Monday, December 17, 2012

1880s Autograph Album of Lizzie J. Neely of Airville, Pennsylvania


1880s autograph album of Lizzie J. Neely of Airville, Pennsylvania that appears to have been presented to her at Christmas 1881.



The album is in a battered condition and shows the signs of having been wet at some point.  Several sets of pages were stuck together.  I was able to tease most of them apart safely but but there are two sets I can't separate.  One of those sets has a tantalizing autograph partially visible from Lizzie's Cousin Maud at Leavenworth, Kansas.



The album is approximately 8" x 7" and is filled with 95 pages signed by Lizzie herself, her relatives, friends and schoolmates at Young Ladies Seminary at York, Pennsylvania.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

The first signed page in the album is a drawing of Lizzie's foot from 1886.



From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections welcome]

Lizzie J. Neely was born about 1862 in Pennsylvania, the daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Colvin) Neely, who were born in Northern Ireland [or at sea] and Pennsylvania respectively.

Lizzie's paternal grandparents were William and Jane (Frew) Neely, Northern Ireland immigrants to Pennsylvania.  Her maternal grandparents were William C. and Mary Ann (Colt) Colvin.

In addition to Cousin Maud, Lizzie's uncle C. O. Bachman, perhaps Cyrus Oliver Bachman, of Watsontown, Pennsylvania, signed a page in 1885.



If you have corrections to the information above, or additional information on Lizzie J. Neely and her family, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Alphabetical list of signers [Note: given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]


  • Cousin Maud of Leavenworth, Pennsylvania     
  • Flora, 1883
  • Minnie, 1882; Lizzie's schoolmate, perhaps at Young Ladies Seminary
  • Lizzie's Cousin who called herself or himself "Fiddle Sticks", 1884
  • Jennie of Leavenworth, Kansas, 1886
  • Lena W. Allen of Allenwood, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • J. H. Atwood of Leavenworth, Kansas, 1885
  • H. M. Austin; shared a page with Charles T. Bowen [not sure of Bowen]
  • Alice L. Ayling of Lima, New York, signed at Milton, Pennsylvania in 1885; shared page with R. A. Emmons, who also signed at Milton, Pennsylvania, in 1885
  • C. O. Bachman, signed at Watsonville, Pennsylvania, 1885; Lizzie's uncle
  • R. C. Bair, 1883
  • D. R. Bair of Millersburg, Pennsylvania, signed at Watsontown, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • C. B. Boop; not sure of last name
  • Charles T. Bowen; not sure of last name.  Shared a page with H. M. Austin
  • William Campbell, signed a group page at a Social
  • Charles Raymond Carpenter, M. D., signed at Leavenworth, Kansas in 1885
  • Emma B. Cochran, 1883
  • Alice Lisle Cochran, signed at York Pennsylvania, 1882; possibly a student or teacher at Young Ladies Seminary
  • Ismy or Irmy or ? Cochran or Cochrane
  • Rich E. Cochran, signed at York, Pennsylvania in 1884
  • Louisa Dempwolf, signed at York, Pennsylvania in 1882; perhaps a student or teacher at Young Ladies Seminary
  • Martha J. Derr of Lititz, Pennsylvania, 1884
  • R. A. Emmons, signed at Milton, Pennsylvania, in 1885; shared a page with Alice L. Ayling of Lima, New York, signed at Milton, Pennsylvania in 1885
  • A. H. Emmons, signed at Milton, Pennsylvania in 1885
  • C. Arthur Emmons of Milton, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • Alvaretta Everett of Watsontown, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • Lily Everitt, signed at Watsontown, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • Aura Feeley, signed at Young Ladies Seminary, 1882
  • Minnie Fisher of Watsontown, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • Mattie Fosnot, signed at Watsontown, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • R. E. Fountain, signed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1885; also signed a group page at a Social
  • J. Will Fox of Chicago, Illinois
  • Mollie Fry, 1883
  • Louise A. Fulton, 1883; Lizzie's mother's friend
  • Jennie Gable, signed a group page at a Social
  • Mollie Gemmill, signed at Young Ladies Seminary
  • Clara E. Glatfelter, signed at Young Ladies Seminary, 1882
  • Annie M. Goodman, signed at Watsontown, Pennsylvania, 1885; "Do not forget the sleigh ride to McEwensville, ha ha ha"
  • Ella L. Goodman, signed at Watsontown, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • Mrs. F. A. Gottleber of Kingston, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • J. M. Hare, W. at L., 1885
  • Fannie R. Henry, signed at Young Ladies Seminary, at York, Pennsylvania
  • Minnie Hewins
  • A. J. Humphreys, signed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • Lilly E. Insley, signed at Leavenworth, Kansas, 1885
  • H. B. Irving of Leavenworth, Kansas, 1886
  • C. F. Jobson, signed at Leavenworth, Kansas, 1885.  There's a duplicate of this page "retraced by a friend" in 1886
  • ? N. Kearny of Baltimore, Maryland, signed at Centreville, possibly Pennsylvania, 1883
  • Beckie Keyser, signed at York, Pennsylvania, 1882; perhaps a student or teacher at Young Ladies Seminary
  • James W. Kilgore
  • Maggie Kilgore of Brogueville, Pennsylvania; not sure of middle initial
  • De Ozro C. Kramer, signed at Watsontown, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • Augustus Lippincott, signed at Watsontown, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • Mary M. Lippincott, signed at Watsontown, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • A. J. Lyons; could be the Anna J. Lyons who signed a group page at a Social
  • Harry W. Lyons, signed a group page at a Social
  • John C. Lyons, signed a group page in 1885, at a Social
  • Mame E. Lyons, signed a group page at a Social
  • Maggie Lyons, signed a group page at a Social
  • I. T. Mace, signed a group page at a Social
  • May C. McIlvaine, signed at Y. C. P., 1882
  • Stewart McKee, signed at Leavenworth, Kansas in 1886
  • O. C. McNary of Leavenworth, Kansas
  • M. J. Mifflin, signed at Young Ladies Seminary, 1882
  • Ed Mulvey of Leavenworth, Kansas, 1886
  • A. C. Murphy, 1883
  • Ellen Musselman, signed at York Ladies Seminary
  • Lizzie J. Neely of Airville, Pennsylvania
  • M. E. Neely, signed at Airville, Pennsylvania, 1882; Lizzie's aunt
  • Arthur L. Nichols
  • Annie Powell, signed at York, Pennsylvania, 1882
  • Hattie Powell, signed at York, Pennsylvania in 1882; possibly a student or teacher at Young Ladies Seminary
  • Harry E. Powell of York, Pennsylvania, 1882
  • P. J. R., signed at York, Pennsylvania, 1882
  • A. J. R., signed at York, Pennsylvania, 1882; not sure of initials
  • Minnie Seiler, signed at Watsontown, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • Thomas W. Sharkey, 1882
  • A. E. Shields, signed at St. Louis, 1887
  • H. M. Smith, signed at Airville, Pennsylvania, 1884
  • W. Smith of Airville, Pennsylvania, 1884; middle initial is possibly F
  • Mamie L. Smith
  • Reba Smith, signed at Airville, Pennsylvania, 1884; "Remember the sleigh ride to Slate Ridge"
  • Kate M. Smith.  There's another signature on the page, possibly also a Smith, but I can't read the writing, signed in 1886
  • William J. Taggart, signed at Watsontown, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • Ella Taggart, signed at Watsontown, Pennsylvania
  • J. N. Taylor, 1886; signed two facing pages
  • Willis W. Taylor, 1886; "Running Mate of the Fox Hound"
  • S. A. Townsend, signed a group page at a Social
  • J. E. True of Baltimore, Maryland; not sure of surname
  • S. F. W., 1884
  • W. W. Walter, signed at Leavenworth, Kansas, 1885.  Mentions "Necktie Bill", so perhaps he was William W. Walter
  • W. S. Warren, or W. S. Warner [or another surname], signed at York, Pennsylvania, 1882
  • Lilian M. Watson of Allenwood, Pennsylvania, signed at Watsontown, Pennsylvania, 1885
  • George M. Woods
  • Mame Woods, signed at York, Pennsylvania, 1882; perhaps also a student or teacher at Young Ladies Seminary

Airville, Pennsylvania


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