1880s Autograph Album of Anna M. Roberts of St. Johnsbury, Vermont

1880s autograph album that belonged to Anna M. Roberts of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, some collected while she was attending St. Johnsbury Academy.  Many of the signers gave their residence as St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, or St. Johnsbury Center, Vermont.

The album is approximately 6-3/4" x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of 64 of Anna's relatives, friends and schoolmates.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.  The album, the "Ornithautographic Album", features several fancy preprinted bird designs scattered throughout, but none of the signers took advantage of those pages.

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

Anna M. Roberts [at least one record shows Anna Maybell Roberts] was born 22 September 1865 at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, the daughter of Horatio Nelson Roberts and Adeline (Baldwin) Roberts.  I noticed that the Vermont Archives holds some of Horatio's letters, written during his Civil War service.

One of Anna's four siblings, William Arthur Roberts of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, signed a page in the album on January 24.  He wrote the year on the edge of the page; it's either 1888, or possibly 1880.  He called her Annah.

I lost track of Anna after the 1880 Census.  I found some possible candidates, including a single Anna M. Roberts who moved to Medford, Massachusetts, but I don't have anything definite.  Hopefully a reader will provide additional information.

Two signers indicated they were Anna's cousins.  Cousin Sadie S. Pierce of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, signed a page on April 24, 1880.

Cousin Henrietta Easterbrooks signed a page at Sutton, Vermont, on August 19, 1885.

Three students indicated that they were students at St. Johnsbury Academy, including Inda M. Whitney, who signed a page on September 24, 1883 and called herself Anna's roommate.  She was Inda Mae Whitney, daughter of Artemas C. and Sarah E. (Stark) Whitney and future wife of Bert A. Farnham.

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!

Surname in the album   [Note: Most surnames appear multiple times.]

Ayer
Badger
Bartlett
Bradley
Brockway
Brooks
Brown
Dickinson
Dunklee
Easterbrooks
Edmunds
Evans
Fuller
Howe
Ide
Johnson
Livingstone
Lougee
Mitchell
Mooney
Pierce
Powers
Robbins
Roberts
Rodliff
Sargent
Seale
Sherry
Shorey
Simmons
Spaulding
Spinney
Squiers
Stafford
Stevens
Stiles
Stone
Thompson
Ward
Whitcher
Whitney
Wright

Signers in the album   [Note: Given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]

A

• Nettie Ayer, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on May 22, 1880

B

• Florence E. Badger of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, signed on April 29, 1880; Anna's schoolmate
• Helen A. Bartlett of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont
• Clara I. Bartlett, signed at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on June 27, 1881
• Minnie C. Bradley, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on August 22, 1881
• Augusta M. Brockway, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on March 11, 1884
• Mary M. Brooks, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on June 15, 1880
• Etta J. Brooks, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on June 15, 1880
• Oscar Brown, signed at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on January 1, 1881
• Mrs. Oscar Brown, signed at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on January 1, 1881

D

• L. C. Dickinson, signed on January 14, 1880.  He was Rev. Lucius Chandler Dickinson, whose wife Millicent Ruth (Todd) Dickinson also signed the page.  Their children Mary Dickinson and David C. Dickinson signed the facing page.  Daughter Clara I. Dickinson signed another page.
• Mrs. M. R. Dickinson.  She was Millicent Ruth (Todd) Dickinson, whose husband Rev. Lucius Chandler Dickinson shared the page.  Their children Mary and David D. Dickinson signed the facing page.  Daughter Clara I. Dickinson signed another page.
• Mary Dickinson, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on January 13, 1880.  Her brother David C. Dickinson shared the page.  Her parents Rev. Lucius Chandler Dickinson and Millicent Ruth (Todd) Dickinson signed the facing page.  Her sister Clara I. Dickinson signed another page.
• David C. Dickinson, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on January 13, 1880.  He was David Chandler Dickinson, whose sister Mary shared the page.  His parents Rev. Lucius Chandler Dickinson and Millicent Ruth (Todd) Dickinson signed the facing page.  His sister Clara I. Dickinson signed another page.
• Clara I. Dickinson, signed on November 4, 1881.  She was Clara Ida Dickinson, whose parents, Rev. Lucius Chandler Dickinson and Millicent Ruth (Todd) Dickinson and siblings Mary Dickinson and David Chandler Dickinson signed facing pages in the album.
• George F. Dunklee of Lyndon Center, Vermont, signed on January 14, 1880

E

• Henrietta Easterbrooks, signed at Sutton, Vermont, on August 19, 1885; Anna's cousin
• Mable K. Edmunds of Coventry Falls, Vermont, signed on September 23, 1883
• W. A. Evans, signed at St. Johnsbury Center, Vermont, on January 9, 1883; Mrs. Evans signed the right facing page.
• Mrs. W. A. Evans of St. Johnsbury Center, Vermont.  Her husband W. A. Evans signed the left facing page.

F

• Etta M. Fuller, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on January 22, 1880

H

• Cara E. Howe, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on May 10, 1880
• Dora F. Howe of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, signed on April 6, 1882

I

• Minnie M. Ide, signed on September 6, 1880

J

• Ruby A. Johnson of Post Mills, Vermont, signed at St. Johnsbury Academy on October 16, 1883

L

• Clara L. Livingstone of East Hardwick, Vermont, signed at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on October 24, 1883
• Emma E. Lougee of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, signed on January 26, 1880
• Herbert A. Lougee of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, signed on January 26, 1880

M

• Abby F. Mitchell, signed at St. Johnsbury Academy on October 15, 1883
• Mrs. Gloria Mooney of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont

P

• Sadie S. Pierce, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on April 24, 1880; Anna's cousin
• Abbie A. Pierce of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, signed on January 19, 1880
• Mrs. C. O. Pierce, signed on April 24, 1880
• Etta B. Pierce of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, signed on August 20, 1881
• F. A. Pierce, signed at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on December 18, 1880.  He was Freeman A. Pierce; his wife Olive E. Pierce signed the right facing page.
• Olive E. Pierce, signed at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on December 18, 1880; her husband Freeman A. Pierce signed the left facing page
• Hallie J. Powers of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, signed on January 23, 1880  "Love Willie Roberts for he loves you", presumably referring to Anna's brother William Arthur Roberts
• DeEtte J. Powers of West Burke, Vermont, signed on January 20, 1883

R

• Dora A. Robbins, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on March 27, 1886
• Anna M. Roberts of St. Johnsbury, Vermont; album owner
• W. A. Roberts, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on January 24, 1880 [or 1888].  Anna's brother William Arthur Roberts, born 23 October 1857 at St. Johnsbury, Vermont
• Walter C. Rodliff, signed on December 27, 1889

S

• Cora B. Sargent of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, signed on March 13, 1884
• Inez Sargent, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on January 21, 1880
• W. Seale, signed at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, on December 22, 1889
• Willard W. Sherry of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, signed on January 26, 1881
• Julia F. Shorey, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on August 15, 1885
• Eliza Simmons of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, signed at Lebanon, New Hampshire, or vice versa, on June 27, 1880
• Cora E. Spaulding of St. Johnsbury, Vermont
• W. L. Spinney of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, signed at St. Johnsbury Center, Vermont, on January 19, 1880
• Addie M. Squiers, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on June 26, 1885
• Mrs. Jennie A. Squiers, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on June 26, 1885
• Lizzie J. Stafford of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, signed on March 19, 1882
• Emma C. Stevens of St. Johnsbury, Vermont, signed on October 7, 1880
• Abbie Stiles of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, signed on April 7, 1881
• Zilla E. Stiles, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on October 22, 1881
• Adele C. Stiles of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, signed on April 22, 1880
• Ella M. Stone, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, on February 11, 1880

T

• Hattie W. Thompson of Lyndonville, Vermont, signed on April 13, 1882; mentions "Class in Physics", so presumably Anna's schoolmate

W

• J. Ward, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, on November 20, 1881.  Josiah Ward, whose wife Miranda M. (Ayer) Ward signed the right facing page.
• Mrs. M. M. Ward, signed at St. Johnsbury Centre, on November 12, 1881.  Miranda M. (Ayer) Ward, whose husband Josiah Ward signed the left facing page.
• Cora M. Whitcher of Walden, Vermont, signed on "10-3-1883"
• Inda M. Whitney, signed at St. Johnsbury Academy, on September 24, 1883; Anna's roommate Inda Mae Whitney, daughter of Artimas C. Whitney and Sarah E. (Stark) Whitney and future wife of Bert A. Farnham
• Georgia A. Wright of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, signed on September 26, 1880
• H. A. Wright of St. Johnsbury Centre, Vermont, signed on January 26, 1883

St. Johnsbury, Vermont

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