Monday, November 24, 2014

1885-1895 Autograph Album of Charlotte Christine Happe, "Lottie", of Liberty Corner, New Jersey


1885-1895 autograph album that belonged to Charlotte Christine Happe, "Lottie", of Liberty Corner, New Jersey.

The album measures almost 7" x 4-1/4" and appears to be missing a few pages at the beginning, including any presentation, ownership or title pages.  Nearly 60 of Lottie's relatives, friends, schoolmates and teachers [L. E. Layton and Walter D. Wheat] left sentiments in the album.  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.

Two items were tucked into the album, an unidentified tintype of a young man and a four page handwritten James Whitcomb Riley poem entitled "Who Santy Claus Wuz", with the name Willard handwritten at top, presumably referring to Lottie's son Willard Earl Bach.



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

Charlotte Christine Happe, "Lottie", was born April 11, 1872 at Liberty Corner, New Jersey, the daughter of Joseph and Charlotte (Kempmeir or Kempmyer or variant) Happe.  Sadly, Lottie's mother Charlotte died September 8, 1880.  Joseph then married Rosena (possibly Miller or Eckel), whose page in the album appears first in order, though not in date written.


Lottie had, I think, nine full siblings and four half-siblings.  Not all survived to adulthood.  Several of them inscribed pages in Lottie's album, including full sisters Louisa Happe and Agnes Happe and half-sister Eliza M. Happe.  Louisa inscribed her page on August 19, 1888.


Agnes Happe inscribed her page on September 13, 1888.


Eliza M. Happe inscribed her page on February 11, 1889.


Two, possibly three, of Lottie's full brothers inscribed pages in her album.  The Joseph Happe who inscribed a page on December 25, 1885, could have been Lottie's father, but presumably he would have noted that. Lottie's half brother Joseph Happe was too young to have inscribed the page, unless someone else did it for him.  The likely signer was Lottie's older brother William Joseph Happe.


Lottie's younger brother John Happe inscribed a page at Liberty Corner, New Jersey and dated it February 11, but didn't include a year.  His sentiment was a bit cheeky but was no doubt tolerated by a doting older sister.


Frank Happe inscribed a page on December 26, 1885.


On May 29, 1894 at Cranford, New Jersey, Charlotte Christine Happe, "Lottie", married Frederick G. Bach.  They had two sons, Harold Frederick Bach and Willard Earl Bach, before Frederick G. Bach died in 1901.

The page below might have been inscribed by Lottie herself, with her married name of Mrs. Fred G. Bach and possibly part of an address, 207 Som. [perhaps Somerset, as there is a Somerset Street in North Plainfield, New Jersey, where they made their home].


On September 29, 1903, Lottie married James Compton Foster, son of Edgar Pritmore Foster and Martha Elizabeth (Crater) Foster.  Lottie and James would have four children: Helen Elizabeth Foster; Lillian Foster; Lola Rosena Foster; and James Cooley Foster.

Lottie died in 1931 and James in 1950.  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

AEKS
Annan [2]Edwards [2]Keller [2]Sanders [2]
BFKingSmalley
Bach [2]FischerLW
Bowers [3]GL ?Wheat
BoyleGraham [2]LaneWienken
BoyteauxHLayton [2]Williams
BushHappe [8]MWilson
CHendrickMcVoy
Carr [2]HubschmittMiller [3]
Conklin [2]IR
CooperIrvingRandolph [2]

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

  • Louisa, signed at Plainfield, New Jersey, on August 25, 1885
  • Wesley, signed at Liberty Corner, New Jersey, on February 7, 1889
  • Most of the page is very faint. Louis ?; perhaps Louis Fering of Plainfield, New Jersey, signed in October 1886
  • E. B., signed at Liberty Corner, New Jersey
  • Bert; inscribed a page and its overleaf
  • Lottie; she gave several dates of reminiscences
  • Tucked in the album: unidentified tintype of a young man
A
  • Addie C. Annan; signed on September 23, 1885. Later note: " 3 year after temperance meeting". Not sure of surname.
  • Phe M. Annan, signed at "Sunnyslope", Liberty Corner, New Jersey, on September 21, 1885. Perhaps Phoebe M. Annan. but not sure of given name or surname.
B
  • Mrs. Fred G. Bach, 207 Som. This may have been written by Lottie herself after her marriage Frederick G. Bach
  • Two pages tucked in the album - "Who Santy Claus Wuz", with the name Willard at top, presumably Lottie's son Willard Bach.
  • John W. Bowers of Mountain Dell, signed on October 5, 1886
  • Clara M. Bowers, signed on October 4, 1886; Lottie's cousin
  • Mrs. Louisa Bowers
  • L. Nettie Boyle, signed at Liberty Corner, New Jersey, on March 1, 1888; initial might be an S, but looks more like the L in Liberty
  • R. C. Boyteaux, signed at May 22, 1895
  • P. E. Bush, signed on February 28, 1888; Lottie's schoolmate
C
  • George Carr of Millington, New Jersey, signed on June 7, 1885. Perhaps the husband of Mrs. E. M. Carr who inscribed the right facing page.
  • Mrs. E. M. Carr, signed at Millington, New Jersey, on June 9, 1885. Perhaps the wife of George Carr, who inscribed the left facing page.
  • Lizzie Conklin of Liberty Corner, New Jersey, signed on September 1, 1885
  • Lizzie A. Conklin of Liberty Corner, New Jersey, signed on January 8, 1885. Later note: "Married July 21, 1886"
  • John C. Cooper
E
  • S. J. Edwards of Liberty Corner, New Jersey, signed on February 5, 1885; it was presumably his wife, Mrs. S. J. Edwards, who inscribed the right facing page.
  • Mrs. S. J. Edwards of Liberty Corner, New Jersey, signed on February 4, 1885; she was presumably the wife of S. J. Edwards, who inscribed the left facing page
F
  • Louisa E. Fischer of Liberty Corner, New Jersey, signed on January 28, 1885; Lottie's schoolmate. Later note: "3 years later C. W. & ag"
  • Agnes M. Graham, signed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 10, 1885
  • Helen A. Graham, signed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 10, 1885. Later note: "3 years later G. B."
H
  • Charlotte Christine Happe, "Lottie", of Liberty Corner, New Jersey; album owner
  • Mrs. R. Happe, signed at Liberty Corner, New Jersey, on September 13, 1885. Presumably Lottie's stepmother Rosena (Miller) Happe, whom Joseph Happe married after the death of Lottie's mother in 1880.
  • Louisa Happe, signed on August 19, 1888; Lottie's sister
  • Eliza M. Happe of Liberty Corner, New York, signed on February 11, 1889; presumably Lottie's younger half sister
  • John Happe, signed at Liberty Corner, New Jersey, on February 11 [no year written]; child's handwriting - Lottie's younger brother John.
  • Joseph Happe, signed on December 25, 1885; Lottie's older brother William Joseph Happe.
  • Agnes Happe, signed on September 13, 1888; Lottie's younger sister
  • Frank Happe, signed on December 26, 1885; Lottie's older brother
  • L. A. Hendrick of Liberty Corner, New Jersey, signed on February 28, 1888
  • Delia Hubschmitt, signed in New York, on November 22, 1888
I
  • Minnie A. Irving of Liberty Corner, New Jersey, signed on January 27, 1885
K
  • Hazlewood Keller of 97 East Front Street, Plainfield, New Jersey, signed on August 3, 1892
  • Courtney Keller of 97 East Front Street, Plainfield, New Jersey
  • Hattie E. King of Liberty Corner, New Jersey, signed on September 16, 1885
L
  • Jackie L?, signed on December 25, 1885. Surname possible Lesourd or ?
  • Lottie B. Lane of Readington, New Jersey
  • Ruth Layton, signed at Liberty Corner, New Jersey, on January 21, 1885
  • L. E. Layton of Liberty Corner, New Jersey, signed on February 29, 1888; Lottie's teacher
M
  • Arthur McVoy of Plainfield, New Jersey, signed on August 3, 1892
  • Maggie Miller, signed at Millington, New Jersey, on August 28, 1885
  • Mrs. Lena Miller of Warrenville, New Jersey
  • Clara Miller of Stanton, New Jersey, signed on September 15, 1886
R
  • Willie S. Randolph of Liberty Corner, New Jersey, signed on February 28, 1888
  • Rolla Randolph, signed on January 22, 1885
S
  • Lottie S. Sanders of Liberty Corner, New Jersey, signed on February 28, 1888; Lottie's schoolmate
  • Kittie L. Sanders of Liberty Corner, New Jersey, signed on January 28, 1885. Later note: " Home year afterwards Millington" [not sure of first word]
  • Jennie E. Smalley, signed at Liberty Corner, New Jersey, on January 27, 1885; Lottie's schoolmate. She wrote another note on this page on September 23 [not sure of second digit], 1888
W
  • Walter D. Wheat, signed on January 22, 1885; Lottie's teacher. Later note: "Married July 21, 1886"
  • Helen A. Wienken, signed at Liberty Corner, New Jersey, on February 10, 1886
  • C. Williams, signed on August 25, 1885
  • Mamie Wilson; Lottie's schoolmate
Liberty Corner, in Bernards Township, Somerset County, New Jersey


Thanks for stopping by!


5 comments:

  1. youre not going to believe me, i just found her other autograph book at a swap meet in california. please contact me asap!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Are either this album or the one found in California up for sale? My wife is related to Charlotte Happe. She was born and raised about 10 miles from the Happe home in Liberty Corner.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't have the album found in California, but you could try contacting them at the number they left. I asked for them to contact me via email, but they didn't. Meanwhile, yes, I still have the album that is the subject of this post. Please contact me by email - my address is listed under Inquiries on the right margin.

      Delete