Monday, November 18, 2013

1858 Autograph Album of George F. Sweat, signed mostly by teachers and students from Boscawen Academy and Franklin Academy in New Hampshire


Journal size autograph album dating to 1858 when George F. Sweat began collecting autographs while a student at Boscawen Academy and Franklin Academy in New Hampshire.

It appears that George attended Boscawen Academy in 1858 and Franklin Academy in 1859.

George himself inscribed three pages at the beginning.  He spelled his name as Sweat, although other family records indicate Sweatt and Swett.





The album is approximately 8-1/4" x 7" and contains the sentiments, some full page, of over 60 of George's teachers, schoolmates and friends.

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

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

George F. Sweat was born 10 January 1842 at Franklin, New Hampshire, the son of John Wadleigh Sweatt and Eliza Ann (Tucker) Sweatt.  

George's life was cut short at 20 years of age by mortal wounds received in the Civil War.  He had enlisted in the Fifth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteers on 12 August 1862.  Just over a month later, on 17 September 1862, he was wounded in the Battle of Antietam and died on 7 October 1862 at Sharpsburg, Maryland.

His gravestone is engraved with the circumstances of his death.

George's widowed mother, Eliza Ann (Tucker) Sweatt, applied for a pension as a result of his service on 27 April 1885.  She died in 1891.

After the three pages signed by George himself, his teachers Jonathan Tenney and Jonathan's future wife Nellie J. Legro signed the first pages in the album.  They signed at Boscawen Academy on October 28, 1858.  Jonathan may have been the principal of Boscawen Academy at the time, and Nellie the preceptress.  




P. R. Shepard signed a page as George's schoolmate at Boscawen Academy on October 25, 1858 and sketched a wreath.  He may have been Peter R. Shepard, born 19 September 1838 at Boscawen, New Hampshire.



One of the Franklin Academy students who signed a page in George's album was Maria L. Peabody, who signed at Franklin Academy on December 20, 1859.



Someone, possibly George or someone else, added penciled notations to several of the pages, indicating marriages that occurred after the signing.  

One example was the page signed by Mary Anna Bailey, who signed at Boscawen Academy on November 15, 1858.  The penciled notation: "alias Mrs. Dr. J. H. Gallinger, Ohio".  On August 23, 1860, Mary Anna Bailey married Cornwall, Ontario native, Dr. Jacob Harold Gallinger, who had received his medical degree from the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical Institute, possibly accounting for the Ohio reference, and started a homeopathic practice at Concord, New Hampshire.  He served in the New Hampshire Legislature and represented New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate.



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

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

  • Jennie of Concord, New Hampshire
  • May, your friend and schoolmate, signed at Franklin Academy on December 19, 1959
  • Too faint
  • A friend
  • Warren Abbott of West Boscawen, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 11, 1858; George's schoolmate
  • Julia A. Abbott of West Boscawen, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 10, 1858
  • Ellen K. Abbott, signed at Boscawen Academy, on November 10, 1858
  • L. C. Ames, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 7, 1858
  • George L. Atkinson of Newbury, Vermont, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 5, 1858
  • Mary Anna Bailey of Salisbury, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 15, 1858.  A later note in pencil: "alias Mrs. Dr. J. H. Gallinger, Ohio".  Mary Ann Bailey, daughter of Major Isaac Bailey, married Jacob Harold Gallinger on 23 August 1860.  I think the Ohio reference is to the fact that in 1858 Jacob Henry Gallinger, a native of Cornwall, Ontario, had recently graduated from the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical Institute.  He then started a practice in New Hampshire at Concord, New Hampshire.  Dr. Gallinger served in the New Hampshire legislature and the U.S. Senate.
  • Etta R. Bills of West Boscawen, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on October 27, 1858.  A later note in pencil: "alias Mrs. Pearson of West Boscawen" [Pearson is spelled incorrectly].  Henrietta R. Bills married Henry F. Pearson on 14 April 1860.
  • Adelaide M. Boice of Fisherville, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on October 27, 1858
  • F. C. Brown of West Concord, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on October 25, 1858
  • Lucretia L. Burbank of West Boscawen, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on October 27, 1858
  • W. W. Burbank, signed at Boscawen Academy, on October 27, 1858
  • Ettie Burbank, signed at Franklin Academy on January 15, 1860
  • Laura J. Burleigh, signed at Franklin Academy on February 13, 1860
  • Nellie M. Carlton, signed at Franklin Academy on September 24, 1859.  In pencil: "alias Mrs. Ingalls, Franklin".  Nellie M. Carlton married Hiram B. Ingalls on 8 September 1860.
  • G. W. Carter of Concord, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on February 3, 1859
  • Sarah E. Coffin of Boscawen, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on October 27, 1858
  • Abba S. Corser of West Boscawen, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on October 29, 1858
  • Walter S. Couch of West Boscawen, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on October 26, 1858; George's schoolmate
  • Joseph Couch, signed at Boscawen Academy, at Boscawen, New Hampshire, on October 28, 1858
  • Emma Dame, signed at Boscawen, New Hampshire, on November 2, 1858.  In pencil: "alias Mrs. Day, Concord".  Emma L. Dame married Mervin G. Day on November 23, 1859 at Concord, New Hampshire
  • O. W. Dimick of Lyme, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 4, 1858
  • Mary A. Emerson of Boscawen, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen on November 11, 1858
  • M. Agusta Farmer of Hooksett, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy, on October 26, 1858
  • L. R. Farnum of West Concord, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on October 29, 1858.  Possibly Laurentine R. Farnum, or Lydia R. Farnum or ?
  • Alma J. Farnum of West Concord, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy in January 1859
  • Daniel Gage of Pelham, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy, on November 4, 1858.  Daniel Gage, son of Nathan and Mehitable (Woodbury) Gage later owned many of the lakes and ponds in the Pelham, New Hampshire, and Lowell, Massachusetts areas because of their ice production and potential.
  • Abbie M. Gault of Concord, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on February 2, 1859
  • J. L. Gerrish of West Boscawen, New Hampshire, signed at Elm House, Boscawen Academy, on November 1, 1858; possibly James Little Gerrish
  • David P. Goodhue, signed at Boscawen Academy on February 4, 1859; George's schoolmate
  • Susie E. Goodwin of East Concord, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on January 15, 1859
  • H. B. Gould, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 2, 1858
  • Lizzie C. Greene of Pittsfield, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on 15, 1858; presumably Elizabeth C. Greene
  • Wyman Holden, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 2, 1858; presumably the same Wyman Holden who signed another page.
  • Wyman Holden, signed at No. 1 Tenny's block, Boscawen Academy, in 1858; presumably the same Wyman Holden who signed another page
  • C. T. Huntoon, signed at Boscawen Academy on October 28, 1858
  • Abbie A. Kelsey of Nottingham, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 2, 1858
  • T. C. Keyes of Newbury, Vermont, signed at Boscawen, New Hampshire, presumably at Boscawen Academy, on November 5, 1858
  • Nellie J. Legro, signed at Boscawen Academy on October 28, 1858.  She was Ellen J. Legro, preceptress at the academy and future wife of signer Jonathan Tenney, who was the principal of the academy.
  • Lizzie McCurdy, signed at Boscawen Academy, on November 16, 1858
  • S. C. Merrill of Memphis, Tennessee, signed at Boscawen Academy, on November 5, 1858
  • C. W. Merrill of Memphis, Tennessee, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 5, 1858
  • George M. Morrill of Concord, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 15, 1858
  • Mary F. Morrill of Boscawen, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 13, 1858
  • Maria L. Peabody, signed at Franklin Academy on December 20, 1859
  • H. H. Perkins, signed at Boscawen Academy on January 26, 1859
  • Annie L. Sanborn of Canterbury, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on October 27, 1858
  • Lucy A. Sawyer of Salisbury, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 6, 1858.
  • Helen M. Scribner, signed at Franklin Academy on November 28, 1859
  • Mary E. Scribner, signed at Franklin Academy on November 21, 1859
  • P. R. Shepard, signed at Boscawen Academy on October 25, 1858; sketched a wreath of wheat; George's schoolmate.  25, 1858; sketched a wreath of wheat; George's schoolmate.  He may have been Peter R. Shepard, born 19 September 1838 at Boscawen, New Hampshire.
  • A. L. Smith, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 11, 1858; George's schoolmate
  • George L. Stackpole of West Boscawen, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 10, 1858; George's classmate
  • G. F. Sweat of Franklin, New Hampshire; album owner
  • Jonathan Tenney, signed at Boscawen Academy, at Boscawen, New Hampshire, on October 25, 1858.  He was principal at Boscawen Academy and future husband of signer Nellie J. Legro, or Ellen J. Legro, preceptress at the academy.
  • Abby K. Tenney of Fisherville, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on October 27, 1858.  In pencil: "alias E. B. Harvey, Macedon, N.Y."  Abby K. Tenney married Edwin B. Harvey on 30 July 1860 at Concord, New Hampshire.
  • Roger M. Tenny of Lyme, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy on November 5, 1858
  • Hannah J. Thompson, signed at Franklin Academy, on November 26, 1859
  • Dora J. Thompson, signed at Franklin Academy on December 18, 1859
  • W. R. Wadleigh of Fisherville, New Hampshire, signed at Boscawen Academy, on October 28, 1858.  I believe he was William R. Wadleigh, born 1 November 1842 at Concord, New Hampshire, son of George and Alvira Wadleigh
  • Selina Walley, signed at Franklin Academy on September 17, 859


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