Monday, December 9, 2013

1890s Autograph Album of Farmington, Maine area students and residents


1890s autograph album with pages signed by Farmington, Maine students and others.  Sadly, it appears that some of the first pages in the album are missing, pages that might have given the name of the owner.

Someone with knowledge of Franklin County genealogy could probably determine the identity of the owner based on relationship clues in the album.  Three cousins with the surname Lake and Wheeler signed pages; more on them below.

It's possible that the owner may have been named Rena, judging from the page below.  But the writer may have been referring to someone else.


Near the end of the album is a page signed by Rena P. Ladd of Farmington, Maine.  She was Irene P. Ladd, daughter of Frank and Ora/Aura Ladd.  She could be the Rena referenced, a friend in common of both the album owner and Rosanna, or perhaps even the album owner herself.  It wouldn't be unprecedented for an album owner to sign a page in the middle of the album, though uncommon.  Additionally, the Ladds and Lakes, see below, were related.


Sisters Cora Lake and Flora Lake of Farmington, Maine signed facing pages.  They called themselves the album owner's cousin.  Flora dated her page November 17, 1893.



Cousin Ella F. Wheeler of Farmington, Maine, signed a page on November 2, 1893.


Many of the other signers were students with the album owner at Farmington.  One of them, Cora G. Churchill, described herself as the album owner's seatmate.


One signer's name has me stumped.  I'm hoping for readers' suggestions.


If you have a theory as to the album owner's identity, 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.]

  • Eva ?
  • Lillian Berry of Farmington, Maine, signed on December 30, 1890
  • Mamie Berry of Farmington, Maine
  • May Carsley of Farmington, Maine, signed on December 30, 1899 [not sure of last digit]
  • Margie Carsley of Farmington, Maine
  • Cora G. Churchill of Farmington, Maine, album owner's seatmate at school
  • Carrie Dudley of West Farmington, Maine, signed on October 24, 1893
  • Josephine Mae Holman of Farmington, Maine
  • Mabelle E. Hunter of Farmington, Maine, signed on November 23, 1893
  • Emma O. Kilby of Freeport, Maine, signed at Farmington, Maine, on November 28, 1893
  • Rena P. Ladd of Farmington, Maine.  Irene P. Ladd
  • Cora Lake of Farmington, Maine; album owner's cousin
  • Flora Lake of Farmington, Maine, signed on November 17, 1893; album owner's cousin
  • Robert Lincoln of Farmington, Maine, signed on December 30, 1890
  • Lemont W. Littlefield of Farmington, Maine
  • Mary Milliken of Farmington,  Maine, signed on November 16, 1893; album owner's schoolmate
  • Rosanna Pomeroy of Farmington, Maine, signed on November 24, 1893
  • E. S. Randall of Farmington, Maine, signed on November 25, 1893
  • Florence Russell of Farmington
  • Queen M. Schofield of Farmington, Maine, signed on November 16, 1893
  • Annie L. Schofield of Farmington, Maine, signed on November 19, 1893
  • Lottie Stewart of Farmington, Maine, signed on November 16, 1893; album owner's schoolmate
  • Harry B. Tarr of Lewiston, Maine, signed on January 16, 1894, "U.M." in one corner and "S.M." in another.  He is likely the Harry B. Tarr who signed another page.
  • Edith Thompson of Farmington, Maine
  • Flossie M. Trask of Farmington, Maine, signed on October 24, 1893
  • Florence Wade of Farmington, Maine, signed on January 17, 1894
  • Vernie Wheeler of Farmington, Maine
  • Ella F. Wheeler of Farmington, Maine, signed on November 2, 1893; album owner's cousin
  • Gertrude Williams of Farmington, Maine
  • Eula Williamson of Farmington, Maine, signed on November 16, 1893
  • Ellise Witham of Starks,  Maine, signed on January 19, 1894
Farmington, Maine


Thanks for stopping by!

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