]Stone
CCadwellMMabbettSumner
Chase [2]McCoyTThompson
ClarkMooreWWalker
ClendeningNNortonWeatherby
CulbertYYoung [2]

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

According to her FindaGrave memorial, which doesn't provide a source, Inez Elmay Putnam was born December 23, 1871.  Her parents were Theodore Lafayette Putnam and Abigail (Akeley) Putnam.  Inez' father inscribed the right facing page, shown below, although his first initial looks more like an F than a T.


Inez's mother may also have inscribed a page but it may have been among the several pages that are too faint to decipher.  Inscriber Lunetta B. Akeley may have been related to Inez's mother Abigail (Akeley) Putnam.

Inez's siblings Homer Manley Putnam and Lynn Daniel Putnam inscribed pages in the album, multiple pages in Lynn's case.  The left facing page to the page inscribed by Homer Manley Putnam is one of several in the album with handwriting too faint to decipher.



About 1899, Inez married Clinton Merle Lewis.  They lived at Jamestown, New York for awhile before moving to Pine Grove village at Russell, Pennsylvania.  I believe they had 5 children.  Clinton died in 1956 and Inez in 1964.  They're buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery at Russell, Pennsylvania.

Other relatives who mentioned a kinship with Inez [and there were likely more who didn't]:
  • Carrie; inscribed on March 22, 1880.  Inez's cousin
  • Lettie E. Jones; inscribed at Russellsburg, Pennsylvania, on April 26, 1880.  Inez's cousin.
  • A. R. Young; inscribed at Russellsburg, Pennsylvania, on March 28, 1880.   Inez's cousin, perhaps Albert R. Young.  [D. M. Young also inscribed a page - perhaps DeForest Marvin Young, Albert's brother.]
Inez's teacher, Maggie Brogan, inscribed the right facing page, below, on March 22, 1880.


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 - note: Lynn Daniel Putnam inscribed more than one page
  • Friend
  • Too faint to decipher
  • Too faint to decipher
  • Too faint to read
  • Kate; inscribed on March 22, 1880.  "Remember the time I was mad at you."
  • Too faint to read
  • "A"
  • Carrie; inscribed on March 22, 1880.  Inez's cousin
  • Minnie; inscribed on January 31, 1883
  • Too smeared and faint to decipher
  • Too faint to decipher
  • Unsigned
A
  • Lunetta B. Akeley; inscribed on 3-3-8x, possibly 82; possibly related to Inez's mother Abigail (Akeley) Putnam
  • Fred Allen; inscribed on June 29, 1880
  • Lola Rose Allen; inscribed on July 14, 1885.  It appears that Lola was very young, and someone else inscribed the date.
B
  • Birdie Bennett; inscribed at Russellsburg, Pennsylvania
  • Lucy J. Bennett; inscribed on March 22, 1880.  Not sure of middle initial.
  • Harry Briggs of Russell, Pennsylvania
  • Susie Brogan; inscribed on June 3, 1888
  • Maggie Brogan; inscribed on March 22, 1880.  Inez's teacher
C
  • B. L. Cadwell of Russellsburg, Pennsylvania; inscribed on March 26, 1881
  • Dot Chase; inscribed on April 3, 1881.  Bertha Mable Chase inscribed her name along the edge.  Perhaps she meant Mabel.
  • Belle A. Chase of Russelsburg, Pennsylvania, on March 24, 1880
  • Myrtle Clark of Russellsburg, Pennsylvania
  • Maggie Clendening; inscribed on January 31, 1883.  Inez's schoolmate
  • Lizzie Culbert
D
  • Myrtle Dunn; inscribed on March 24, 1880
F
  • H. R. French; inscribed on February 1, 1883
I
  • Alta C. Ingalsbe
  • Mamie Irvine; not sure of surname; inscribed on November 1895 [not sure of last digit].  Inez's schoolmate
J
  • Lettie E. Jones; inscribed at Russellsburg, Pennsylvania, on April 26, 1880.  Inez/Ina's cousin
L
  • Minnie Littlefield of Russellsburg, Pennsylvania; inscribed on January 29, 1883
  • Dana Littlefield
M
  • Cora Mabbett of Fredonia, New York; inscribed on January 28, 1883
  • Minnie McCoy; inscribed on January 31, 1883
  • Cora Moore; inscribed at Russellsburg, Pennsylvania
N
  • Bettie Norton, or Rettie Norton; inscribed on May 16, 1880
P
  • Nettie Perkins of Russellsburg, Pennsylvania; inscribed on March 14, 1881
  • Inez Putnam of Russellsburg, Pennsylvania; March 24, 1880.  Album owner.  She spelled her town "Russellburg".  Inez, also called Ina, wrote her name in two places on the last end paper, once as Ina and once as Inez
  • T. L. Putnam; inscribed at Russellsburg, Pennsylvania, on April 14, 1880.  Inez's father.  He spelled his town as "Russelsburg".  Since Inez's father was Theodore L. Putnam, the inscriber's initials were presumably T. L., though there is a horizontal line through the first initial, making it look more like an "F"
  • Lynn Putnam of Russellsburg, Pennsylvania.  Inez's brother Lynn Daniel Putnam, who inscribed other pages.
  • Dell; Inez/Ina's older sister Flora Idella Putnam
  • Lynn Putnam; Inez's brother Lynn Daniel Putnam, who inscribed other pages.
  • H. M. Putnam; inscribed at Russellsburg, Pennsylvania, on March 20, 1880.  Inez's brother Homer Manley Putnam
  • Lynn D. Putnam of Russell, Pennsylvania; inscribed on December 26, 1885 [not sure of last digit].  Inez's brother Lynn Daniel Putnam, who inscribed other pages.
R
  • F. S. Russell of Russellsburg, Pennsylvania; inscribed on March 24, no year written
  • Maud L. Russell; inscribed on March 25, 1880
S
  • Peggie Shorts of Russell, Pennsylvania.  Inez's schoolmate
  • Addie Stanton of Russellsburg, Pennsylvania
  • Nettie A. Stone; inscribed in March 1880.
  • Ella M. Sumner or Ella W. Sumner; not sure of surname
T
  • Etta E. Thompson; inscribed on March 22, no year written.  Inez's schoolmate
W
  • Alice Walker of Russell, Pennsylvania
  • Isa Weatherby of Russellsburg, Pennsylvania; inscribed on March 12, 1881.  Inscriber left out the s in Russellsburg.
Y
  • A. R. Young; inscribed at Russellsburg, Pennsylvania, on March 28, 1880.   Inez's cousin
  • D. M. Young of Russellsburg, Pennsylvania; inscribed on March 28, 1880.  Middle initial could be a W, but if M., likely DeForest M. Young

3 comments:

  1. Is this item for sale?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I still have it, and it's for sale. My email address is on the blog, right margin under Inquiries.

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