Sunday, December 22, 2013

1860s Autograph Album of Flora Etta Goodnow of Worcester, Massachusetts


1860s autograph album of Flora Etta Goodnow of Worcester, Massachusetts.  The album was presented to her at Christmas in 1863 by M. J. M, perhaps her paternal aunt Mary Jane Goodnow.



The album is a small one, approximately 3-1/2" x 2-1/4", but relatively thick, with the sentiments of 79 of Flora's relatives and friends.

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

Flora Etta Goodnow was born 28 November 1853 at Worcester, Massachusetts, the daughter of Lyman Harrison Goodnow and Hannah L. (Simonds) Goodnow.  

One record shows her middle name indexed as Ella, but I believe I see an errant cross of the "tt".  If a reader has information on whether Flora's middle name was Etta or Ella, I'd appreciate a clarification.

Flora's father, Lyman Harrison Goodnow of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed a page in her album on January 23, 1868.



Flora's younger sister Lilla Florence Goodnow, born 6 March 1866 at Worcester, Massachusetts, signed two pages in the album.




Flora grandfather Goodnow, who was Harrison Dexter Goodnow, signed a page upside down at Worcester, Massachusetts, in January 1864.  He was born about 1800 at Boylston, Massachusetts and married Annis Eddy (Hudson) about 1825.



Other people with the surname Goodnow who signed in the album included M. Jennie Goodnow of Worcester, Massachusetts, who signed the first page after the presentation page, on 7 February 1867.  Flora's paternal aunt Mary Jane Goodnow had married John M. Cheney in 1866, so this was apparently another M. Jennie Goodnow, and whoever it was may have been the M. J. G. who presented the album to Flora in 1863, in the image second from the top.



Ella W. Goodrow wrote on a page upside down at Worcester, Massachusetts, on January 1, 1864.  There's another word under her name, which could have been a place name or a married name.  Comments welcome!



Abby G. Goodrow of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed a page on February 12, 1865.  




Flora's maternals, siblings Mary D. Simonds and Octavus Waldo Simonds signed pages in her album.  Mary of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed a page on January 2, 1864.





On 9 December 1874 at Worcester, Massachusetts, Flora married Charles A. Foster, son of Charles O. and Lucy H. (Ayres) Foster.  I found records where Charles' surname was listed as Fisher and where his parents' name was Fister.  

Charles and Flora lived for a time at Brooklyn, New York and had a son Charles Harrison Foster, who was born 10 November 1877 at Brooklyn, New York.  They moved back to Massachusetts at some point.  Charles A. Foster died at Fitchburg, Massachusetts, on 26 September 1908.  

Sadly, his son with Flora, Charles Harrison Foster, died 21 August 1913 at Leominster, Massachusetts; he left a wife, Anna May (Dennis) Foster and four children, who made their home, at least for a time, with Flora, as noted in the 1920 Census of Leominster, Massachusetts.

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.]

  • Harry
  • Ella, 1868; she drew a leaf and colored it in all colors.  Possibly Flora's older sister Ella Goodnow.
  • Alice of Worcester, Massachusetts; shared the page with Fanny S. Tucker, who dated her page October 31, 1865.  In top right corner of page: initials H.D.C.I.A.
  • Inez L. Adams of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 25, 1864
  • Fannie L. Ballard of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed in 1865
  • George M. Bemis of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on March 8, 1865
  • Mary E. Booth of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on June 27, 1867
  • Lizzie Childs of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 15, 1864
  • Eva M. Clemence of Worcester, Massachusetts.  In upper left corner: V.O.A. and H.M.
  • E. H. Coe, signed on January 7, 1864, at Thomas Secondary School, presumably at Worcester, Massachusetts
  • Edward Comins, signed at Worcester, Massachusetts, on February 8 [no year written]; middle initial is possibly I. and there was an Edward I. Comins at Worcester
  • A. S. Davis, signed on December 1, 1865; could be W. S. Davis
  • Maria Dodge of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on November 11, 1865
  • Alfred C. Earle of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 24, 1868  Penciled note: "Died 1868 winter"
  • Amanda Fisher of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 27, 1864
  • Agnes G. Flagg of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on April 28, 1864
  • Alfred J. Foster of Montclair, New Jersey, signed on February 23 1893 [not sure of year]
  • Eddie R. Gates of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on November 16, 1866
  • May F. Gleason of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 28, 1867
  • Flora E. Goodnow, album owner.  The album was presented to Flora at Christmas in 1863 by her M. J. G., who may have been her paternal aunt Mary Jane Goodnow
  • M. Jennie Goodnow of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on February 7, 1867.  Flora had a paternal aunt named Mary Jane Goodnow, but she had married John M. Cheney in 1866, so this was likely another M. Jennie Goodow, and perhaps it was she who presented the album to Flora.
  • Lyman H. Goodnow of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 23, 1868.  Flora's father Lyman Harrison Goodnow.
  • Abby G. Goodnow of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on February 12, 1865.  She may have been Abbie G. (Leland) Goodnow, daughter of Royal and Margaret Leland and wife of William Dexter Goodnow, brother of Flora's father Lyman Harrison Goodnow
  • Lilla F. Goodnow of Worcester, Massachusetts.  Flora's younger sister Lilla Florence Goodnow; she signed another page as well.
  • Signed on the page upside down:  Ella W. Goodnow, signed at Worcester, Massachusetts, on January 1, 1864.  There's a word under Ella's name that could be a town or name.  Looks like Leck
  • Written on the page upside down: Grandpa Goodnow, signed in January 1864 at Worcester, Massachusetts.  Flora's grandfather was Harrison Dexter Goodnow, born about 1800 at Boylston, Massachusetts
  • Ella M. Goulding of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on September 2, 1866
  • Mary A. Harrington, signed on January 5, 1865
  • Katie E. Hastings of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on December 30, 1867
  • Bertha Hathaway of West Somerville, Massachusetts, signed on July 4, 1880
  • George W. Hawes of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 25, 1863
  • Albert R. Holland of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on November 11, 1865
  • Louisa A. Howe of Worcester, Massachusetts
  • Martie E. Hubbard [or Martie E. Hufford] of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on November 2, 1864
  • Hattie B. Humphreys, signed on November 24, 1867
  • Ida W. Johnson of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 24, 1868
  • C. M. Jordan of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on October 29, 1866
  • Henry L. Keyes of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 11, 1865
  • Mary L. Kinney
  • Lizzie P. Knowlton of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 18, 1864
  • Alfred Lathe of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 23, 1868
  • Herbert A. Libby of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on September 12, 1865
  • Freddie A. McClure of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on November 16, 1866
  • Hard to read, but looks like Minnie Meed.  There was a Minnie Mead living in the Hammond household at Worcester, Massachusetts during the album's era, according to the 1860 Census.
  • Nellie Merrick
  • Annie R. Merrill of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on February 4, 1864  Penciled note: "Dead"
  • Fannie A. Nichols of Worcester, Massachusetts, on January 19, 1865
  • Mary Nichols of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 20, 1865; middle initial could be S or L
  • Alida J. Norton of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 25, 1864
  • Emma Orvis of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed in February 1865.  Penciled note: "Died 1870" [not sure of last digit] but there was an Emma Jennie Orvis who died at Worcester, Massachusetts on 22 January 1870.
  • Frank W. Parker of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 7, 1864.  Initials Y. T. F. P.  Penciled note: "dead 1872"
  • Eva W. Parker of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed in 1865
  • Herbert L. Parker of Worcester, Massachusetts
  • Caroline Parkinson, signed on June 25, 1867
  • Nellie M. Peckham of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed in 1868
  • Written on the page upside down: Frank E. Peck
  • Mary E. Prouty of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on April 29, 1865
  • Lyman S. Russell, signed on November 10, 1865
  • Sarah F. Sackett of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on October 22, 1866
  • Henry Sackett of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on October 27, 1866.  Penciled note: "Dead"
  • Written on the page upside down: Mary D. Simonds of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 2, 1864.  She was the daughter of Sylvanus and Frances M. (Gibson) Simonds and sister of signer Octavus Waldo Simonds.
  • Octavus Waldo Simonds, son of Sylvanus and Frances M. (Gibson) Simonds and sister of signer Mary D. Simonds.
  • Ella M. Smith, signed on January 31 [no year written]
  • Ida A. Smith of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on May 26, 1864
  • Theo H. Smith of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on May 25, 1864  Initials in two corners: F.G. and E. G.  Could stand for Flora Goodnow and her sister Ella
  • Idella M. Smith of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on November 21, 1867
  • Eva L. Smyth
  • J. Eddie Studley of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 9, 1864
  • Fannie Studley of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 8, 1864
  • Emma L. Swan of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 9, 1864
  • Charles E. Tainter of Worcester, Massachusetts
  • Lizzie Temple of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on March 30, 1864
  • E. Thurber, signed on March 29, 1864
  • Fanny S. Tucker of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on October 31, 1865; shared the page with Alice.  In top right corner of page: initials "H.D.C.I.A."
  • Annie E. Vaill
  • Henry Wheeler of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on January 14, 1868
  • E. M. Wheeler, signed at Thomas Grammar School on January 3, 1865
  • F. T. White of Worcester, Massachusetts  Penciled note: "Died Dec 1879".  He was Frank T. White, who died 15 December 1879, son of Talbot and Frances White
  • Catie H. White of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed in December 1866
  • Laurie A. Woodcock of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed in February 1865


Worcester, Massachusetts [A] and Leominster, Massachusetts [B]


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