1880s Autograph Album of Lura of the Hartford, Ohio, area in Licking County

1880s autograph album that belonged to a young woman named Lura, likely of the Hartford, Ohio, area.  Some people mentioned Croton, Ohio, which was an alternative name for Hartford.

I found a couple possibilities and there may be more: Lura Crowell and Lura Hall.

Several people who signed pages in Lura's album mentioned a family relationship with her.  Their surnames are Gardner, Clark, Stults,  King [or Ring] and Robbins.

Hopefully a reader will recognize these surnames from family research and will leave a comment with Lura's surname.  

The album is approximately 7-3/4" x 4-3/4" and contains 34 pages signed by Lura's relatives, schoolmates and friends, along with several plates of romantic scenes scattered throughout.

An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

Three people named Gardner of La Porte City, Iowa signed pages in Lura's album and described themselves as Lura's uncle and two cousins.  Uncle A. W. Gardner signed his page on 4 February 1889.  Whether it was he or his wife who was Lura's blood relation, I don't know.

Cousins E. A. Gardner signed a page on 7 February 1889 and Judson Gardner on 11 February 1889.

Nellie A. Clark and her brother Lewis Strong Clark of Hartford, Ohio, signed pages on 17 January 1884 and 22 January 1884 respectively.

Cousin Austin Stults of Hartford, Ohio, signed a page on 4 February 1884.

Cousin Elias King, or Elias Ring, signed a page on 22 February 1889 at Lexington, no state given.

Lura's niece, Lulu Robbins, signed two pages, one when she was only six years old, as a note in a different handwriting indicates.  She signed the other page on 30 January 1892, "Leap Year".

If you have a theory as to the identity of Lura, or information on any of the signers, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

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

• Lura, album owner
• Bud, signed at Hartford, Ohio, on 14 February 1884
• Very faint; appears to be Belle McKee or McK? or Belle McR? of West Carlisle, Ohio, signed 10 January 1884
• Belle, signed on "1-12-1884 Leap Year"
• Lida Anthony of Raymond, Ohio, signed on 10 September 1886
• Marion Clark, signed at Croton, Ohio, on 27 June 1884
• Nellie A. Clark of Hartford, Ohio, signed on 17 January 1884; Lura's cousin.  Her brother Lewis Strong Clark also signed a page in cousin Lura's album.
• Lewis S. Clark, signed at Hartford, Ohio, on 22 January 1884; Lura's cousin.  He was Lewis Strong Clark, sister of signer Nellie A. Clark
• Sallie Corbin, signed at Hartford, Ohio, in November 1883
• J. M. Farmer of Clay Lick, Ohio, signed on 10 October 1884
• Lillie Frost of Homer Ohio, signed on 5 November 1884 [not sure of year]
• F. E. Gallogly of Hartford, Croton, Ohio
• E. A. Gardner of La Porte City, Iowa, signed on 7 February 1889; Lura's cousin
• A. W. Gardner, signed at LaPorte City, Iowa, on 4 February 1889; Lura's uncle
• Judson Gardner, signed on 11 February 1889
• M. E. Graver or M. E. Graves
• Bertha C. Hill or Bertha E. Hill, signed at Johnstown, Ohio, on 2 December 1883
• Abbie L. Keckley, signed on 5 November 1884; Lura's schoolmate
• Elias King, signed at Lexington [no state given] on 22 February 1889; could also be Elias Ring; Lura's cousin
• R. Worth Lillard of Newark, Ohio, signed at Hartford, Ohio on "10-9-86"
• Della F. Longwell of Concord, Ohio, signed in December 1883
• John E. McCracken of Clay Lick, Ohio, in Licking County, signed on 10 October 1884
• Oren J. Mitchell of Locke, Ohio, in Knox County, signed on 26 June 1885
• Lissie A. Mitchell, signed 14 August 1885
• Hattie N. Mitchell, signed at Locke, Ohio, on 16 June 1885
• Mary F. Moran of New Way, Ohio, signed on 5 November 1884; Lura's schoolmate
• E. Kelley Morrow of Outville, Ohio, in Licking County, signed on 12 October 1882
• Lulu Robbins, signed 30 January 1892, Leap Year; Lura's niece.  She signed another page when she was six years old.
• Austin Stults of Hartford, Ohio, signed on 4 February 1884; Lura's cousin
• Clemmie Trippier of Green PO, Ohio, signed at Hartford, Ohio, on 13 February 1884
• Hattie Van Wormer ? of Hartford, Ohio, signed on 25 February 1885; not sure of surname
• F. A. Vermilion, signed at Croton, Ohio, on 10 October 1884
• George Weyant of Hartford, Ohio, signed on 17 January 1884
• Nannie A. Weyant of Hartford, Ohio, signed on 17 January 1884

Hartford, Ohio


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