Monday, March 11, 2013

1880s and 1890s Autograph Album with Signers from New Hampshire and Vermont


[Note: be sure to read the reader's comment of 15 March 2013, which provides some compelling clues toward the album owner's identity and a link to her photograph.]

1880s and 1890s autograph album with signers mostly from New Hampshire and Vermont.

The album is approximately 7" x 4-1/4" and contains 36 signed pages.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

I purchased the album several years ago from a seller who assumed that the original owner was the first signer, Abbie E. Parker of Wentworth, New Hampshire.  Since one or more of the first pages is missing, including the title page, however, it's very possible that Abbie was not the owner.


Two signers were sisters Addie Viola Jewell and Mina L. Jewell of West Newbury, Vermont, who signed separate pages on 15 January 1891.  They indicated that they were cousins to the album owner.  Additionally, Addie indicated that she and the owner were schoolmates, so they were about the same age.




Cousin Myra L. Burbeck of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed a page on 22 July 1892.



Perhaps a reader who figures out the album owner's identity will leave a comment or contact me directly.

Two people identified themselves as the album owner's teacher.  Teacher Carrie E. Kassen of South Ryegate, Vermont, signed a page on 21 May 1890.



Teacher Millie S. Bancroft of Rome, Michigan, signed a page at Newbury, Vermont, on 18 September 1891.  

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


  • Helen M. Abbott of South Newbury, Vermont, signed on 30 December 1891
  • Mrs. Harvey Aldrich of Lisbon, New Hampshire, signed on 9 April 1894
  • Maggie B. Arthur of South Ryegate, Vermont, signed on 16 April 1890
  • Mrs. Matthew Baines of Buffalo, New York, signed on 17 July 1892
  • Millie S. Bancroft of Rome, Michigan, signed at Newbury, Vermont, on 18 September 1891; Abbie's friend and teacher
  • Edward C. Barnes of West Newbury, Vermont, signed on 8 May 1891
  • C. Belle Brock of South Newbury, Vermont, signed on 16 February 1889
  • Myra L. Burbeck of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on 22 July 1892
  • May Burgess of East Corinth, Vermont, signed on 12 May 1891
  • Loura E. Dickey of West Newbury, Vermont, signed on 15 October 1892
  • S. Sophia Doolittle of South Strafford, Vermont, signed at Newbury, Vermont on 1895-5-7.  Also has name H. M. Bryant
  • Eva G. Farwell of Reading, Massachusetts, signed at West Newbury, Vermont, on 14 March 1894
  • Mary E. Fulton of Bradford, Vermont, signed on 16 January 1891
  • Charles H. Harward of West Newbury, Vermont
  • M. Louise Jenne of West Newbury, Vermont, signed on 18 November 1892
  • Addie V. Jewell of West Newbury, Vermont, signed on 15 January 1891; Addie E. Parker's cousin and schoolmate
  • Mina L. Jewell of West Newbury, Vermont, signed on 15 January 1891
  • Anna L. Johnson of Bradford, Vermont, signed at West Newbury, Vermont, on 24 October 1894
  • Carrie E. Kassen of South Ryegate, Vermont, signed on 21 May 1890
  • Maud Muzzy of West Newbury, Vermont, signed on 29 September 1893
  • Abbie E. Parker of Wentworth, New Hampshire, signed at West Newbury, New Hampshire in April 1887.  Possibly the album owner
  • Mrs. B. D. Rogers of Buffalo, New York, signed on 17 July 1892
  • B. D. Rogers of Buffalo, New York, signed on 17 July 1892
  • H. H. Sawyer of West Newbury, Vermont, signed on 29 March 1889
  • Susie Sawyer of Newbury, Vermont, signed on 28 September 1893
  • Mary E. Smith of South Newbury, Vermont, signed at West Newbury, Vermont, on 22 June 1892.  "Dist. No. 1."
  • E. W. Smith of West Newbury, Vermont
  • Mrs. Edward Smith of West Newbury, Vermont, signed 26 February 1889
  • John Smith of West Newbury, Vermont
  • Abby H. Smith of West Newbury, Vermont, on 20 January 1893
  • S. L. Spofford of West Newbury, Vermont, signed on 7 May 1891
  • Milicent Temple of West Newbury, Vermont, signed on 15 January 1891
  • Bessie C. Tyler of West Newbury, Vermont, signed on 19 January 1891
  • Myrtie A. Weston of Hanover, New Hampshire, signed on 28 November 1889
  • A. J. Weston, signed on 28 November 1889 at Hanover, New Hampshire
  • Hattie C. Willerton of Rock Island, Illinois, signed on 28 September 1895
Wentworth, New Hampshire & West Newbury, Vermont


Thanks for stopping by!


7 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I thought it would be easy when I found many of the signers in these two trees at rootsweb, but not so.

    http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:2625495&id=I17005
    http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=DESC&db=carlton2&id=I572

    I couldn't find anyone in the trees who was a first cousin both to the Jewell sisters and to Myra Burbeck. The owner could have been someone not included in either tree. The families in the area seem to have been interrelated.

    But if second cousins are allowed, I would a wild guess and say the owner was Luthera M Carleton, born 3 Dec 1880, died 3 Jun 1956, who later married Fred Wilcox. One big problem with this theory is that there are no Carletons among the signers.

    (Ah, maybe the descendants tore out the first few pages --their own relatives -- before they got rid of the book?)

    Here is Luthera Maude (Carleton) Wilcox' information:

    She is the daughter of Dudley Carleton, born 13 Aug 1845, and Martha A Jewell. In 1940 she and Fred Wilcox were living in Lebanon, NH. They were still there in 1954, at 31 Crafts Ave. She was a teacher on one of the censuses.

    There is a portrait of her here:
    http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/7935378/person/707743500/photo/4e77de79-d8be-4409-8233-5680069dc5de?src=search

    Luthera is a first cousin to signers Addie V. and Mina L Jewell, who were daughters of George Jewell (1840-1882) and Elizabeth Brock (b. 1844). But only a second cousin to Myra Burbeck.

    If I am correct, this following lady, Hattie Willerton, is the clue, since she was from out of town. Who was she visiting, and why was she in the area?

    In 1895 Hattie C Willerton, of Rock Island, Illinois, signed the autograph book. Hattie's maiden name was Carleton. Signer Myra Burbeck is Hattie's first cousin, once removed.

    Hattie is also Luthera M Carleton's first cousin, once removed.

    Hattie Willerton's father, Dudley B Carleton, was born in 1820 in Vermont, but lived for the longest time in Davenport Iowa. His wife, Ruth D Huckins, died 9 Sep 1891, unknown where. In 1900 Hattie's father Dudley was living with Luthera M Carleton's father Dudley, who was the elder Dudley's nephew.

    I'm guessing that in 1895 Hattie (Carleton) Willerton was bringing her father back East to be cared for by relatives in a position to do so. Luthera was in her father's household, and Hattie signed her autograph book while in Vermont.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great detective work, Ed, and I especially enjoyed Luthera's photograph and the information about Hattie (Carleton) Willerton and her visit back east.

    I'm amending the post to refer readers to your comment. It's so discouraging when you find pages missing from these albums, especially those at the beginning. But this one gave you a nice mystery to unravel!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The other people from out of town are also connected to Carletons. But then I think everyone in Newbury VT was connected to the family. Anyway ...

    Signer Mrs Matthew Baines was Anna Lois Rogers, daughter of signers Mr. and Mrs B.D. Rogers:
    http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:2625495&id=I18889

    Bradley Doe Rogers is connected twice to Carletons. His brother Levi Rogers married Mehetable Carleton:
    http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=DESC&db=shtritar&id=I25833

    The marriage was in Newbury Vt:
    http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=carlton2&id=I579

    Bradley's cousin Oliver Rogers married Polly Ann Woodman Carleton:
    http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=DESC&db=shtritar&id=I25833

    Polly was Luthera Maude Carleton's great aunt:
    http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=DESC&db=:2625495&id=I14817

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  5. Albums with lots of pages signed by family and neighbors are special treasures! And it seems that this album is one of those, thanks to your research, Ed. I hope a family member happens upon this trove!

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  6. I recently acquired a large stockpile of very similar family heirlooms, diaries and letters, photos and bibles associated with my husband's ancestors who lived in this same area, so I was hoping for a connection to your find. Alas, none apparent. Good luck with your search. It would make my day if someone contacted me with such a treasure from days long gone.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yes, that's what keeps me going! You could start a blog on one of the free platforms, like Blogger, and make it as easy or as in-depth as time allows. For example, "easy" - just feature one photograph at a time with any identification, the photographer's imprint, if any, and a short description of the other items to give this one piece some context. Once you've written your description of the archive, you can copy it onto any successive blog posts. This is a way to get the items' presence known without being overwhelmed by the thought of a massive project. Later on, you can do something more sophisticated with your posts, if you want. If you'd like to test this out, you can send me an image and your text, and I'll publish here. heirlooms(dot)reunited(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete