1880s/1890s Autograph Album of Julia Gilchrist of East Meredith, New York

1880s/1890s autograph album that belonged to a Julia of the East Meredith, New York, area.   From clues in the album, I believe she was Julia Gilchrist, daughter of Finley and Elizabeth Sabrina (Rathbun) Gilchrist of East Meridith.

The album measures approximately 5-1/4" x 3" and contains the sentiments of 58 of Julia'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 brief online research, hopefully correct:  [corrections and additions welcome!]

Julia Gilchrist was born about 1868 in New York, the daughter of Finley and Elizabeth Sabrina (Rathbun) Gilchrist.  Mrs. Finley Gilchrist of East Meredith, New York, presumably Julia's mother, inscribed a page in the album on January 15, 1887.

Julia's sister Lula Gilchrist and brother Fred J. Gilchrist signed on the same day as their mother, January 15, 1887.

Other relatives who signed were cousins Jessie McNee; Lizzie Aitken; and Margaret Gilchrist.

About 1894, Julia married John Edward Strangeway, son of William T. and Margaret T. (Dunn) Strangeway.  Julia and John had three children, daughters Mary and Lulu and sons William and Edward.  John died in 1925, and Julia after him, though I don't know the year.  They're buried at Woodland Cemetery at Delhi, New York.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information about any of the signers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Surnames in the Album

?	G	L	P
A	Gilchrist [5]	Leal	Peck
Aitken	Green	M	R
B	H	Mable	Rae
Ballantine [2]	Hager	Mabon	Rathbun
Bayles	Hamilton	Maclaughlan	S
Blanchard	Hanford [3]	McAyeal	Scott
Briggs [2]	Haslett [2]	McLaury [3]	T
D	Hazlett [2]	McNee	Thompson [2]
Dibble [2]	Hodge	Murdock [2]	W
Doig [3]	Hoyt	O	Ward
F	K	Outwater	Warren [2]
Flower	Kerr [3]
Fuller	Kilpatrick [3]

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

• Friendly Stranger, signed on October 12, 1890

A

• Lizzie Aitken, signed on July 31, 1894; Julia's cousin

B

• Robert W. Ballantine of Hamden, New York, signed on December 16, 188?; possibly 1889
• Thomas Ballantine, Jr., of Hamden, New York, in Delaware County, signed on December 17, 1889 [or 1883]
• Sarabelle Bayles, signed on July 28, 1893
• Written upside down: George Blanchard of East Meredith, New York
• Lula M. Briggs of East Meredith, New York, signed on December 5, 1891
• Emma Briggs, signed on February 17, 1887

D

• Katie G. Dibble of East Meredith, New York, signed on January 17, 1887
• Charles Dibble of East Meredith, New York, signed on January 17, 1887
• Kittie E. Doig of Walton, New York, signed on August 7, 1888
• Mary A. Doig, signed at Walton, New York, on September 23, 1887
• Minnie Doig of Walton, New York, signed on August 7, 1888

F

• Anna P. Flower of East Meredith, New York, signed on December 28, 1886
• Vernon Fuller of Meredith, New York, signed on January 17, 1890

G

• Julia Gilchrist of East Meredith, New York; album owner
• Miss Lulu Gilchrist of East Meredith, New York, signed on January 15, 1887; Julia's sister
• Mrs. Finley Gilchrist of East Meredith, New York, signed on January 15, 1887. Julia's mother, Elizabeth Sabrina (Rathbun) Gilchrist.
• Fred J. Gilchrist of East Meredith, New York, signed on January 15, 1887.  Julia's brother
• Margaret Gilchrist, signed at Delhi, New York, on April 21, 1891; Julia's cousin.  Margaret Gilchrist's father Andrew Symington Gilchrist was a brother to Julia's father Finley Gilchrist.
• E. J. Green, signed on January 18, 1887

H

• Fred L. Hager of East Meredith, New York, signed on January 25, 1889. "Hurrah For Harrison & Norton"
• Etta Hamilton of East Meredith,. New York, signed on August 1, 1889
• Mary J. Hanford of East Meredith, New York, signed on December 6, 1886
• Bertha E. Hanford of Oneonta, New York, signed on December 8, 1890
• Lois E. Hanford of East Meredith, New York, signed on December 6, 1886. "Remember Dec. 18 1885"
• Nancy A. Haslett of East Meredith, New York, signed on November 2, 1888. "Hurrah for Fisk C. Brooks and protection for the American home"
• Aggie M. Haslett, signed at East Meredith, New York, on February 15, 1887
• Lizzie D. Hazlett of East Meredith, New York, on July 18, 1895
• Essie Hazlett, signed at East Meredith, New York, in November 1887 [or 1881]
• John Hodge or John Hodges, signed at Walton, New York, on December 17, 1889
• Helen E. Hoyt, signed on April 9, 1910 at Glenburnie, Delhi, New York; Walton, New York

K

• M. B. Kerr of Athens, New York, signed on February 7, 1890. Not sure of first initial. Could even a name or abbreviation of a name, rather than an initial. Possibly Robt. B. Kerr, father of signer Horace S. Kerr.
• H. S. Kerr, signed on February 12, 1890; presumably Horace S. Kerr.
• Mrs. R. B. Kerr, signed at Oneonta, New York, on March 1, 1890. Presumably Sarah Kerr, wife of Robert B. Kerr.
• Willie Kilpatrick of Walton, New York, signed on August 27, 1882
• Maggie Kilpatrick of Walton, New York, signed on August 25, 1892
• Written upside down: Sarah J. Kilpatrick of Walton, New York, signed on April 29, 1892

L

• Jennie E. Leal of Delhi, New York, signed on March 21, 1889

M

• S. F. Mable
• Clara J. Mabon of Delhi, New York, signed on August 7, 1894
• W. Maclaughlan of Detroit, Michigan, signed on October 27, 1887; middle initial might be F
• Howard S. McAyeal of Meredith, New York, signed on October 10, 1887
• Dessie J. McLaury, or Lissie J. McLaury, of East Meredith, New York, signed on August 1, 1889; schoolmate. Adessa J. McLaury
• G. G. McLaury, signed on December 23, 1892
• Mattie McLaury of East Meredith, New York, signed on November 11, 1887
• Jessie McNee, signed on July 31, 1894 at Mate's; Julia's cousin
• Aggie S. Murdock of East Meredith, New York, signed on June 30, 1887
• Edith Murdock

O

• Laura Outwater

P

• Mrs. M. Peck of Meredith, New York, signed on November 26, 1890. Middle initial possibly I or S or J. If J., she should be Mary J. (Hanford) Peck, wife of Ambrose B. Peck.

R

• Wesley Spurgeon Rae, signed on August 22, 1888; Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal minister
• G. D. Rathbun of Utica, New York, signed on October 12, 1890; presumably George Delano Rathbun, brother of Julia's mother Elizabeth Sabrina (Rathbun) Gilchrist.

S

• George Scott of East Meredith, New York

T

• J. H. Thompson, signed at East Meredith, New York, on January 18, 1887
• Mrs. J. H. Thompson of East Meredith, New York, signed in February 188?, possible 1889 or 1885 or ?

W

• Mrs. M. J. Ward of Sidney, New York, in Delaware County
• Mrs. Libbie Warren of Meredith Hollow, New York, in Delaware County. Presumably Elizabeth (Gilchrist) Warren, whose husband George signed the right facing page.
• George A. Warren of Meredith Hollow, New York, in Delaware County. His wife Libbie Warren, presumably Elizabeth (Gilchrist) Warren, signed the left facing page.

East Meredith, New York

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