Thursday, November 21, 2013

1880s/1890s Autograph Album from Lennoxville, Quebec


Note of August 3, 2015:  Please note the comment of a reader, reproduced here:

I believe this belonged to our family. Charles Wand Mitchell was born in 1878 in Lennoxville and died in 1917 - he was an army chaplain and died of his wounds while helping the wounded on the front lines. He is buried in Arras, France. His family owned the farm Maple Braes in the area. The "Chemin Mitchell" is named after his father. Some of the autographs would be the names of his siblings.

1880s/1890s autograph album that belonged to a student named Charlie who lived in the Lennoxville, Quebec area.  

Lennoxville is a borough of the City of Sherbrooke, which is located in the Eastern Townships, or Cantons de l'Est, of southeastern Quebec, near the borders of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

The album is approximately " x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of over 60 people.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this list.



Two people in the album indicated a relationship with Charlie but did not give enough information for me to identify him conclusively.

A cousin named Bayley, perhaps R. Bayley, of Sherbrooke, Quebec, signed a page on May 24, 1887.



Another cousin, possibly "J.", signed a page at Sutton, Quebec, on June 17, 1887.



Another page contains similar handwriting and is signed by a Farwell, whose first name I can't quite decipher, of Lennoxville, Quebec, signed on February 4, 1888.



Charlie's aunt Lewia signed a page on February 23, 1888.



For what it's worth, there was a Charles Farwell and a Charles Bailey/Bayley in the Sherbrooke, Quebec area around the time that this album was compiled.

Many of the other signers identified themselves as Charlie's schoolmates at Lennoxville, Quebec.  

One signer, A. W. Bradley took the time to draw an intricate sketch, at Lennoxville, Quebec, on January 29, 1891.


  
If you have knowledge of the families of the Lennoxville area back to the 1880s and can tease out Charlie's identity from the few family clues and school location, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

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

  • Lottie; signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on September 17, 1888
  • Lewia, signed on February 23, 1888; Charlie's aunt
  • S. W. P., signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on January 13, 1888; poem about man and Temperance
  • Charlie's cousin, signed on June 17, 1887 at Sutton, Quebec
  • Mary 
  • A. H. Abbott of Lennoxville, Quebec, signed on December 27, 1886
  • Margaret H. Abbott of Lennoxville, Quebec, signed on December 30, 1886
  • Mary E. Abbott of Lennoxville, Quebec, signed on August 25, 1886
  • Carrie C. Abbott of Lennoxville, Quebec, signed on October 5, 1886
  • Lewis D. Abbott of Lennoxville, Quebec, signed on January 13, 1887
  • George Armstrong; Charlie's schoolmate
  • Charles Armstrong; Charlie's schoolmate
  • R. Bayley, signed at Sherbrooke, Quebec, on May 24, 1887; Charlie's cousin, whose first initial might be R
  • George Bown
  • A. W. Bradley, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on January 29. 1891; drew an intricate sketch of birds and scroll
  • Effie J. Bradley, signed on January 29, 1890
  • A. J. Burge
  • Abbie Burrill
  • J. S. Burrill, signed on December 18, 1888
  • E. S. Burrill of Lennoxville, Quebec
  • Anna Cass, signed at No. Hatley, Quebec, on January 27, 1891
  • C. A. Crawford, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on December 21, 1888
  • Frank Farwell of Huntingville, Quebec, on April 21, 1897
  • M. M. Farwell, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on February 4, 1888; given name might be Minna
  • Edward Gamache; Charlie's schoolmate
  • Henry  Giroux
  • Allie Greene, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on December 12, 1888; Charle's schoolmate.  Middle initial might be F or H or ?
  • Hattie Hamilton, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on December 14, 1888
  • Edith Hawes, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on September 15, 1888
  • Charlie W. Henry, signed on January 6, 1888
  • Edward G. Henry, signed on January 6, 1888
  • Beatrice Holden
  • C. E. Johnston
  • Bertha A. Little, signed at Hatley, Quebec, on May 2, 1890
  • Henry W. Lothrop
  • Bertha Lothrop, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on December 18, 1888
  • Jennie McCulloch, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on January 9, 1888
  • Eliza B. McDonald
  • A. McDonald, signed on April 19, 1891; can't quite make out middle initial - could be I or J or ?
  • Robert Mitchell of Lennoxville, Quebec, signed on April 29 [no year written]
  • F. W. Mitchell of Lennoxville, Quebec, signed on January 14, 1888; not sure of first initial
  • D. W. Mitchell, signed on January 14, 1888
  • Willie H. Mitchell, signed in January 1891
  • Evelyn A. Oliver of North Hatley, Quebec; Charlie's schoolmate
  • L. S. H. Pennoyer of Waterville, Quebec, signed on February 18, 1888
  • Willie Perry, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on January 13, 1888
  • Walter H. Perry, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on September 26, 1888
  • Olive Ramsay
  • A. Robinson, signed on April 21, 1891; Charlie's schoolmate
  • William Smith, signed on January 27, 1891; Charlie's schoolmate
  • Dora F. Smith, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on January 27, 1891
  • Attie J. Stacey, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on April 9 [no year written]
  • Miss Phebe Stevens, Avon [Quebec?], signed on January 29, 1891
  • Orma Stevens, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on September 18, 1888; wrote on the page upside down.
  • Lou Stevens
  • Ethel Swail, signed on November 28, 1888
  • Alfred M. Taylor
  • J. E. Wilde, or J. E. Wilder, of Lennoxville, Quebec, signed on December 21, 1886
  • Florence E. Wilder, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on July 18, 1886
  • Mabel Wilder, signed at Lennoxville, Quebec, on July 18, 1886
  • Mrs. C. S. Young, signed at Compton, Quebec, on May 5, 1887


Lennoxville, Quebec


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Thanks for stopping by!

17 comments:

  1. I am a collector of Postal History. Related comment Abbie B. Burrill moved to Indian Head, Assa (NWT) between 1897 and 1905 according to envelopes I have addressed to her. This website shows info about the Burrill family in Indian Head. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cansacem/indian_head.html

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  2. Thank you for taking the time to provide that link. Wow, that was no small move for the Burrill family!

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  3. It would be very nice if this was donated to Bishops University in Lennoxville, Quebec which has a large collection of Townships history. I live in Massachusetts and have done extensive research there.

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    1. That may happen at some point, but my main goal is to reunite items with family, and, fortunately, that does happen often enough for me to take heart.

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  4. I believe this belonged to our family. Charles Wand Mitchell was born in 1878 in Lennoxville and died in 1917 - he was an army chaplain and died of his wounds while helping the wounded on the front lines. He is buried in Arras, France. His family owned the farm Maple Braes in the area. The "Chemin Mitchell" is named after his father. Some of the autographs would be the names of his siblings.

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    1. Thanks for this information - bittersweet though it is. I'm amending the post itself to direct future readers to your comment.

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  5. Hi Pam, My name is Judith Marion Roy Steiestol. Charles Wand Mitchell was my Grandmother's brother. My grandmother's name was Mable Marion Mitchell Roy. I don't see her name and signature in Charles's autograph book as a previous commentator mentioned. Charles attended Bishop's (became a minister there - Divinity House) as did his sister Mabel Mitchell along with my Dad (Andrew Raymond Mitchell Roy) my brother (Ernest Christie Roy) and myself. Charles had the gift of Language. While working in London prior to the war, he worked, on the side, at the British Museum translating. His translation work of Syriac Palimpsests, can be found in the book published after his death entitled "St. Ephraim's Prose Refutations". My Dad gave me a copy. Dad purchased the book on
    Amazon.ca. In my Dad's later years the black and white picture of "Uncle Charlie" was always visible on his desk at 100 Bow Landing in Calgary. Charlie's sister (Mable Marion Mitchell) received permission from the Queen to see his work, the work of her brother Charles at the British Museum. I hope to do the same someday and to visit his burial place in Faubourg D'Amiens Cemetery. To my understanding no one in the family has paid there respects there, yet. My cousin, Diana Harrision, in Vancouver, has Great Uncle Charlie's Bible that was returned to his sister Mabel sometime after May 3, 2017. The Bible is filled with Shrapnel. It was apparent that he died up and over the trenches on the front lines while ministering to the dying. My Mom once said it is the most coveted Bible in the family! For some years I worked at Fort McMurray Christian School. Each Remembrance Day I would distribute a mini booklet about my Great Uncle and his story. My students loved Uncle Charlie's story and so does one of my daughter's and one of my son in laws. In 2019 I revisited Bishop's and went into the Chapel where I was told there was a memorial Plaque. It was very special to me. I felt very close to my Grandmother and dear Uncle Charlie. I tried to find the Maple Braes Farm but to no avail. I was disappointed for I remember my Dad showing me the farm when I went to Bishop's and had hoped to catch a glimpse once again. I did however, visit Malvern Cemetery, where I was pleased to find the Mitchell Plot (Uncle Char's parents and other family members. I was also pleased to spot the sign advertising the building of the "Mitchell Dorm Residency" at BCS where my brother Ernie attended. It was such a welcome for me. To this day I have the deepest respect and love for Charles Mitchell...it says in the Bible that a Good man's deeds will be remembered and to this day his legacy is passed down not only at Bishop's and elsewhere in Quebec where I grew up, but also in Alberta. My Dad (Charles's nephew) gave my daughter Meggy a pictue that Charles must have bought at some point in his life. It adorns her living room in Fort McMurray and every time I go over to her home to visit she and Hunter and my 3 Grandsons, I thank the Good Lord for Great
    Uncle Charlie's story. Somehow I just know they will pass his story on as well. Should you wish to contact me my email is jsteiestol@msn.com. Thanks. Should you wish to know more of my Great Uncle I would love to share. Many Thanks Pam.

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  6. Thank you so much for bringing such texture to Charles' life! Your description of the state of Charles' Bible is riveting and thought-provoking. May such disasters never happen again.

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  7. True Pam, but, who, may I ask, are you? Furthermore, how did you come to know my Great Uncle Charlie? Thanks. How, by chance, did you, as did I, come in to receiving some of his posessions? Thank You.

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  8. I didn't know any of these people; found the autograph album on eBay. I'm not sure how it ended up there, but I'm guessing some of the estate ended up with an auction house or antiques dealer. That's not great, but beats ending up at the dump, which happens far too often.

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  9. Thanks for explaining Pam; appreciated. So, with all respect, did you purchase it? Thank you, and yes, far better than ending up in the dump. Judy

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  10. Hi Pam, I have another question! What interest do you have in this blog about my Great Uncle? Don't get me wrong, I am forever grateful that you brought his autograph book into the light...for sure. Do let us all know (the above) who will inherit HIS autograph book. At St. Mark's Church, Bishop's in Lennoxville, his name is on a plaque along with many other local boys who served in World War I. He was a dear boy to many and always remembered. A man of the cloth and dear to God. I have a great a picture of him in the war room in Britain before he went to France. I inherited this from my Dad; Andrew Raymond Mitchell Roy. You see, Great Uncle Charlie spoke many languages and translated "Syriac Palimpsets" from Egypt (Jesus's Language) at the British War Museum in London before he served on the front. His Canada wide family dearly misses him. I hope his autograph finds a dear home...wherever that may be...do let us know. Thank you. Judith Marion Roy Steiestol (Fort McMurray, Alberta)

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  11. Hi again Pam. I am just seeing this now that these items are for sale. How much would his autograph book cost? Thanks. Thanks. Judy

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  12. Another Correction: My error and my apology. I inherited Uncle Charlie's picture,in the War Room, from my dear Cousin Carol.

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  13. The Bailey and Bown family are tied to my family. The Bown’s were twice married into our family and the Baileys once. Give you Context the Bown family were from around Bown, Quebec in Bury Township before spreading out and the Bailey family that I know come from near Eaton Quebec. Both areas within a half hour drive from Lennoxville.

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  14. My first memories of Mitchell's Maple Braes farm are of a special place where my aunt and uncle spent time during the summer and many weekends. My uncle"s father, Robert Newton Mitchell (1880-1965) owned the farm and my uncle is one of three sons, Robert, Francis and Charlie.
    My uncle frequently spoke of a time when he and his brothers were sent to work on the farm but his uncle treated them rather harshly.
    My aunt spoke of the Mitchells homesteading the property upon arriving from Ireland, however, there is some evidence to suggest the British removed the original French homesteaders for security reasons.
    Just north of Maple Braes along the Hoy Road is another Mitchell farm now owned by either Bishops or the Experimental Farm

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