Sunday, November 9, 2014

1880s Autograph Album of Lillie A. Harris of Sherburne, New York


1880s autograph album that belonged to Lillie A. Harris of Sherburne, New York.  On the page Lillie gave her name as owner, she included the date either March or May 1885; note the blemish over the month, which could be either March abbreviated or May spelled out.


An L. A. Harris inscribed two pages in the album.  Was this Lillie herself?  The sentiments, however, appear to be directed to Lillie from someone else.



The album measures approximately 5-1/2" x 3-1/4" and contains the sentiments of about 50 of Lillie's relatives, friends and 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.

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

Lillie A. Harris, or Lillian as her daughters' marriage records indicate, was born April 4, 1872 in New York, the daughter of Jacob and Helena Harris, whose Census records indicate they were German immigrants.  It would seem that Jacob anglicized his surname, though I'd like to hear from a reader with direct information.

About 1897, Lillie married Warren Dewitt Waterman, son of Dewitt C. and Olive (Guthrie) Waterman.   Warren was born April 13, 1874 at Madison, New York.   Lillie and Warren settled in Oneida County, New York, and raised, I think, eleven children.  Lillie died in 1933 and Warren in 1949.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Lillie had a sister, Grace F. Harris.  She inscribed at least one page in the album, if not two.



George K. Hawkins inscribed a page at Sherburne, New York, on June 24, 1887.  He was the principal at Lillie's school.


Teacher Silas Lottridge inscribed a page.


Herman Schroder, or Herman Shroder, wrote his sentiment in German.


Surnames in the album

?FMT
BFontaineMackseyThomas
BalcomFreemanMcCormickU
Barbieri or BarberFrench [2]MulliganUpham
BennettHMyers
BenzHarris [5]O
BlackmanHawkinsO'Brian
BuellHerrickP
ButtonHillPaddelford
CHowardS
ConleyHullS ?
CoonKSchroder/Shroder
DKershawShepard
DavisKingsburySpicer
DavisLStack
DemangeatLoomisStack
Dow [2]LottridgeStockwell
ELymanSweet
Ertz [2]

Signers in the album


  • Irma, signed at Sherburne, New York, on March 9, 1885
B
  • Sedora Balcom of Sherburne, New York, signed on November 20, 1886
  • Sarah Barbieri of Sherburne, New York, signed on December 23, 1886. I found a Sarah Barber of the same time frame at Sherburne, New York. I don't know if the family had changed its name or if Sarah was romanticizing her name.
  • Ida L. Bennett of Sherburne, New York, signed on December 25, 1886
  • William Benz of Sherburne, New York, signed on February 9, 1885
  • Miss Nellie Blackman of Sherburne, New York
  • Otto A. Buell of Sherburne, New York, signed on January 18, 1887; Lillie's schoolmate
  • Stella Button of New Berlin, New York, signed on September 18, 1891
C
  • Kate Conley of Sherburne, New York, signed on December 24, 1886
  • Ora B. Coon of Sherborne, New York, signed on February 3, 1886
D
  • May L. Davis of Sherburne, New York, signed on June 25, 1887
  • Hattie E. Davis of Sherburne, New York, signed on June 25, 1887. Harriet E. Davis
  • Georges Demangeat
  • Anna Dow, signed at Sherburne, New York, signed on March 31, 1885
  • Mrs. Sarah E. Dow of Sherburne, New York, signed on March 31, 1885
E
  • Stephen Ertz of Sherburne, New York, signed on May 12, 1885
  • Kate Ertz of Sherburne, New York, signed on May 13, 1885
F
  • Clark G. Fontaine, signed at Sherburne, New York, on January 18, 1887
  • E. J. Freeman, signed at Sherburne, New York; perhaps Ella J. Freeman
  • Francis A. French, signed at Sherburne, New York, signed on May 18, 1885
  • Luella French of Sherburne, New York, signed on January 19, 1888; Lillie's schoolmate
H
  • Lillie A. Harris of Sherburne, New York, dated March or May 9, 1885.  She may have been the L. A. Harris who inscribed two pages in the album.
  • Miss L. A. Harris, signed at Sherburne, New York, on August 16, 1885; perhaps written by the album owner herself but appears to be someone leaving a sentiment for Lillie.
  • Grace F. Harris, signed at Sherburne, New York, on March 20, 1885; Lillie's sister
  • Miss L. A. Harris of Sherburne, New York, signed on August 11, 1885; perhaps written by the album owner herself but appears to be someone leaving a sentiment for Lillie.
  • Grace H., signed at Sherburne, New York, on August 5, 1887; presumably Lillie's sister Grace F. Harris.
  • George K. Hawkins, signed at Sherburne, New York, on June 24, 1887; Lillie's principal. 
  • Frank Herrick, signed on February 4, possibly 1885; Lillie's schoolmate. He wrote in a very complex script with added designs. Not positive of his surname.
  • Arthur Hill, signed at Sherburne, New York on January 19, 1888
  • Minnie Howard, signed at Sherburne, New York, signed on June 8, 1885
  • Eva C. Hull, signed at Sherburne, New York, on November 25, 1887
K
  • Herbert J. Kershaw, signed on March 23, 1887
  • Jennie Kingsbury of Sherburne, New York, signed on December 23, 1886
L
  • Walter Loomis of Hubbardsville, New York
  • Silas A. Lottridge; Lillie's teacher
  • Mary Lyman, signed on October 31, 1886; middle initial might be T or M
M
  • Lizzie Macksey
  • Nina McCormick of Sherburne, New York; Lillie's schoolmate
  • Mary A. Mulligan, signed at Sherburne, New York, on August 11, 1885
  • Alice Myers of Columbus, New York, signed on May 17, 1885
O
  • Emma O'Brian of Sherburne, New York
P
  • Cora M. Paddelford of Sherburne, New York; Lillie's schoolmate
S

  • Herman Schroder, or Herman Shroder; sentiment written in German
  • Etta Shuth, or Etta Smith, of Sherburne, New York
  • Mary E. Shattuck of Norwich, New York, signed on June 28, 1881
  • Fred Shepard of Sherburne, New York, signed on November 25, 1886
  • Maud E. Spicer, signed at Sherburne, New York, on February 27, 1885
  • Lucy A. Stack of Sherburne, New York, signed on January 18, 1888
  • Lizzie R. Stack of Sherburne, New York, signed on October 25, 1885
  • Miss Minnie Stockwell of Chenango Lake, New York
  • Mary A. Sweet, signed at Sherburne, New York, signed on October 25, 1886
T
  • Frank Thomas, signed in 1885
U
  • Egbert Upham of Sherburne, New York, signed on February 13, 1888
Sherburne, New York


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