Friday, August 29, 2014

1886-1888 Autograph Album of Samuel Archibald Smith, "Archie", of West Wilton, New Hampshire


1886-1888 autograph album of Samuel Archibald Smith, "Archie", of West Wilton, New Hampshire, kept while he was a student at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts.  The Academy, founded in 1882 by Seventh-day Adventists, is still operating today.


The album is approximately 6-1/4" x 3-3/4" and contains the sentiments of 59 of Archie's relatives, friends and South Lancaster Academy schoolmates.  An alphabetical surname list and an alphabetical list of the signers, together with any personal information they offered, appear at the end of this post.  Students came from many states, in addition to Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  The album has illustrated pages interspersed throughout.


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

Samuel Archibald Smith, "Archie", was born 27 November 1870 at Wilton, New Hampshire, the son of Samuel Wood Smith and Frances Cornelia (Jones) Smith.

Archie had an older brother, Frederick Glazier Smith, born 12 December 1867 at Wilton, New Hampshire.  Fred, then living at Fitchburg, Massachusetts, inscribed a page in his brother's album on November 7, 1886.  Among others, he wrote the words "Druggist" and "Apothecary".  He may have been a druggist in 1886 or have been studying to be one.  He became a physician and practiced at Somerville, Massachusetts.


One of Archie's teachers at South Lancaster Academy, E. E. Miles, signed a page at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on November 5, 1886.  He was E. Edgar Miles.


After South Lancaster Academy, I believe Archie went on to graduate from the University of Michigan in 1894.


On September 6, 1898, Archie married Isabelle Morse Blackburn, daughter of Alexander and Margaret Elizabeth (Hall) Blackburn.   Isabelle was born at Chicago, Illinois, on March 9, 1874.

At the time of the 1900 Census, Archie and Isabelle were living at Elizabeth, New Jersey; Archie was working as a teacher.  By 1910, they were still at Elizabeth, New Jersey, with four children; Archie was teaching at an academy.

By 1920, the family of six was at living at Oyster Bay, New York; Isabelle's brother Alexander Maxwell Blackburn and his family were also living in the household.  Archie was the principal at an academy, I think the Friends Academy, at Locust Valley on Long Island, New York.  By 1930, Archie and Isabelle and their two youngest children, both daughters, were living at Glen Cove, New York.  Archie was a principal and Isabelle, an assistant principal.  Archie was a one-time principal at the Brooklyn Friends School at Brooklyn, New York and at the Pingry School.

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 in the album

Adams
Allen
Andrews   [2]
Ayers
Baker
Barnes
Bradford   [2]
Butler
Buzzell
Byron
Colby
Davis
Dow
Edwards   [2]
Ellis
Farnsworth   [2]
Felton
Goodsell
Gould
Graham
Hager
Hall   [2]
Hersum
Jones
Kelsey
Keniston
Mace   [2]
Marr
Mason   [2]
Maynard
Merry
Miles
Miller
Orton
Palmer
Payne
Pierce
Ramsey    [2]
Sanderson
Shedd
Smith   [2]
Snow
Snyder
Stillman
Tefft
Thomas
Townsend
Van Slyke
Walker
Washbond
Weston

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

A
  • J. W. Adams; Archie's schoolmate, presumably at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts
  • Luther L. Allen of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed on March 18, 1886; Archie's schoolmate, presumably at South Lancaster Academy
  • Cora Andrews, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts
  • Walter R. Andrews of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed on February 20, 1888. He wrote "New Hampshire Boys", so perhaps his home was in New Hampshire, and he was at South Lancaster to attend South Lancaster Academy.
  • H. D. Ayers of Rutland, Vermont, signed at South Lancaster Academy, at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on September 29, 1886
B
  • Fred W. K. Baker of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed on October 17, 1886
  • C. A. Barnes of Hartland, Maine, signed at South Lancaster Academy, at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on October 11, 1886. Presumably Cornell A. Barnes, son of Abraham and Abbie H. (Oakes) Barnes.
  • Joel P. Bradford of Acushnet, Massachusetts, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on November 27, 1886. He was Archie's roommate.
  • Melvin O. Bradford of Acushnet, Massachusetts, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on March 31, 1886
  • Bertha Butler of Worcester, Massachusetts, signed on April 14, 1886; presumably a student at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts.
  • H. P. Buzzell of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed on October 21, 1886, at South Lancaster Academy
  • B. A. Byron of Linneus, Maine, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on April 13, 1886 [or 1885 - there's a strikeover]. Presumably Birdsell A. Byron, son of George L. and Melissa Etta (Webber) Byron of Linneus, Maine.
C
  • B. F. Colby of Bennington, Vermont, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on March 24, 1886
D
  • George R. Davis of Canton, Maine, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on April 11, 1886; Archie's schoolmate
  • W. M. Dow of Waterville, Maine, No. 20 Boutelle Avenue, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts
E
  • Charles H. Edwards of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed at South Lancaster Academy
  • Written so that it shows correctly in a mirror: Sanford S. Edwards of Delaware, Ohio; presumably a student at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts.
  • Walter G. Ellis of Danforth, Maine, signed on March 17, 1886 at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts
F
  • Emma M. Farnsworth of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed on February 19, 1888 at South Lancaster Academy.
  • Orvil O. Farnsworth of Washington, New Hampshire, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on November 1, 1886.
  • Lambert Felton of Lynn, Massachusetts, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on October 18, 1886
G
  • Tessa Goodsell of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed on April 12, 1886, presumably at South Lancaster Academy
  • Mary L. Gould of Greenville, New Hampshire, signed at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on April 11 [or 17], 1886, presumably at South Lancaster Academy
  • Sadie Graham of South Lancaster, Massachusetts
H
  • Alfred Hager of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed on November 2, 1887
  • Susie Hall of Fort Scott, Kansas, signed on April 14, 1886. [Perhaps a student at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts]
  • Sara J. Hall, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on "4-1-1886"
  • Charles Hersum of Portland, Maine, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on March 13, 1886
J
  • Calvin J. Jones of South Norridgewock, Maine; signed presumably at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts
K
  • Edgar Kelsey, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on April 4, 1886; Archie's schoolmate and fellow-compositor.
  • Charles W. Keniston of Houlton, Maine, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on October 19, 1886
M
  • Carrie M. Mace of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed at South Lancaster Academy
  • J. W. Mace of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed at South Lancaster Academy on March 27, 1886
  • Ada Marr. In addition to her regular sentiment, she wrote "I hope you will not always have to do dining room work." Presumably signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts.
  • Hattie I. Mason of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed on October 30, 1886 at South Lancaster Academy
  • George B. Mason of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed on April 14, 1886; Archie's schoolmate, presumably at South Lancaster Academy.
  • Eva Maynard, signed on April 14, 1886 at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts
  • G. F. Merry of Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts; Archie's schoolmate.
  • E. E. Miles, signed at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on November 5, 1886; Archie's teacher. Presumably E. Edgar Miles.
  • Jennie A. Miller of Moosup, Connecticut, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on October 19, 1887
O
  • E. D. Orton of New York, signed on April 27, 1887
P
  • Edwin R. Palmer of West Charleston, Vermont, signed at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on November 11, 1886, presumably at South Lancaster Academy.
  • Arthur W. Payne of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed on April 2, 1886
  • S. Edith Pierce, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on December 7, 1886
R
  • Charles A. Ramsey, signed at South Lancaster Academy, at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on May 14, 1888. Called himself Archie's "brother", possibly in a fraternity or church.
  • Carrie E. F. Ramsey of Battle Creek, Michigan, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, '88
S
  • A. J. Sanderson of South Amherst, Massachusetts, signed on November 20, 1887; possibly a student at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts
  • Willie Shedd of South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed on October 18, 1886; Archie's schoolmate at South Lancaster Academy
  • Archie Smith of West Wilton, New Hampshire, dated March 16, 1886. Album owner Samuel Archibald Smith, "Archie", who kept the album while he was a student at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts.
  • Fred G. Smith of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, signed on November 7, 1886; Archie's brother Frederick Glazier Smith. He wrote these words around the page: "Druggist" "Apothecary" "Chestnuts" "Pumpkins" "Rats". He may have been a druggist or wanted to be one, but he was also a physician at Somerville, Massachusetts.
  • C. M. Snow of Bridgewater, Maine, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on March 16, 1886. Presumably Charles M. Snow.
  • H. Snyder of Vineland, New Jersey, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts
  • Fred W. Stillman, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on March 22, 1886
T
  • Amos P. Tefft of Peace Dale, Rhode Island, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts
  • M. H. Thomas of Humphrey, New York, signed at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on January 8, 1887, presumably at South Lancaster Academy.
  • C. A. Townsend of No. 6 Church St., Rutland, Vermont, signed at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, presumably at South Lancaster Academy, on December 21, 1887.
V
  • Josie Van Slyke of Hamilton, Missouri, signed at South Lancaster Academy at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on April 5, 1888
W
  • Horace A. Walker of Brooklyn, New York, signed at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, presumably at South Lancaster Academy
  • Edgar N. Washbond of 205 State Street, Albany, New York, signed at South Lancaster, Massachusetts, on "11-7-1886", presumably at South Lancaster Academy.
  • William F. Weston of P.O. Box 25, South Lancaster, Massachusetts, signed on March 21, 1886

Thanks for stopping by!



1 comment:

  1. Neat! I live in South Lancaster, MA and am keen on local history. Might this antique autograph book be for sale?? My email address is JCS12367@gmail.com Thanks an be well, John :-)

    ReplyDelete