1858-1860 Autograph Album of John Perley, a Principal at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary and Female College at Kents Hill, Maine

1858-1860 autograph album that belonged to John Perley, a teacher and principal at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary and Female College at Kents Hill in Readfield, Maine.

John Perley authored "Perley's System of Penmanship and Bookkeeping".  He also taught at Waterville Classical Institute at Waterville, Maine; Hebron Academy at Hebron, Maine and Houlton Academy at Houlton, Maine.

"The Scriptural Album", which measures about 8" by 7", was published by John P. Perry of 198 Market Street, Philadelphia.  In addition to the hand colored engraving on the title page, it contains 8 other hand colored engravings, all of a Biblical nature.  It must have been a treasure when first acquired, and it remains so.

The album contains the sentiments of 28 of John Perley's students, fellow educators and friends.  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.

One especially touching page was inscribed by John Perley's former student and then fellow teacher, John E. Bryant of Buckfield, Maine.

George Johnstone of Germantown, Pennsylvania, inscribed a two-page sentiment on February 9, 1860.

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

John Perley was born at Unity, Maine, on March 15, 1812, the son of John and Mary (Spaulding) Perley.  Son John married twice: 1) Elizabeth Walker (1809-1841), daughter of William Gleason Walker and Huldah (Scribner) Walker; 2)  Esther Carter Foster (1814-1889), daughter of Thomas Dresser Foster and Joanna (Carter) Foster.

Children with wife Elizabeth Walker:

1. Benjamin Dudley Perley, born February 14, 1835; died of consumption on March 11, 1854
2. Esther Maria Perley, born February 13, 1838; married George Washington Clark; died March 30, 1924
3. Sarah Amelia Perley, born August 27, 1839; died January 27, 1840
4. John Milton Perley, born November 9, 1840; died March 4, 1841

Children with wife Esther Carter (Foster) Perley

1. Eliza Jane Perley, born February 27, 1845; died March 14, 1920
2. Roscoe John Perley, born August 2, 1846; married Maria Bishop; died January 17, 1928
3. Olive Foster Perley, born August 2, 1847; died August 16, 1847
4. Robert Foster Perley, born September 20, 1849; died October 4, 1849
5. Helen Margelia Perley, born January 29, 1852; married Rev. James Eugene Clark; died March 29; 1896

John Perley died May 20, 1895; his second wife Esther had predeceased him in 1889.  John and his wives and several of his children are buried at the Farwell Cemetery at Unity, Maine.

Read more about Professor Perley in Martin Van Buren Perley's History and Genealogy of the Perley Family, pages 419-421.

Surnames in the Album

?	E	Eaton	P	Perley	S	Snow
Adams [2]	F	Fernald		Pottle		Storer
Batchelder		Fisk	R	Rhoades [2]	T	Trafton
Beath		Frye		Robinson		True
Boyington	H	Harriman		Rogers [2]
Bryant	J	Johnstone		Rouse
	L	Larrabee [4]

Inscribers in the Album

• Unsigned; perhaps written by J. Perley himself

A

• Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath
• Mr. E. H. Adams; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath

B

• Amelia A. R. Batchelder
• Rinda J. Beath; presumably Rinda Jane Beath; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath
• Addie Boyington
• John E. Bryant of Buckfield, Maine; Mr. Perley's one-time student and now fellow teacher, presumably at Maine Wesleyan Seminary at Kents Hill, Maine

E

• Mattie W. Eaton of Pishon's Ferry, Maine, inscribed at Kents Hill, Maine, at Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on May 17, 1858. Pishon's Ferry is located at Clinton, Maine.

F

• O. H. Fernald, inscribed at Tremont, Maine, on May 20, 1858; presumably Oliver H. Fernald
• Emma Fisk; her middle initial is either T or Y or ?; inscribed at Kents Hil, Maine, at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on May 22, 1858
• Emily A. Frye

H

• D. G. Harriman of New Sharon, Maine, inscribed at Kents Hill, Maine, at Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on May 20, 1858. Presumably Daniel G. Harriman

J

• 2-page sentiment of George Johnstone of Germantown, Pennsylvania, inscribed on February 9, 1860

L

• E. E. Larrabee, or C. E. Larrabee; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath
• Mrs. A. P. Larrabee; not sure of middle initial; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath
• Augusta Marie Larrabee; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath
• Charles S. Larrabee; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath

P

• John Perley; album owner.  He was an administrator and instructor at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary and Female College at Kents Hill in Readfield, Maine
• Abel Pottle of Salem, Maine, inscribed at Kents Hill, Maine, at Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on May 20, 1858 to his teacher Mr. Perley; inscribed to "Dear Bro. Pearley"

R

• Mary A. Rhoades of Bremen, Maine, inscribed at Kents Hill, Maine, at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on May 18, 1858
• L. Rhoades of Bremen, Maine, inscribed at Kents Hill, Maine, at Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on May 22, 1858
• M. C. Robinson; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath
• Jennie A. Rogers
• Margaret Rogers
• Cora E. Rouse

S

• Addie Snow
• Lucy J. Storer of Mexico, Maine, inscribed at Kents Hill, Maine, at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on May 17, 1858

T

• Annie Trafton of East Strong, Maine, inscribed at Kents Hill, Maine, at Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on October 27, 1860; John Perley's pupil.
• Rosie E. True of Hope, Maine, inscribed at Maine Wesleyan Seminary, Spring Term, 1858