Monday, December 23, 2013

1886+ Autograph Album of Lura Vella Lewis of Springfield, Maine


Autograph album that belonged to Miss Lura Lewiss of Springfield, Maine, dated 1886.   All official records I found of Lura and her family refer to the surname as Lewis.

See another post that features the 1890s autograph album of Lura's youngest sibling, Harry Abner Lewis.

Many of the signers in Lura's album were students and possibly some educators at Springfield Normal Academy and Springfield Normal School.



The album is puffy red velvet, approximately 7" x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of 48 of Lura's relatives, friends, schoolmates and future husband, Edward Whittier Deuplisea/Duplisea, and includes pages inscribed by their children in the early 1900s.

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

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

Lura Vella Lewis was born 10 May 1864 at Springfield, Maine, the daughter of Henry Blanchard Lewis and Florence Anna (Berry) Lewis, both Springfield, Maine, natives.

On 12 October 1887 at Springfield, Maine, Lura Vella Lewis married Edward Whittier Deuplisea, son of Andrew John Deuplisea/Duplisea and Hannah Delilah (Byers) Deuplisea/Duplisea.  Edward was born 11 November 1865 at Princeton, Maine.

Edward signed the page after Lura's ownership page on October 5, 1886.  His signing the first page in the album after Lura's page perhaps indicates that they were already more than just acquaintances.



Lura and Edward lived at Springfield, Maine, at least until the time of the 1900 Census, but moved to nearby Mattawamkeag, Maine, soon after.  Three of their six children signed pages in Lura's album in the early 1900s; the others, Elsie May Duplisea; Carl Thompson Duplisea and Lee Greenwood Duplisea, were too young at that time.

Their first child, Elton Bruce Deuplisea, of Mattawamkeag, Maine, signed a page on August 27, 1903.  He gave his birth place and date, though he wrote the incorrect year: "Born in Springfield, May 7, 1882" [he meant 1888].



Their son Arthur Francis Duplisea signed two pages, one during the 1906 winter term at M.G.S., which I presume was Mattawamkeag Grammar School.  He wrote "Born in Springfield, Me., Dec. 23, 1892".




Their daughter, Elene F. Deuplisea, of Mattawamkeag, Maine, signed a page.  She wrote: "Born in Springfield, Me., Sept. 7, 1895".



Sadly, Lura didn't live long after her children wrote in her album.  She died 16 May 1907.

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.]

  • Painting of pansies done by E. T.
  • M. D. Barnes, signed at Springfield, Maine, on October 12, 1886.  He was Marcellus D. Barnes; his wife Susie L. (Hall) Barnes, signed the right facing page.
  • Susie L. Barnes, signed at Springfield, Maine, on October 12, 1886.  She was Susie L. (Hall) Barnes, married to Marcellus D. Barnes, who signed the left facing page.
  • Laura Bartlett of Orient, Maine, signed at Springfield Normal Academy on May 4, 1887
  • Josiah M. Bearce of Springfield, Maine, signed on May 5, 1887
  • Philo Bearce of Springfield, Maine, signed on April 5, 1887.
  • Emma Belden of Prentiss, Maine, signed on April 28, 1887
  • Jennie W. Bishop of Carroll, Maine, signed on December 29, 1886
  • The name W. H. H. Briggs is incorporated into a very intricate sketch of a quill pen done on September 3, 1886.  He was presumably Dr. William Henry Harrison Briggs, son of Samuel and Matilda B. (Cookson) Briggs of Freedom, Maine.  I don't know whether he was attending Springfield Normal School in 1886 or teaching there.  He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1887.  On 25 November 1887, he married Mina Chase, who signed the left facing page; they later divorced.
  • Eva Brown of Springfield, Maine, signed at Springfield Normal School on October 26, 1886
  • James W. Butterfield of Springfield, Maine, signed on October 20, 1886 at Springfield Normal School
  • Janet Butterfield, signed at Springfield,  Maine, on October 19, 1886
  • Purley C. Butterfield of Springfield, Maine, signed during the Fall Term of Springfiel
  • Mina Chase of Springfield, Maine, signed during the Fall Term of Springfield Normal School in 1886.  Her future husband, whom she would marry on 25 November 1887, inscribed the right facing page with an intricate sketch that included his name, W. H. H. Briggs.  He was future doctor William Henry Harrison Briggs of Freedom, Maine.
  • Idona M. Cole of Springfield,  Maine, signed at Springfield Normal School, on May 3, 1887
  • L. V. Cooper of Prentiss, Maine, signed during the Spring Term of S. N. A., on April 5, 1887.  Presumably Springfield Normal Academy, another name for Springfield Normal School or associated with it.
  • E. Cossar of Carroll, Maine.  Perhaps Edwin Cossar, signed of D. H. Cossar, who was presumably Daniel H. Cossar.
  • D. H. Cossar of Carroll, Maine, signed at Springfield Normal School on April 4, 1887; Lura's schoolmate.  Presumably Daniel H. Cossar, perhaps brother of signer E. Cossar, who was possibly Edwin Cossar.
  • Edd W. Deuplisea of Princeton, Maine, signed on October 5, 1886.  He was Edward Whittier Deuplisea/Duplisea [the spelling of the surname that his family apparently settled on], who would marry album owner Lura Vella Lewis just over a year later, on 12 October 1887.
  • Elene F. Deuplisea of Mattawamkeag, Maine, "Born in Springfield, Me. Sept. 7, 1895".  Daughter of album owner Lura Lewis and husband Edward Whittier Deuplisea/Duplisea
  • E. B. Deuplisea of Mattawamkeag, Maine, signed on August 27, 1903.  "Born in Springfield, May 7, 1882" [he meant 1888].  First born of Lura Vella (Lewis) and Edward Whittier Duplisea/Deuplisea
  • Madge W. Drake of Springfield, Maine, signed on December 29, 1886
  • Arthur F. Duplisea of Mattawamkeag, Maine, "Born in Springfield, Me., Dec 23, 1892".  He was Lura's son with husband Edward Whittier Deuplisea/Duplisea.
  • Frank Duplisea of Boston, Massachusetts.  He may have the Franklin Andrew Duplisea, younger brother of signer Edward Whittier Duplisea, Lura's future husband
  • Arthur F. Duplisea of Mattawamkeag, Maine, signed during the Winter Term of M.G.S. in 1906, presumably Mattawamkeag Grammar School
  • Flora A. Gradie of Mattawamkeag, Maine, "Born in May 1895".  Daughter of Larkin E. Gradie, born in New Brunswick, and Charlotte L. (Davis) Gradie, born at Mattawamkeag.
  • Alice U. Graves of Springfield, Maine, signed at Springfield Normal Academy on April 27, 1887
  • H. Willard Johnson of Springfield,  Maine, signed on October 27, 1886
  • Willie Johnson of Springfield, Maine, signed on April 26, 1887
  • Miss Lura Lewiss of Springfield, Maine, signed in 1886.  She was Lura Vella Lewis; album owner.  All official records show her maiden name as Lewis, not Lewiss
  • Amanda L. Lombard of Springfield, Maine, signed on November 18, 1886
  • Fred H. Lothrop of Carroll, Maine, signed at Springfield Normal School, at Springfield, Maine, on October 21, 1886, during the "First term of the Springfield Normal High School Bell"
  • Will E. Mahar, signed at Springfield,  Maine, on November 21, 1886
  • Clinton H. Mahar of Norridgewock, Maine, signed on November 17, 1886
  • Nellie McKay of Wytopitlock, Maie, signed at Springfield Normal Academy during the fall term on November 10, 1886; Lura's schoolmate
  • Dora E. Moors of Carroll, Maine, signed during the Spring Term at Springfield Normal Academy, perhaps another name for Springfield Normal School or associated with it, on April 27, 1887
  • Helena E. Pillsbury of Springfield, Maine, signed on April 5, 1887
  • Clyde Prouty of Wytopitlock, Maine, signed at Springfield Normal Academy on April 27, 1887
  • Winnie A. Richardson of Carroll, Maine, signed on April 27, 1887
  • Blanche Russell of Danforth, Maine, signed at Springfield, Maine, on March 18, 1888, perhaps while she was a student at Springfield Normal School
  • R. L. Snowe of Springfield, Maine, signed on September 26, 1886
  • Belle Spencer of Carroll, Maine, signed at Springfield Normal School on November 14 [no year written]
  • Herbert O. Spencer of Carroll, Maine, signed at Springfield Normal School on November 7, 1886
  • Howard Spencer of Carroll, Maine, signed on November 7, 1886
  • Bert Trask of Springfield, Maine, signed at Springfield Normal Academy on May 3, 1887
  • David F. Wallace of Carroll, Maine, signed on April 26, 1887
  • Nancy A. White of Springfield,  Maine, signed at S. N. A. on November 16, 1886; Lura's schoolmate.  S.N.A. was perhaps Springfield Normal Academy, another name or part of Springfield Normal School.
  • Grace Whitney of Lakeville,  Maine, signed on December 26, 1886.
  • James Worster, signed on April 29, 1887



Springfield, Maine [A] and Mattawamkeag, Maine [B]


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Thanks for stopping by!

3 comments:

  1. Lura was my grand aunt, the sister of my grandmother Florence Emma Lewis Hanscom. I have extensive information on Lura's Lewis ancestors and some information on the Dupliseas. Regards, Leigh Cowing

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pam, Harry Lewis of Springfield was my grandfather. I'd be glad to be in touch! claytonhalllewis@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. So glad you happened on this! Sadly, I no longer have either this album or your grandfather's - they went to the same person a few years back. However, if you go over the inscription lists here and on your grandfather's album (there's a link in the post above), I will gladly send you images of the pages inscribed by your relatives.

    ReplyDelete