Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Autograph Album given in 1893 to Hannah Winslow (Thurber) Smith Wentworth of Franklin, Maine, by her grandson George Eben Hill


Autograph album presented by George Eben Hill at Christmas in  1893 to his grandmother, Hannah Winslow (Thurber) Smith Wentworth, at Franklin, Maine.

Hannah's name wasn't spelled out, but two people in the album called her grandmother; Hannah was their common denominator.



George Eben Hill was the son of Ebenezer Hill and Phoebe Nickerson (Wentworth) Hill, Hannah's daughter from her second marriage, to Joseph Card Wentworth.  George signed another page on 6 April 1895, although his handwriting looks a tad different.



The album is approximately 5-1/2" x 3-1/2" and contains the sentiments of about 20 of Hannah's relatives and friends.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

Tucked inside the album is the calling card of Herbert Cleveland Smith.



The album covers are faded velvet with a floral design; attached to the front cover is the word "Autographs" in metal.



Another of Hannah's grandchildren signed several pages in her album; thankfully she called herself a granddaughter on one of them.  Ina Phoebe Smith was the daughter of Nancy C. (Foster) Smith and Charles Joseph Smith, Hannah's son from her first marriage to Captain Joseph Smith.



Ina's mother, Nancy C. (Foster) Smith, presumably, was the N. C. Smith who signed a page in the album, also on 2 April 1897.



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

Hannah Winslow (Thurber) Smith Wentworth was born 11 August 1821 at Trenton, Maine, the daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Winchester) Thurber, who were born in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, respectively.  

I found a marriage intention record between Joseph Smith of Ellsworth and Hannah W. Thurber, then residing at Walpole, at Walpole, Massachusetts, on 23 May 1846.  According to a Massachusetts marriage record, they were married 7 October 1846, at Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Before Joseph died in 1850, he and Hannah had two children:

  • Charles Joseph Smith, born about April 1846, give or take a year, in Charlestown, Massachusetts.  If he is the Charles J. Smith in a certain Civil War record, he may have been born before Joseph and Hannah's marriage; perhaps, even, his father was someone else.  His daughter Grace Evalaide (Smith) Savage ordered a Military Headstone, a record that showed Charles' dates of service as 19 September 1861 to 31 July 1865.  His age of enlistment on the Soldier Record and Profile showed his age as 18, but he may have added a year or several to his age, which was not uncommon.
  • Alphonzo W. Smith, born about 1848.

Son Charles Joseph Smith married Nancy C. Foster on 25 September 1869 at Ellsworth, Maine; both were then residents of Franklin, Maine.  Nancy was born at Trescott, Maine on 8 July 1852, according to her death record.  She was the daughter of Richard and Nancy (Agett ?) Foster, who were natives of Saint John, New Brunswick, according to her death record.   

Charles and Nancy's daughter, the above mentioned Ina Phoebe Smith, was born 22 August 1886 at Franklin, Maine.  Ina married George A. Linscott in 1903.  George was born at Hancock, Maine, on 21 October 1881, son of Lorenzo M. and Harriet (Lord) Linscott.

After the death of Captain Joseph Smith in 1850, Hannah Winslow (Thurber) Smith married Joseph Card Wentworth, son of Moses and Sarah (Hooper) Wentworth.  Joseph was born 9 August 1823 at Franklin, Maine.

Hannah and Joseph Card Wentworth had three children,:

  • William Livingston Wentworth, born 30 June 1852 at Franklin, Maine
  • Phoebe Nickerson Wentworth, born 23 March 1854 at Franklin, Maine
  • Moses Putnam Wentworth, born 18 May 1856 at Franklin, Maine
George Eben Hill, who presented the album to Hannah at Christmas 1893, was the son of Phoebe Nickerson Wentworth and her husband Ebenezer Hill.  According to his World War I draft registration card, George was born 29 December 1875; his marriage record gave his birthplace as Wells Beach, Maine.  

George married Minnie Sadie Wells, daughter of Nahum and Olive (Manuel) Wells.  Minnie was born 21 February 1876 at Kennebunk, Maine, according to her birth and marriage records.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Alphabetical list of the signers:


  • Unsigned page, but could be the writing of signer Edith Merrill West or another of the West girls, whose handwriting appears very similar
  • George W. Avery, signed at Franklin, Maine, on 30 March 1894
  • May E. Avery of Franklin, Maine, signed on 30 March, 1894
  • Victoria A. Burnham, signed at Egypt, Maine, on 27 April 1895
  • Mrs. A. O. Clark of Franklin, Maine, signed on 5 May 1895
  • Celia Bernice Clarke of West Franklin, Maine, signed on 10 March 1898
  • Doris Grindle of Box 214, Ellsworth, Maine
  • Georgie E. Hill of Franklin, Maine; presented the album to his grandmother Hannah Winslow (Thurber) Smith Wentworth on 25 December 1893.  George Eben Hill's mother, Phoebe Nickerson Wentworth, was Hannah's daughter from her second marriage, to Joseph Card Wentworth.  George's father was Ebenezer Hill.  I believe it was George who signed another page in 1895, though his handwriting is a bit different.
  • George E. Hill, signed on 6 April 1895.  He may be the Georgie E. Smith who signed the presentation page, though the handwriting is a bit different.
  • Neva F. Linscott of Egypt, Maine, signed on 27 July 1919
  • Gertrude Moore, or Moors, of Egypt, Maine, signed in 1897.
  • T. E. Sargent of Ellsworth, Maine, signed on 16 October 1898; Hannah's niece.  Could possibly be J. E. Sargent
  • Adah P. Savage of West Franklin, Maine, signed on 5 July 1908
  • Miss Ruth Savage
  • Hannah Winslow (Thurber) Smith Wentworth of Franklin, Maine; album received from her grandson George Eben Hill
  • Herbert Cleveland Smith - his calling card is tucked in the album.
  • Ina P. Smith, signed on 2 April 1897; Hannah's granddaughter, Ina Phoebe Smith.  Ina's father, Charles Joseph Smith, was Hannah's son from her  first marriage, to Captain Joseph Smith.  Ina's mother was Nancy C. (Foster) Smith.  Ina signed pages in 1902 and 1903, plus a partially erased page in 1898
  • N. C. Smith, signed on 2 April 1897.  I believe this was Nancy C. (Foster) Smith, mother of Ina P. Smith, and thus the daughter in law of album owner, Hannah Winslow (Thurber) Smith Wentworth
  • Ina Smith, signed on 15 October 1903; presumably another page signed by Hannah's granddaughter Ina P. Smith in 1897.
  • Hannah Winslow (Thurber) Smith Wentworth of Franklin, Maine; album received from her grandson George Eben Hill
  • Hannah Winslow (Thurber) Smith Wentworth of Franklin, Maine; album received from her grandson George Eben Hill
  • Clara E. West of Egypt, Maine, signed on 26 October 1902
  • Edith Merrill West of Egypt, Maine, signed on 26 October 1902
  • Effie Esther West of Egypt, Maine, signed on 26 October 1902
  • Miss Abbie E. West of Egypt, Maine, signed on 4 November 1902
  • Helen L. West of Egypt, Maine, signed on 4 November 1902



Thanks for stopping by!



2 comments:

  1. Hello Pam,
    Again, we have George W. Avery mentioned. As it turns out, Charles J. and Nancy (Foster) Smith are the parents of the man who raised George's youngest son in the 1920s and 1930s. My mother grew up knowing him as "Grandpa Selden." I am extremely interested in teasing out the Smith connections.

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    Replies
    1. Hope this helps you to tease out the connections!

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