Saturday, January 28, 2012

1870s Autograph Album of Sarah G. Crosby of Maine, proponent of woman's suffrage


1870s autograph album of Sarah Gage (Jerrard) Crosby, a court stenographer who was a key figure in the woman's suffrage movement of Maine and who also was involved in the controversy between Phineas Parkhurst Quimby and Mary Baker Eddy.



The album is approximately 7-1/2" x 5" and was started by Mrs. Crosby after her marriage.


Sarah Gage (Jerrard) Crosby was born 27 May 1832 at Plymouth, Maine, the daughter of John and Jane (Gage) Jerrard, who were born in Fairfax, Maine (now Albion, Maine) and Plymouth, Maine, respectively.

On 24 August 1852 at Plymouth, Maine, Sarah married Albert Crosby.  He was born 17 March 1824 at Albion, Maine, the son of Jonah and Lydia (Crosby) Crosby.  The couple had five children before they divorced, and Albert went to Montana:

  • Ellery Channing Crosby, born in Maine 19 or 20 February 1854; went out West with his father; m. Annie Kirchman
  • Ada May Crosby, born 9 August 1857; m. Frederick Burt Wing
  • Albert Jonah Crosby, born 1859 in Maine; went out West with his father; m. Nellie Dornberger
  • Frederick Albert Crosby, born about 1862; went out West with his father; m. Alice Carlin
  • Edward Jerrard Crosby, born 12 January 1870 [middle name also seen as Girard]; m. Isa Frances McMurdy
Sarah Gage (Jerrard) Crosby became a court stenographer.  I found a photograph and interesting article about her in the Phonographic Magazine of 1899:


The article:









Some of the people who signed pages in Sarah's autograph album include figures in the women's suffrage movement, controversial Australian artist Fearnligh Montague [I've also seen his name also as Fernligh and Fernleigh], author E. W. Allderdice [Elizabeth Winslow Allderdice], and W. G. Saltonstall of Salem, Massachusetts.

Complete list of signers, in alphabetical order: [In some cases, the people may have signed "at" a place, rather than being "from" that place.]

E. W. Allderdice of Portland, Maine
Amos L. Allen of Alfred, Maine
John Appleton of Skowhegan, Maine
E. B. Averill
C. J. Barker of New York
William G. Barrows of Alfred, Maine
S. G. Crosby of Waterville, Maine
Thomas Croswell of Streator, Illinois
E. A. Dickinson of Belfast, Maine [Eliza A., Mrs. John G., below]
J. G. Dickinson of Belfast, Maine [Judge John G. Dickinson]
Ephraim Flint
Henry B. Flint of Dover, Maine
W. G. Frye of Belfast, Maine
Almon Gage of Canandaigua, New York, at Waterville, Maine 
C. W. Goddard of Alfred, Maine
John M. Goodwin of Alfred, Maine
Joseph Hayes of Bath, Maine
Philo Hersey of Belfast, Maine
Helen Neil Howard [worked with Sarah in court of Judge Dickinson and others]
N. H. Hubbard of Winterport, Maine
Illegality, Esq [I'd love to know who wrote this!]
Illegible [If you have a guess, please let me know.]
Initials, C. A. Y.
E. W. McFadden of Fairfield, Maine [Elhanan W. McFadden]
W. H. McLellan
H. L. Mitchell
Fearnligh Montague
Lewis Parker of Skowhegan, Maine
William Philbrick of Skowhegan, Maine
A. M. Robinson of Dover, Maine
William M. Rust
Moses A. Safford of Alfred, Maine
W. G. Saltonstall of Salem, Massachusetts, at Alfred, Maine
D. N. Sheldon of Waterville, Maine
R. H. Sheldon of Waterville, Maine
W. H. Simpson of Belfast, Maine [his salutation took two pages]
Charlotte Smith of Alfred, Maine
D. D. Stewart
David P. Straw of Guilford, Maine
A. A. Strout of Portland, Maine
Rufus P. Tapley of Saco, Maine
Albert H. Ware of Skowhegan, Maine
Claiborne Addison Young

To see scans of all of the pages, see the autograph album's page at the Maine and Maritime Canada Genealogy network

Map of Albion, Maine, where Sarah and Albert raised their family on the farm of his parents:


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Thursday, January 26, 2012

1880s Autograph Album of Hattie, presented by Mamie L. Lane of Ripley, Maine


1880s autograph album presented to Hattie by Mamie L. Lane of Ripley, Maine.   The album is a small one, approximately 4-1/4" x 2-1/2".



Most of the signers are from the Ripley and Dexter, Maine area, including several surnamed Lane.  Mamie L. Lane was born about 1859 in Maine, the daughter of Jeremiah Beede Lane and his wife Mary Ann (Lane) Lane, born in Vienna, Maine, and Gardner, Maine respectively, who moved to Ripley to farm and raise a family.  

Mamie's paternal grandparents were John L. and Lydia (Beede) Lane.   Her maternal grandparents were Reuben and Mary (Stevens) Lane.

Sadly, Mamie and her sister Lydia Frances Lane, died fairly young, in 1899 and 1980 respectively.

Lydia F. Lane:



Malvina A. Lane:



This is possibly Mamie's mother, Mary Ann (Lane) Lane:



F. A. Lane of Ripley, Maine: [If you know who this is, please leave a comment.]



Cilla Lane: [If you know who this is, please leave a comment.]



Complete list of the signers, in alphabetical order:

Orin S. Arnold of Dexter, Maine
Jennie M. Atwater of Dexter, Maine
Lillian L. Atwater of Dexter, Maine
Mrs. Dora Atwater of Dexter, Maine
Edwin F. Blake of Dexter, Maine
Frank D. Blake of Dexter, Maine
Harriet A. Blake
Estelle E. Crockett of Dexter, Maine
Cilla A. Lane
F. A. Lane of Ripley, Maine
Lydia F. Lane
Malvina A. Lane
Mamie L. Lane
Mary A. Lane
Carrie E. Lewis
Mae E. Watson of Dexter, Maine
Walter D. Wilder of Cambridge, Maine

To see scans of all of the pages, in page order, see the autograph album's page at the Maine and Maritime Canada Genealogy network.


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1880s Autograph Album of Walter Scott Rogers of Windham, Maine


Autograph album presented to Walter Scott Rogers of Windham, Maine on Christmas day 1885.  Approximately 4" x 2-1/2".  


Walter Scott Rogers was born on 8 April 1879 in Maine, the son of Albert Towle Rogers and wife Livilla Prescott (Hill) Rogers.  

Albert T. Rogers was born in Standish, Maine, on 26 March 1842, the son of Isaiah and Lydia (Gray) Rogers.  

Livilla Prescott (Hill) Rogers was born at Naples, Maine, on 25 November 1843, the daughter of Henry Hobbs Hill and wife Frances McIntire Haskell.

On 25 November 1903, Walter Scott Rogers married Myrtle M. Mann, who was born about May 1880 in Maine, the daughter of Jacob Josselyn Mann and possibly wife Emma.

The couple raised their family at Auburn, Maine, and Windham, Maine, where Walter was a farmer and a miller of grain.

Several of Walter's relatives signed pages in his album.

His father, Albert Towle Rogers:


His brother Charles Cummings Rogers:


His brother Albert Linwood Rogers, or Linwood Albert Rogers:


His sister Fannie Almatia Rogers:


His maternal uncle, George Henry Hill:


George Henry Hill's wife, I assume Ida Marie (Stiles) Hill, though if I didn't know Ida Marie Stiles was his first wife, I'd have guessed the writing to be L. or S. W. Hill:


Walter's cousin, Mildred E. Morrill, daughter of his paternal aunt Sarah K. (Rogers) and husband Andrew J. Morrill:


If you have any corrections to the information provided above or any insights into any of the people mentioned above, or in the list of signers below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Complete list of signers, in alphabetical order:

Katie Alice Elder of Windham Centre, Maine
George H. Hill of Windham, Maine
I. M. Hill
Hussey, Celia M. of Windham, Maine
Johnson, Frank O. of West Upton, Massachusetts
Kemp, Alice J. of Windham Centre, Maine
Irving W. Kemp of Windham, Maine
Knight, Lizzie J. of Windham, Maine
Mabel L. Knight of Windham, Maine
Sumner Libby of Windham, Maine
Annie L. Morrill of Windham, Maine
Mildred E. Morrill of Windham, Maine
Albert T. Rogers of Windham, Maine
Charles C. Rogers of Windham, Maine
Fannie A. Rogers of Windham, Maine
Linwood A. Rogers of Windham, Maine
Walter Rogers, autograph album owner
Orrin F. Stone of Windham, Maine

To see scans of all of the pages, in page order, refer to the autograph album's page at the Maine and Maritime Canada Genealogy network.


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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

1880s Autograph Album of Fred Holloway Allen of Gouldsboro, Maine


1880s autograph album of Fred Holloway Allen of Gouldsboro, Maine.   The album is approx. 5-1/4" x 3-1/4" and is filled with pages signed by relatives and friends.



Fred Holloway Allen was born 6 July 1860 at Gouldsboro, Maine, the son of Capt. Rufus Henry Allen and wife Jemima (Handy) Allen.

Captain Rufus Henry Allen was the captain of the brigantine Ponvert that rescued the crew of the SS Queen Victoria, lost in a hurricane off the coast of North Carolina.  The captain of the Queen Victoria ordered the bell rescued, and he presented it to Capt. Allen, who then donated it to the town of Gouldsboro.  Read more about this bell here.

Fred's paternal grandparents were David and Nancy Allen.  His maternal grandparents were William P. and Lois (Chadwick) Handy, born in Gouldsboro, Maine,and China, Maine, respectively.

Fred became a sea captain like his father and other ancestors.  On 19 November 1894, he married Laura Sargent.  She was born about 1873 in Maine, the daughter of Sampson and Annie (Jordan) Sargent.

Their son Ralph was born in 1896 in West Gouldsboro.  When Ralph was about seven, the family moved to Everett, Massachusetts.  Fred was by this time a master mariner and had acquired the Ponvert, which he sailed to the West Indies in commerce.  Many times Ralph went with him.

From what I've been able to determine, Fred died in 1928.  His son Ralph lived to the age of 104 and before his death was the oldest living graduate of Harvard University.  Read his obituary from the archive of the Ellsworth American.

Fred H. Allen, I assume the same Fred as above, signed a page in the middle of the album.  He gave his address as Prospect Harbor, which is a village in Gouldsboro.



Fred's mother Jemima signed a page in his autograph book:


Fred's sister, Ida L. Sawyer of Milbridge, Maine, signed a page, as did her husband, Irving Edson Sawyer:



Fred's cousin Ada L. Allen of Boston, Massachusetts, signed a page:


His cousin Emma M. Clark signed a page in the album:


Fred's maternal aunt Theodosia H. (Smith) Handy, wife of Jemima's brother Charles Herbert Handy, signed a page, as did their daughter Jennie:



Fred's maternal uncle Horace G. Handy signed a page:


I believe this page was signed by Horace's wife Sarah "Sadie" (Thaxter) Handy.  She was born about 1859 at Machias, Maine, daughter of Cyrus and Mary A. (Jameson) Thaxter:


Other pages signed by other relatives:

Estelle Handy:


George or Georgie E. Noonan:


Mary W. Noonan:


Alphabetical List of Inscribers
  • Ada L. Allen of Boston Massachusetts, cousin
  • Fred H. Allen of Prospect Harbor Maine
  • Jemima Allen, mother
  • Wilfred and Katie Baldwin of East Sullivan Maine
  • Fannie Blance of Prospect Harbor, Maine
  • Susie C. Blance of Prospect Harbor, Maine
  • Emma M. Clark, cousin
  • Lottie Cole of Prospect Harbor, Maine
  • Robert Dixon of Cherryfield, Maine
  • Estelle Handy
  • Horace G. Handy of Prospect Harbor, Maine
  • Jennie Handy of Steuben, Maine
  • Sadie F. Handy of Machias, Maine
  • Theo Handy of Steuben, Maine, aunt
  • Emma H. Kingsley of Prospect Harbor, Maine
  • Julia May Leighton of Steuben, Maine
  • J. S. Moore of Gouldsboro, Maine
  • Georgie Noonan [or George Noonan]
  • Mary W. Noonan
  • Asher F. Palmer of Portland, Maine
  • Geneva M. Sawyer of Milbridge, Maine
  • Ida L. Sawyer of Milbridge, Maine
  • Irving E. Sawyer of Milbridge, Maine
  • Katie H. Small of Cherryfield, Maine

If you have any insights to add to any of the names mentioned here or corrections to any of the information, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

1880s Autograph Album of Grace L. Bartlett of Bethel, Maine


Autograph album of Grace Lizzie Bartlett of Bethel, Maine.  It's a very small album, approximately 4" x 3", filled with pages signed by relatives and friends.

If you have information on any of the people mentioned here or if you have a different take on some of the names, please leave a comment or contact me directly.


Grace Lizzie Bartlett, or Lizzie Grace Bartlett, as her name appears in some records, was born 17 June 1876 at Bethel, Maine, the daughter of Levi Needham Bartlett and Rowena May (Whitman) Bartlett, who were born in Greenwood, Maine, and Bethel, Maine, respectively.

Levi Needham Bartlett:



Perhaps Grace's mother went by her middle name?



Grace had three siblings: Maude A.; Earl Alton; and Erva Mae.  Maude signed a page in her sister's album.  The other two were quite a bit younger than Grace and Maude and were probably too young to sign pages in Grace's album.

Maude A. Bartlett:




Angeline Whitman signed a page.  Angeline was likely Grace's maternal grandmother Angeline (Stiles) Whitman.  Angeline had a daughter also named Angeline but she would have been married to George Allen by the time this page was signed, so I believe this page was signed by Grace's grandmother.



Brothers of Grace's mother Rowena (Whitman) Bartlett signed pages: Oscar Whitman; Albert L. Whitman;  Eldon Russell Whitman; Herbert M. Whitman; and Mellen M. Whitman.

Oscar Whitman:



Albert L. Whitman:



Eldon Russell Whitman:



Herbert M. Whitten:



Mellen M. Whitten:



Mellen M. Whitman's first wife, "Lottie", Charlotte Eudora (Scribner) Whitman, signed the page adjacent to his.  She didn't date her page, but she and Mellen were married on 27 July 1884, so the page was signed after that date.  Sadly, Lottie died in 1893 after the couple moved to Massachusetts.




Grace's paternal aunt Julia Ann (Bartlett) Bennett and husband Ezekiel Prescott Bennett and their children also signed pages.  

Her aunt, Julia Ann (Bartlett) Prescott:



Her uncle, Ezekiel Prescott Bennett:



Sadie J. Bennett:



Viola L. Bennett:



George H. Bennett:



Four offspring of Freeland and Sophronia (Holt) Bennett of Bethel, Maine, signed.  Freeland was a younger half brother to Ezekiel Prescott Bennett.

Gretrude A. Bennett:



Laura A. Bennett:



Linda M. Bennett:



Marion E. Bennett:



Grace's future husband, Fritz Jarrold Tyler, also signed a page in the album.  He was born 23 December, 1873, the son of William and Dolly Ann (Paine) Tyler. 

I found an interesting article about Fritz, his life, work and family, at the Bethel Journals website.  Included are illustrations of two beautiful labels for cans of corn canned at his plant, and a photograph of Fritz.




Grace's Sabbath School teacher, Hattie E. Farwell, signed a page:




Teacher Maggie Leonice Libby [I'm not sure about her middle name and invite comments from readers.]:



Mrs. N. A. Stearns of Bethel, Maine: [adjacent to a page signed by her husband, presumably, Nathan A. Stearns]







Complete list of signers, in alphabetical order:

Emmie L. Allen of Manchester, New Hampshire
Grace L.Bartlett of Bethel, Maine
Levi N. Bartlett of Bethel, Maine
Maude A. Bartlett of Bethel, Maine
May Bartlett of Bethel, Maine
E. P. Bennett of Bethel, Maine [Ezekiel Prescott Bartlett]
George H. Bennett of Bethel, Maine
Gertie A. Bennett of Bethel, Maine [Gertrude A. Bennett]
Julia A. Bennett [Julia Ann (Bartlett) Bennett]
Laura A. Bennett of Bethel, Maine
Linda M. Bennett of Bethel, Maine
Marion E. Bennett of Bethel, Maine
Sadie J. Bennett of Bethel, Maine
Viola L. Bennett of Bethel, Maine
Ella A. Briggs of West Bethel
Eva L. Dow of Woodstock, Maine
Hattie E. Farwell
L. Irene Grover of Bethel, Maine
Maggie L. Libby [middle name looks like Leonice]
Annie L. Merrill of West Bethel, Maine
Grace E. Merrill of West Bethel, Maine
L. M. Robbins of North Paris, Maine
Mrs. N. A. Stearns of Bethel, Maine
Nathan Stearns [Nathan A. Stearns of Bethel, Maine, husband of the preceding]
Fritz Tyler of Bethel, Maine [Fritz Jarrold Tyler, future husband of Grace L. Bartlett]
Amy Wheeler
Chester Wheeler of Bethel, Maine
Edith Wheeler of Bethel, Maine
Albert L. Whitman of Bethel, Maine
Angeline Whitman of Bethel, Maine
Eldon R. Whitman of South Boston, Massachusetts [and Bethel, Maine]
Herbert M. Whitman
Lottie E. Whitman of West Bethel, Maine
Mellen M. Whitman of West Bethel, Maine
Oscar Whitman


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