Tuesday, April 15, 2014

1880s Autograph Album of Azariah Rettenhouse Goodwin of Kelton, Pennsylvania, a Student at New London Academy


1880s autograph album of Azariah Rettenhouse Goodwin, "Ezzie", of Kelton, Pennsylvania, a student at New London Academy at New London, Pennsylvania.


A label on the inside front cover indicates that the album was purchased at J. W. Bowman, Bookseller, Stationer and Music Dealer, of Oxford, Pennsylvania,


The album is approximately 6-3/4" x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of over 100 of Azariah's relatives, friends and schoolmates.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

New London Academy was originally founded in 1743 by Reverend Francis Allison, at New London, Pennsyslvania, but was moved to Newark, Delaware, where it became the foundation for Delaware College.  About 1866, an academy was again founded at New London, Pennsylvania, with Reverend James Love Mackey, a former missionary to Africa, as principal.  Read more about this second academy here.  Interestingly, a D. Mackey signed a page in Azardiah's album.

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

Azariah Rettenhouse Goodwin was born 16 July 1863, presumably in Chester County, Pennsylvania, the son of Jesse and Sarah Ann (Timanus) Goodwin.  His paternal grandparents were Richard and Elizabeth (Heston) Goodwin.  His maternal grandparents were George and Sarah Timanus.

Azariah's two brothers, George and Richard, died before their first birthday.  Sister Lizzie signed a page in the album on March 10, 1880.  In 1895, she would marry John Wesley Dance.


Several signers expressed a cousin relationship with Azariah, and there were other signers with the same surnames who were likely also relatives.  The signers who expressed a cousin relationship:
  • Martha of Wilmington, Delaware, who signed a page on September 14, 1880
  • Sallie Cheyney of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who signed a page on September 7, 1880
  • Will S. Cloud of Wilmington [no state written, but presumably Delaware], who signed a page on November 23, 1880
  • Emily Goodwin, who signed a page on March 26, 1881
  • Ida J. Terry, signed at Lincoln [no state written], on April 18, 1881
Sadly, Azardiah died before his time, on 10 May 1891.  I couldn't find a marriage record for him.

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.

Surnames

?    [8]
Anderson
Armstrong
Bennix
Booth
Bradley
Brown
Buckley
Bullock    [2]
Bye
Chambers
Cheyney    [2]
Cloud    [2]
Conard
Crowl
Dougherty
Edge
Fell   [2]
Felle
Fick
Fulton
Gillingham    [2]
Good
Goodwin    [3]
Guthrie
Heston
Hodgson
Hooper
Huston    4]
Ironside
James    [4]
Kays    [2]
Kelton    [2]
Kerns
Kimble
Kirk    [2]
Mackey
Mahan
McNeill
Mearns
Meredith
Michener    [2]
Miller    [2]
Miller
Monson
Montgomery
Nelson     [8]
Phillips
Pierce
Pitt
Primrose
Roney
Russell
Saunders
Scotten    [2]
Sherer    [2]
Smith    [3]
Sommer
Spencer
Steel    [2]
Storey    [2]
Taylor
Terry    [2]
Test
Toy
Walter
Webster    [2]

Signers in the album       [Note: Given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]
  • Phillips; shared the page with Frank C. James
  • E. R. T.
  • Emma, signed at New London, Pennsylvania, on February 3, 1881
  • Name erased but someone wrote initials, possibly I.J.P.
  • Ida L. P.
  • Martha of Wilmington, Delaware, signed at Penn, Pennsylvania, on September 14, 1880; Azariah's cousin
  • E. M. T.; Azariah's schoolmate
  • Written upside town by Azariah's teacher, who didn't leave a name.
  • James Anderson, signed on March 23, 1883; Azariah's schoolmate
  • Lizzie Armstrong of New London, Pennsylvania, signed on December 20, 1881; Azariah's schoolmate
  • Susie Bennix of Wilmington, Delaware, signed on November 19, 1880
  • Walter Booth of New London, Pennsylvania
  • Lizzie Bradley of Rowlandville, Maryland, signed on March 2, 1880
  • Cora Brown of Zion, Maryland, in Cecil County, signed on July 22, 1880
  • James Buckley, signed on March 2, 1882 at New London Academy; Azariah's schoolmate
  • Arthur B. Bullock, or Arthur B. Bulloch, signed on August 18, 1880
  • E. P. Bullock, signed on August 18, 1880
  • C. A. Bye, signed at New London, Pennsylvania
  • Mattie Chambers, signed at Kelton, Pennsylvania, on July 22, 1881; Azariah's schoolmate
  • Lizzie A. Cheyney, signed on August 18, 1880
  • Sallie Cheyney of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, signed on September 7, 1880; Azariah's cousin
  • Will S. Cloud of Wilmington, no state written, on November 23, 1880; Azariah's cousin
  • J. G. Cloud, signed at Wilmington, Delaware
  • Maggie Conard of New London Academy, signed on December 20, 1881
  • J. A. Crowl, signed on June 6, 1880
  • Allie Dougherty, signed on December 20, 1881 at New London Academy
  • Edith A. Edge of West Chester, Pennsylvania, signed on August 11, 1883; shared the page with Elwood Michener of New London, Pennsylvania
  • Annie S. Fell, signed on January 20, 1881
  • Rachie S. Fell, signed on April 17, 1880; presumably Rachel S. Fell, sister of signer Hannah M. Felle
  • Han M. Felle, signed at New London, Pennsylvania; presumably Hannah M. Felle or Fell; it was presumably her sister, Rachel Fell, who signed another page.
  • L. J. Fick, signed at New London, Pennsylvania, on December 2, 1880
  • James Fulton of New London Academy; Azariah's schoolmate
  • Thomas E. Gillingham of New London, Pennsylvania, signed on February 28, 1881; Azariah's schoolmate
  • J. S. Gillingham, signed at New London, Pennsylvania, on March 1, 1881
  • Newlin Good of New London, Pennsylvania, signed on February 19, 1883
  • Azariah Rettenhouse Goodwin of Kelton, Pennsylvania, at New London Academy
  • Emily Goodwin, signed on March 26, 1881; Azariah's cousin
  • Lizzie, signed on March 10, 1880; Azariah's older sister Elizabeth G. Goodwin, who would marry John Wesley Dance in 1895
  • Annie V. Guthrie of Wilmington, Delaware, signed on November 19, 1880
  • Ella R. Heston of Rising Sun, Maryland, in Cecil County, signed on July 26, 1880
  • Charles S. Hodgson of New London, Pennsylvania, signed on March 2, 1881; Azariah's schoolmate
  • E. P. Hooper, signed on "3-4-1880"
  • C. R. Huston, signed on March 8, 1880
  • J. L. M. Huston, signed on March 17, 1880
  • Very faint, but possibly S. Jennie Huston
  • E. M. Huston, signed on March 1, 1881
  • E. H. Ironside, signed on March 9, 1880
  • Frank C. James; shared the page with Phillips
  • Harry A. James of New London, Pennsylvania, signed on March 6, 1883
  • C. S. James, signed on March 15, 1880
  • E. B. James
  • L. J. Kays of Tippecanoe, Ohio, signed on April 21, 1882
  • G. D. Kays of Tippecanoe, Ohio, signed at Penn, Pennsylvania, on April 22, 1882
  • W. N. Kelton of Kelton, Pennsylvania, signed on March 2, 1880  [A reader has forwarded information that this is probably William N. Kelton (1850-1930], brother of inscriber Martha Ellen Kelton, "Ellie".]
  • Ellie Kelton of Kelton, Pennsylvania, signed on March 17, 1880 "St. Patricks day"  [See a reader's comment for more information on Martha Ellen Kelton, "Ellie", (1858-1937]; the W. Kelton who inscribed a page was presumably her brother William N. Kelton [1850-1930].
  • Harvey H. Kerns, signed at Kelton, Pennsylvania, on May or March 31, 1882' Azariah's schoolmate
  • Debbie Kimble
  • Emma Kirk of Haverford, Pennsylvania, signed on October 3, 1880; middle initial might be Z or ?
  • Very faint, but might be Ella Kirk, signed November 30, 1880; Azariah's schoolmate
  • D. Mackey of Lewisville, Pennsylvania, signed on February 19, 1883
  • L. P. Mahan, signed at Kelton, Pennsylvania, in July 1881
  • Gregg McNeil, signed on March 14, 1881
  • R. W. Mearns, signed at March 17, 1772 at New London Academy; presumably Robert W. Mearns
  • John G. Meredith of Petersburg, Delaware, signed at New London Academy on February 27, 1883; Azariah's schoolmate
  • Elwood Michener of New London, Pennsylvania; shared the page with Edith A. Edge of West Chester, Pennsylvania
  • Mary Michener, signed on January 20, 1881
  • M. D. Miller
  • M. Ida Miller, signed on August 7, 1880
  • Hattie E. Monson, signed on November 7, 1880
  • Kline Montgomery of New London, Pennsylvania
  • Martha K. Nelson, signed on March 9, 1880
  • Lola F. Nelson of Pennsylvania, signed on January 13, 1881; Azariah's schoolmate
  • George C. Nelson of Kelton, Pennsylvania, signed on July 20, 1881
  • Annie C. Nelson, signed on March 9, 1880; Azariah's schoolmate
  • Lizzie M. Nelson, signed on March 9, 1880
  • Clara E. Nelson, signed on March 9, 1880; Azariah's schoolmate
  • T. E. Nelson, signed on March 9, 1880
  • Mary E. Nelson, signed at Pleasant Retreat, no state written, on March 25, 1880
  • Frank Phillips, signed on January 13, 1882 at New London Academy; Azariah's schoolmate
  • J. H. Pierce, signed at New London, Pennsylvania, on December 7, 1880; Azariah's schoolmate
  • William E. Pitt, signed at New London, Pennsylvania, on December 9, 1880; Azariah's schoolmate
  • Ella Primrose of Wilmington, Delaware
  • G. M. Roney, signed on March 3, 1880
  • A. L. Russell, signed on December 2, 1880; Azariah's schoolmate
  • Louie Saunders, signed at New London Academy, on December 14, 1881
  • Anna M. Scotten of Kimbleville, Pennsylvania
  • Annie E. Scotten of Kemblesville, Pennsylvania, signed on "4-10-1880"
  • Will J. Sherer, signed at New London, Pennsylvania, on March 12 [Year is too faint to read.]
  • J. Hervie Sherer, signed at New London Academy, on March 3, 1881; not sure of middle name.
  • C. E. Smith of Pennsylvania, signed on March 25, 1881
  • Leander O. Smith of New London, Pennsylvania, signed at New London Academy on "third 3 1881"
  • Emma M. E. Smith of Wilmington, Delaware
  • Daniel Sommer, signed at Penn, Pennsylvania, on April 7, 1880
  • Samuel Spencer, signed on January 13, 1882 at New London Academy
  • Thomas Steel of New London, Pennsylvania
  • Katie A. Steel of New London, Pennsylvania
  • H. Belle Storey, signed on March 9, 1882; Azariah's schoolmate
  • Myra W. Storey of New London, Pennsylvania
  • W. M. Taylor of West Grove, Pennsylvania
  • Ira Wilmer Terry of Pennsville, Pennsylvania, signed on June 12, 1881
  • Ida J. Terry, signed at Lincoln [no state written], on April 18, 1881; Azariah's cousin
  • Robert G. Test of Camden, New Jersey, signed on July 30, 1880
  • Virginia Toy of Hopewell, Pennsylvania, signed on May 29, 1882
  • Evans Walter of West Grove, no state written, signed on January 6, 1881; Azariah's schoolmate
  • Chan L. Webster, signed at Christiana, Pennsylvania; presumably Channing L. Webster
  • William Webster, signed on March 2, 1882; Azariah's schoolmate


4 comments:

  1. Ellie Kelton was my great-grandmother, Martha Ellen Kelton (1858-1937).
    She married James Patton Evans (1839-1927) in 1894, adter his two previous wives died. Their only child, W. Kelton Evans (1896-1970), was my mother's father.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for this additional information! I added a note to her name for the benefit of future readers.

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    2. You are welcome. Would it be possible to scan the page with her autograph for me?

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    3. Glad to oblige; sending to your email address.

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