Thursday, February 26, 2015

1879-1892 Autograph Album of Elnora Adele Redman of Islesboro, Maine


1879-1892 autograph album that belonged to Elnora Adele Redman, "Nora", of Islesboro, Maine.  She started her album on May 25, 1879.  Among the surnames that appear multiple times: Babbidge; Coombs; Gilkey; Hatch; Parker; Redman; Rose; Sprague; Veazie; Williams;


The album measures approximately 7" x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of 86 of Elnora's relatives, friends and schoolmates.  An alphabetical surname list and an alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appear at the end of this post.


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

Elnora Adele Redman, "Nora", was born October 18, 1862 at Islesboro, Maine, the daughter of Captain Benjamin Robert Redman and Ethelina Chestina (Gilkey) Redman.  Sadly, Elnora's mother had died by the time Elnora started her album, but her father inscribed a page at Islesboro, Maine, on December 4, 1879.


Elnora had, I believe, 5 siblings, but only two, her brothers Walter Herman Redman and Ralph Winchester Redman survived to adulthood.  The W. H. Redman of Atlantic, Massachusetts, who inscribed a page with dates of 1881 and 1882, may have been Walter Herman Redman.  It may have been his wife, Emma Violette (Platt) Redman, who was the Violet Redman who inscribed a page in the album.


The R. W. Redman of Bucksport, Maine may have been Elnora's brother Ralph Winchester Redman.


On January 9, 1881, Elnora married master mariner Charles E. Williams, son of Emory Franklin Williams and Charlotte Amanda (Pendleton) Williams, all three of whom inscribed pages in Elnora's album.  Charles inscribed his page on June 20, 1880 at Islesboro, Maine.


Elnora and Charles raised, I think, three children and lived at Islesboro, Maine, and then at Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Charles had died sometime after the enumeration of the 1930 Census and before 1937 when Elnora was described as a widow in a Cambridge Directory.  Elnora died in 1957.

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

I'd love it if a reader could untangle the riddle of the identify of the inscriber "Friend", who left the following tantalizing message:  "There was a family in our town That did consist of eight; As in times of yore, the world ore [sic], Each one could choose their mate.  My 1st 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 6th to spell each Name, four vowels fix.  It takes two vowels to spell the other, Likewise their father and their mother."


Surnames in the Album

?FPT
BFarnsworth [2]Parker [7]Thomas
B ?GPendleton [2]V
Babbidge [3]Gilkey [3]PorterVeazie [4]
Bragg [2]HRW
BunkerHatch [5]Redman [9]Wargent
Burgess [2]LRichardsWarren
CLewisRose [6]Whitcomb [2]
CarverMRyderWilliams [7]
Coburn [7]MatthewsSWilson
CrossMooreS ?Wyman [2]
DMurray [2]Sprague [4]
Dix

Inscribers in the Album    [Given names within a specific surname might not be in alphabetical order.]
  • "Friend", inscribed at Islesboro, Maine, on April 5, 1881. "There was a family in our town That did consist of eight; As in times of yore, the world ore [sic], Each one could choose their mate. My 1st 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 6th to spell each Name, our vowels fix. It takes two vowels to spell the other, Likewise their father and their mother."
B
  • E. V. B., or E. N. B., signed at Islesboro, Maine, in June 1881
  • Mattie Babbidge of Islesboro, Maine
  • W. S. Babbidge, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on October 4, 1880
  • Nellie Babbidge, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on October 2, 1880
  • Howard I. Bragg of Lincolnville, Maine
  • J. P. Bragg of Lincolnville, Maine, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on January 12, 1881
  • Annie A. Bunker of Islesboro, Maine, signed in 1881
  • Nellie Burgess of Islesboro, Maine, signed on September 3, 1882
  • Anna Burgess, signed at North Islesboro, Maine, on September 3, 1882
C
  • Flora E. Carver of Lincolnville, Maine, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on October 28, 1889
  • Edith A. Coburn of Islesboro, Maine, signed on March 19, 1880; "Leap Year".
  • Lukie Coombs, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on October 9, 1879
  • Brina E. Coombs of Islesboro, Maine, signed on October 31, 1879
  • Mrs. Adelma A. Coombs of Islesboro, Maine, signed on May 23, 1880. She was Adelma A. (Wyman) Coombs, wife of Charles O. Coombs.
  • Urania J. Coombs of Islesboro, Maine, signed on I.H.S. on October 31, 1879. Presumably Islesboro High School
  • Caro Coombs, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on November 12, 1879
  • Rose L. Coombs of Stoneham, Massachusetts, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on July 28, 1881
  • Robert P. Coombs, signed on March 7, 1880
  • Lucie B. Cross, or Susie B. Cross, of Haverhill, Massachusetts
D
  • George M. Dix, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on August 29, 1887
F
  • E. E. Farnsworth of Islesboro, Maine, signed in September 1880
  • Belle Farnsworth, signed at Islesboro, Maine, in September 1880
G
  • S. Josephine Gilkey of Baltimore, Maryland, signed at Calais [possibly Calais, Maine], on September 8, 1888
  • C. P. Gilkey, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on February 8, 1880; appears to be the handwriting of an elderly person.
  • Fannie Gilkey, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on February 2, 1884; "Leap Year"
H
  • Lilla M. Hatch of Islesboro, Maine
  • Belle M. Hatch of Islesboro, Maine, signed on June 17, 1880
  • Stella F. Hatch of Islesboro, Maine, signed there on November 15, 1884
  • Mary Hatch of Islesboro, Maine, signed on June 18, 1880
  • Oscar Hatch of Islesboro, Maine, signed on September 20, 1881; Elnora's cousin
L
  • L. A. Lewis of Brooklyn, New York, signed on August 17, 1881; not sure of first initial.
M
  • Inez L. Matthews of Bangor, Maine, signed on September 10, 1881. "Cucruroquetut"
  • Frank Moore of East Somerville, Massachusetts
  • John B. Murray of Boston, Massachusetts, signed on September 4, 1892 "Who Mrs. once to take a kiss, has Mr. chance he should not Miss."
  • Abbie Smith Murray of Boston, Massachusetts, signed on September 4, 1892
P
  • Edward Parker of Islesboro, Maine, signed on August 18, 1882 [or 1883; strike-over]
  • Nancy J. Parker of Islesboro, Maine, signed on August 16, 1883. Nancy J. (Redman) Parker, wife of signer Edward Parker.
  • Rosalind Parker of Islesboro, Maine
  • A. H. Parker, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on March 13, 1880. "Coat-tail Basque"
  • Nancy J. Parker, signed on July 1, 1888
  • Ernestine Parker of Islesboro, Maine, signed on February 9, 1880; Elnora's schoolmate
  • Ethaline S. Parker of North Islesboro, Maine, signed on August 18, 1883
  • Mrs. Sadie I. Pendleton, or Sadie J. Pendleton, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on June 9, 1886
  • M. P. Pendleton, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on July 31, 1881
  • Edwin A. Porter of East Dixmont, Maine, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on February 11, 1880
R
  • Elnora Adele Redman of Islesboro, Maine; started her album on May 25, 1879
  • B. R. Redman, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on December 4, 1879. Capt. Benjamin Robert Redman, Elnora's father.
  • Medora Redman, signed on August 28, 1881. Presumably Medora (Trim Redman, wife of Varnum Rose Redman, a brother of Elnora's father Benjamin Robert Redman.
  • Violet Redman of Brooklyn, New York, signed on August 28, 1890; "Bound for the 'Camp Ground'". "I shall never forget the pleasant times I have had in Islesboro." She was Emma Violette (Platt) Redman, wife of Elnora's brother Walter Herman Redman.
  • R. W. Redman of Bucksport, Maine. Presumably Elnora's brother Ralph Winchester Redman.
  • Addie A. Redman of Bucksport, Maine. Presumably Ada Augusta Redman, sister of Elnora's father Benjamin Robert Redman.
  • H. J. Redman, signed on November 4, 1887
  • Mrs. Abbie M. Redman of Bucksport, Maine. Abigail Mary (Blake) Redman, wife of Robert Mathew Redman, brother of Elnora's father Benjamin Robert Redman.
  • W. H. Redman of Atlantic, Massachusetts, signed on August 21, 1881 and again on August 24, 1882 [or 1892]. Presumably Elnora's brother Walter Herman Redman.
  • Addie A. Richards of Islesboro, Maine, signed on April 26, 1881
  • Charles A. Rose of Islesboro, Maine, signed on March 21, 1880
  • Lena M. Rose of Islesboro, Maine, signed on April 7, 1883
  • David H. Rose of Islesboro, Maine, signed on May 7, 1880
  • Julia A. Rose of Islesboro, Maine, signed on May 4, 1880
  • Lois M. Rose, signed on July 3, 1881
  • Eugene Rose of Islesboro, Maine, signed on April 21, 1883
  • Alata Ryder of North Islesboro, Maine, signed on December 11, 1881
S
  • W. P. S., signed on April 6, 1881; not sure of initials
  • E. H. Sprague, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on April 7, 18? [looks like 1850, but must be 1880]
  • Leila H. Sprague, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on November 20, 1884
  • Will W. Sprague of Islesboro, Maine, signed on April 7, 1881
  • William P. Sprague, signed on April 5, 1881
T
  • Caro. A. Thomas of North Islesboro, Maine. "Remember the croquet party Sept. 19th 1887 - at Nettie's; also our ride."
V
  • Mildred A. Veazie of Islesboro, Maine, signed on April 22, 1883
  • Nettie Veazie, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on November 24, 1879
  • Anna A. Veazie of North Islesboro, Maine, signed on March 5, 1880
  • Ranie Veazie; possibly Lorana Veazie
W
  • Edna Wargent, signed on June 11, 1881
  • Artha A. Warren, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on March 22, 1881. Artha A. (Parker) Warren, wife of John S. Warren; Elnora's cousin
  • Cora E. Whitcomb of City Point, Maine, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on August 16, 1892. City Point might have been at Belfast, Maine.
  • Sara Whitcomb of Islesboro, Maine, signed on November 26, 1881
  • Charles E. Williams of Islesboro, Maine, signed on June 20, 1880
  • Mrs. Livona A. Williams of Islesboro, Maine, signed on June 20, 1880
  • Miss Nettie A. Williams of Islesboro, Maine, signed on June 20, 1880. "Remember the clam bakes"
  • James B. Williams of Mount Merrithew, signed in October 1887
  • Zilpha J. Williams of Islesboro, Maine, signed on October 2, 1881
  • Emory Franklin Williams of Islesboro, Maine, signed on September 16, 1881; spelled Islesborough. His wife Charlotte A. (Pendleton) Williams inscribed the right facing page.
  • Mrs. Charlotte A. Williams, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on September 15, 1881. She was Charlotte A. (Pendleton) Williams, wife of Emory Franklin Williams, who inscribed the left facing page.
  • W. S. Wilson, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on August 24, 1880
  • Fred W. Wyman, signed at Islesboro, Maine, on March 17, 1880
  • Miss Nettie Wyman of Islesboro, Maine, signed on May 23, 1880


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