1882-1889 Autograph Album of Ira, a Student at Newton College Institute at Newton, New Jersey

1882-1889 autograph album that belonged to an Ira, who was a student at Newton College Institute during part of that time frame.  Please refer to the comments section where a reader has provided convincing evidence that Ira was Ira P. Smith, son of Peter and Eliza (McDavit) Smith.

There are two clues to Ira's identity in the album.  One is that Frank H. Smith of Dundee, New York, who inscribed a page on November 11, 1884, called himself Ira's cousin.

Another cousin, Harry McDavit of Hope, New Jersey, inscribed a page on May 17, 1886.

One student at Newton College Institute, Thomas K. Northrup of Newton, New Jersey, who inscribed a page on December 5, 1883, referred to a teacher "J. F."  Two other people named Northrup inscribed pages in the album; refer to the list below.

If you have a theory as to Ira's identity and/or information to share on any of the people mentioned, please leave a comment for the benefit of other researchers.

Surname list

?	L	S
?	Levin	Slater
B	Lopez	Slaughter
Bennett	M	Smith [2]
C	McDavit	Sutton
Case	Miller	W
Current	Morris	Whedon
H	Morris	Worley
Gaylord	N	Y
Harris [2]	Northrup [3]	Young
Hart	P
Hawkins	Perzil
Howell	Pettengill
	Pinckney

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

?

• Ira, presumably a student at Newton College Institute at Newton, New Jersey; album owner

B

• E. S. Bennett of Washingtonville, New Jersey, signed on April 24, 1883

C

• Charley Case of Washingtonville, New Jersey, signed on April 20, 1884. Charles Case
• Georgiana Current of Hunts Mills, New Jersey, signed on January 17, 1887; not sure of surname

G

• E. T. Gaylord of Newton College Institute at Newton, New Jersey, signed on June 21, 1885

H

• George N. Harris of Baleville, New Jersey, in Sussex County, signed on April 11, 1885
• William C. Harris of Pleasant Valley, New Jersey, signed on February 15, 1885
• Nathan H. Hart of New Jersey, signed at Newton College Institute on February 2, 1883
• S. Hawkins of Waterbury, Connecticut, signed at Newton College Institute, on December 21, 1883
• Ella Howell of Newton, New Jersey, signed on January 17, 1887

L

• Henry Levin of Tucson, Arizona Territory, signed at Newton College Institute on February 1, 1883
• Manuel Lopez of Havana, Cuba, signed at Newton, New Jersey, on January 31, 1883; can't decipher middle initial

M

• Harry McDavit of Hope, New Jersey, in Warren County, signed on May 17, 1886; Ira's cousin
• F. S. Miller of Newton, New Jersey, signed on February 1, 1883
• L. H. Morris of Newton, New Jersey, signed on January 17, 1887
• Oliver M. Morris of Newton, New Jersey, signed on January 7, 1889

N

• Moses H. Northrup of Pleasant Valley, New Jersey, on June 30, 1883
• R. V. Northrup, Jr., signed at Newton, New Jersey, on December 4, 1883
• Thomas K. Northrup of Newton, New Jersey, signed on December 5, 1883. "Remember your teacher J. F."

P

• W. G. Perzil, signed at Newton College Institute, on February 2, 1883; Ira's schoolmate
• Ernest W. Pettengill of Brooklyn, New York, signed at Newton College Institute, on January 3, 1883
• John Pinckney of Newton, New Jersey, signed on February 2, 1883; middle initial might be S or L.

S

• Frank Slater of Andover, New Jersey, signed on February 2, 1882 at Newton College Institute
• Edgar D. Slaughter o Campbell Hall, New York, in Orange County, signed on February 1, 1883
• Frank A. Smith of New York, signed on Friday, January 4, 1884
• Frank H. Smith of Dundee, New York, in Yates County, signed on November 11, 1884; Ira's cousin
• Gilbert T. Sutton of Brooklyn, New York ,signed on January 31, 1883 at Newton College Institute

W

• Frank S. Whedon of Newton, New Jersey, signed on June 21, 1885 at Newton College Institute
• Benjamin F. Worley of St. Paul, Minnesota, signed at Newton College Institute, on "2-1-83"

Y

• John E. Young, signed on February 31, 1883 at Newton College Institute; the date was often used as a joke.