Friday, May 2, 2014

1846-1851 Autograph Album of Aseneth (Nichols) Turner of Norwich, Connecticut


1846-1851 autograph album that belonged to Aseneth (Nichols) Turner of Norwich, Connecticut.


See another post that features the 1839-1851 autograph album of Miss Mary Tracy of Norwich, Connecticut.

The album measures approximately 7-1/2" x 6" and contains the sentiments of 25 of Aseneth's relatives and friends.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.


The album was printed by J. C. Riker of 129 Fulton Street in New York, New York.  Besides the engraving on the title page, there are five other pages of engravings interspersed throughout the album.

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

According to her death record, Aseneth Nichols was born 23 July 1826.  I don't have the name of her parents.  On 25 May 1846 at Norwich, Connecticut, Asenath Nichols married Henry Turner, son of Isaac and Esther (Comstock) Turner.  Henry was born 1 February 1816.

The 1850 Census of Norwich, Connecticut, lists two children living with Asenath and Henry, one named Henry Richmond, about three years old, and the other Charles Nichols, about a year old.  I believe that they were actually Henry Richmond Turner and Charles Nichols Turner.   Also living with them was George B. Nichols, possibly Aseneth's nephew or brother.

Sadly, Aseneth (Nichols) Turner died on 24 April 1854 at Norwich, Connecticut.

Aseneth's aunt, Lucy A. (Nichols) Spencer, wife of whaler Captain Joseph Spencer, signed a page at Warwick, Rhode Island, on June 20, 1846.  Her parents were James and Elizabeth (Spencer) Nichols; whether James Nichols was Asenath's father or grandfather, I don't know.


Two signers indicated a cousin relationship with Aseneth.   One of them was T. Spencer of East Greenwich [presumably Rhode Island]; he may have been Lucy's son Thomas, although there was another Thomas Spencer who signed, who didn't indicate a family relationship with Aseneth.


The other cousin was Salina A. Brewster, who signed two pages in 1847.  She may have been Salina (Brewster) Waterson Daniels, whose second's husband's correspondence with her is featured here.



Other Spencers who signed were Thomas Spencer and L. S. Spencer of New Bedford, Massachusetts.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, especially if you have information on Aseneth's parents, or information on any of the signers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Rev. Edward T. Hiscox and his wife Caroline (Orne) Hiscox signed facing pages at different times in 1851.  Mrs. Hiscox painted a beautiful rose.  Read more about Rev. Edward T. Hiscox here.



Surnames in the album

?     [5]
Allen    [2]
Brewster    [2]
Gewitt,  or Jewitt
Hamilton
Hazen
Hiscox     [2]
Holmes
Jewett, or Gewitt
Lewis
Mortimer
Nichols
Palmer
Richmond
Rogers
Spencer     [4]
Turner


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

?
  • Signed with initial or initials that are in lower right corner and partially missing. I can see what looks like an E.
  • Lydia
  • Initials, signed at Norwich, Connecticut, on May 1, 1849. First initial could be N or V or ? Middle initial could be G or ? Surname initial is B.
  • Emily, signed on August 23, 1846
  • Henry, signed at Norwich, Connecticut, on 1 June 1848; possibly Henry Turner, whom Aseneth married on 25 May 1846.
A
  • E. S. Allen, signed on August 24, 1846
  • Catharine Allen, signed at Norwich, Connecticut, on April 24, 1847
B
  • Salina A. Brewster of Franklin [no state written], signed on September 19, 1847; Aseneth's cousin. She signed another page in the album as well.
  • Facing pages signed by Eliza A. Brewster at Norwich, Connecticut, on January 5, 1847
G
  • Overleaf pages signed by Eliza C. Jewett or Gewitt, signed at Norwich, Connecticut, on July 27, 1846
H
  • H. E. Hamilton, signed at Hartford, Connecticut, on July 21, 1848
  • E. E. Hazen, signed at Norwich, Connecticut, on July 21, 1849
  • E. T. Hiscox, signed at Norwich Center, Connecticut, on June 20, 1851. He was Rev. Edward T. Hiscox, whose wife Caroline (Orne) Hiscox, signed the right facing page. 
  • C. O. Hiscox signed a page at Norwich, Connecticut, on January 31, 1851 and painted a beautiful rose. She was Caroline (Orne) Hiscox, whose husband Rev. Edward T. Hiscox signed the left facing page.
  • Eliza S. Holmes
J
  • Overleaf pages signed by Eliza C. Jewett or Gewitt, signed at Norwich, Connecticut, on July 27, 1846
L
  • Mary Lewis, signed at Montville, Connecticut, on September 4, 1846; middle initial might be M.
M
  • Facing pages signed by ? Mortimer at Norwich, Connecticut, on July 17, 1849
N
  • Aseneth Turner, owner of the autograph album; she was Aseneth (Nichols) Turner, wife of Henry Turner
P
  • Theressa M. Palmer, signed at ? [possibly Turnerville] [no state written], signed on September 4, 1846
R
  • Jonathan G. Richmond, inscribed to Aseneth, "Mrs. Henry Turner"
  • Phebe D. Rogers, signed at Montville, Connecticut, on September 3, 1846
S
  • Thomas Spencer, signed on January 24, 1846
  • L. S. Spencer of New Bedford, Massachusetts, signed on June 23, 1846
  • T. Spencer of East Greenwich [no state written], signed on June 23, 1846; Aseneth's cousin
  • Lucy A. Spencer, signed at Warwick, Rhode Island, on June 20, 1846. She was Lucy A. (Nichols) Spencer, presumably related to Aseneth's father.
T
  • Aseneth Turner, owner of the autograph album; she was Aseneth (Nichols) Turner, wife of Henry Turner

2 comments:

  1. Pam,

    Keep up the good work preserving history. I passed information about your site on to a couple of ladies that I know are interested in Salina Brewster. -- Griff

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you, Griff. I'm amazed at your research into the people behind the letters you feature on your blog, Spared and Shared, http://sparedshared4.wordpress.com/.

    ReplyDelete