Monday, January 30, 2017

1870s-1880s Autograph Album of George H. Knox of Berwick, Maine


1870s-1880s autograph album that belonged to George H. Knox, Jr., of Berwick, Maine.  Based on the earliest inscriptions, I believe George received the album on Christmas Day in 1876 or on his birthday, which also occurred in December.


The album measures approximately 5-1/4" by 3-1/4" and contains the sentiments of 40 of George's relatives, friends and pastors.  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 requested:

George H. Knox, Jr., was born about December 1858 in Maine, the son of George H. Knox, Sr., and Hannah Lydia (Cole) Knox.    On February 1, 1885 at Rochester, New Hampshire, George H. Knox, Jr., married Emma F. Cole, daughter of James and Lydia (Varney) Cole.

Incidentally, several people with the surname Cole inscribed pages in the album, including George's future wife Emma, who inscribed her page at Berwick, Maine, on December 29, 1876.


George and Emma lived at Buxton, Maine, where they operated a lumber mill.  If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Surnames in the Album

AArcher [2]KKettellSSpencer
BBrackettKnoxVVarney
ButlerLLibbey [2]WWallingford [2]
CClarkLockeWebster [2]
Cole [6]LordWheat
CrookMMathews
GGowenMontgomery
HHanson [3]PPierce
HersomPresby [2]
HorneRRankin [2]
Hubbard [2]Roberts

Inscribers in the Album - Note: given names within a surname may not be in alphabetical order
  • Cecille E. Archer of Boston, Massachusetts; inscribed on January 12, 1879
  • Viola A. Archer of Hyde Park, Massachusetts; inscribed on July 17, 1881
  • Carrie M. Brackett of Berwick, Maine; inscribed on May 8, 1878
  • Herbert Butler of Berwick, Maine
  • Charles S. Clark of Berwick, Maine
  • Isabel Cole of Hampton, New Hampshire; inscribed at Berwick, Maine, on August 5, 1880
  • Emma F. Cole of Berwick, Maine; inscribed on December 29, 1876
  • J. D. Cole of Berwick, Maine; inscribed on July 26, 1881; not sure of first initial; possibly James D. Cole
  • Hattie F. Cole of South Boston, Massachusetts; inscribed on August 15, 1882
  • Louisa E. Cole of South Boston, Massachusetts; inscribed on August 16, 1882
  • Anna M. Cole of Hampton, New Hampshire; inscribed on August 5, 1880
  • Warren S. Crook; inscribed at Berwick, Maine, on August 4, 1883
  • Minnie C. Gowen of Berwick, Maine; inscribed on January 12, 1879
  • David N. Hanson, Jr. of New York; inscribed at Berwick, Maine, on July 27, 1878.  He inscribed another page in August 1878, in which he gave his address as Brooklyn, New York.
  • Lillie J. Hanson; inscribed August 11, 1883; George's cousin
  • Hattie Hanson, inscribed on August 17, 1878
  • David N. Hanson of Brooklyn, New York; inscribed on August 18, 1878.  He inscribed another page in July 1878.
  • Carrie N. Hersom of South Berwick, Maine; inscribed on July 27, 1882
  • C. H. Horne of Berwick, Maine; inscribed on July 17, 1881
  • Written upside down:  Frank J. Hubbard of Berwick, Maine; "Merry Christmas '76'".  His sister Ida I. Hubbard inscribed the right facing page.
  • Ida I. Hubbard of Berwick, Maine; inscribed December 25, 1876; her brother Frank J. Hubbard inscribed the left facing page.
  • Bertha A. Kettell of Maplewood, Massachusetts; inscribed on August 15, 1882
  • George H. Knox of Berwick, Maine; album owner
  • Clara Libbey of Berwick, Maine; inscribed on May 14, 1878
  • Rose B. Libbey of Berwick, Maine; inscribed on March 1, 1878
  • Lydia Locke, inscribed on April 1, 1877
  • Lizzie L. Lord of Hyde Park, Massachusetts
  • William S. Mathews of Berwick, Maine; inscribed on April 29, 1878
  • J. D. Montgomery of Milton Mills, New Hampshire; inscribed at Berwick, Maine, on May 7, 1878.  Initials are very ornate and hard to decipher.  Presumably James Demster Montgomery (1854-1908)
  • William S. Pierce of Berwick, Maine; inscribed on April 30, 1878.  The page also has this: "Go ahead, D.C."
  • Joseph W. Presby of East Rochester, New Hampshire; inscribed on June 12, 1886.  He was Rev. Joseph Waite Presby (1850-1924), whose wife Isabel (Severance) Presby inscribed the right facing page.
  • Isabel Presby of East Rochester, New Hampshire; inscribed on June 12, 1886.  She was Isabel (Severance) Presby (1858-1937), whose husband Rev. Joseph Waite Presby inscribed the left facing page.
  • Charles W. Rankin; inscribed January 12, 1876.  I believe Charles meant to write the year 1877.
  • Mamie L. Rankin of Berwick, Maine; inscribed on "1-12-77"
  • John Roberts of Berwick, Maine; inscribed on April 29, 1878
  • Abbie E. Spencer of Berwick, Maine
  • Emma J. Varney, inscribed at Rochester, New Hampshire, on June 13, 1880
  • Mary E. Wallingford of East Rochester, New Hampshire; inscribed on September 3, 1881
  • Minerva Wallingford of Berwick, Maine; inscribed on March 29, 1881
  • Harrison Webster of Berwick, Maine; his wife Susan Anna (Libby) Knox, "Susie", inscribed the right facing page.
  • Susie Webster of Berwick, Maine; her husband Harrison Webster inscribed the left facing page.
  • F. I. Wheat of East Rochester, New Hampshire; inscribed on April 12, 1888.  Presumably Frank Irving Wheat, who became a minister at Rochester in April 1887 either while a student at Boston University or just afterward.

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