Saturday, April 13, 2013

1890s Autograph Album of Oliver Otis Barrows of Frost, Ohio, in Athens County


1890s autograph album that belonged to Oliver Otis Barrows of Frost, Ohio, in Athens County.  Otis was the first person to write a page in the album, on 2 March 1890 at Frost, Ohio, in Athens County.


The album is approximately 8" x 5" and contains about 40 pages signed by Otis himself and other relatives, friends and schoolmates.  Two pages written long after the bulk of the signatures were gathered were penned by one or two of Otis' daughters.

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


From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections and additions welcome!]

Oliver Otis Barrows was born 19 April 1871 at Mason, West Virginia, the son of Robert Hamilton Barrows and Nancy Jane (Duffee) Barrows.  

Otis' mother signed a page in his album at Frost, Ohio, on 11 May 1891.  Many of her Durfee relatives signed pages, as you can see in the list of signers.


Otis' brother Perry Waldo Barrows signed a page on 31 March 1890.


About 1892 in Ohio, Otis married Laura Bertha Lemmon, daughter of John B. and Laura Belle (Frost) Lemmon.  "Bertha" was born 27 January 1874 at Troy, Ohio, in Athens County.  She signed a page in her future husband's album at Frost, Ohio, on 9 March 1890.


The album apparently came to light in 1901 when Otis' and Bertha's daughter Golda I. Barrows signed a page on 14 December.


It was possibly Golda who signed another page on 10 October 1902, as daughter Lillian would have been only a few months past her second birthday, and daughter Eleanor was a month from being born.


Otis and Bertha raised their family at Marietta, Ohio.  They had, I believe, four children, one of whom died in infancy.  Otis died in 1957, and Bertha in 1964.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the signers in the list below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!


  • N. E. L., signed at Frost, Ohio, on 13 May 1890
  • Alice, Otis' cousin
  • Allie Adams of Frost, Ohio, signed there on 10 May 1891
  • Oliver Otis Barrows of Frost, Ohio; album owner; he penned a welcoming page on 2 March 1890 at Frost, Ohio
  • Perry Barrows, signed 31 March 1890; Otis' brother Perry Waldo Barrows
  • Chloe L. Barrows, signed on 4 May 1890 at Frost, Ohio; Otis' schoolmate
  • Emma Barrows, signed on 20 March 1890 at Fillmore, Ohio; Otis' cousin
  • L. L. Barrows, signed at Frost, Ohio, on Saturday, 22 March 1890
  • Otis' mother, Nancy Jane (Duffee) Barrows, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 11 May 1891
  • Inscribed "To Oliver Otis Barrows, Oct. 10th 1902, I am good as good can be, And".  No signature, but presumably written by one of Otis' children
  • "To my papa, Dec. 14, 1901, From your own little girl, Don't forget me.  When you look, Shut the book.  Don't think it took me an hour To write a little in the book.  Golda I. Barrows."  She may have penned the unfinished sentiment on the facing page, dated 10 October 1902, or perhaps it was one of her sisters.
  • Bird Barrows, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 11 February 1891
  • Stella Beebe, signed on 12 March 1890 at Frost, Ohio
  • D. H. Dunfee, signed at Torch, Ohio, on 9 May 1891; not sure of middle initial
  • Clara Dunfee
  • Aunt Mrs. L. J. Dunfee of Creston, Iowa, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 13 June 1890
  • L. J. Dunfee of Creston, Iowa, signed at Torch, Ohio, on 13 June 1890; Otis' maternal uncle
  • Mrs. W. E. Dunfee of Creston, Iowa, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 21 May 1890
  • W. E. Dunfee, signed at Creston, Iowa, on 21 May 1890; Otis' uncle
  • Aunt D. A. Dunfee, signed at Torch, Ohio, on 22 March 1890
  • Charles Flinn, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 14 April 1890; not positive of surname
  • M. F. Frost, signed on 10 April 1891
  • L. Hendrickson, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 21 May 1890
  • Zillah Kays, signed at Fillmore, Ohio, on 16 March 1891
  • Angie Lemmon, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 4 March 1890
  • Gordon Lemmon, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 1 April 1894
  • Bertha Lemmon, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 9 March 1890
  • Ellen McGee, signed on 9 February 1891
  • Ada McGee, signed on 9 February 1891
  • Annie M. McGinty, signed at Indianapolis, Indiana on 20 April 1892
  • Stella Payne, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 10 March 1890; Otis' schoolmate
  • C. E. Petty, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 5 March 1890; sketch of two feathers or leaves
  • Very faint, but looks like Vinie Ritenour, signed in 1890
  • S. E. Russell, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 14 April 1890
  • W. L. Russell, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 14 April 1890
  • Jessie Russell, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 12 March 1890
  • Emerson Russell, signed at Frost, Ohio, on 12 March 1890
Athens County, Ohio


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