Thursday, September 7, 2017

1856-1894 Autograph Album of Marian L. McConkey, "Mollie", of Baltimore County, Maryland; student at Lutherville Female Seminary


1856-1894 autograph album of Marian L. McConkey, "Mollie", of Baltimore County, Maryland, with many of the inscriptions from her fellow students at Lutherville Female Seminary.

The album was presented to Marian by Colonel Polk on March 8, 1856.  Colonel Polk may have been James Polk (1794-1868) who was appointed Naval Officer of Baltimore in 1845.


The album, which was printed by Lippincott, Grambo & Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,  measures about 9-3/4" by 8" and contains 9 hand-colored illustrations and the sentiments of nearly seventy of Mollie'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.

The Curator of Historical Documents in Special Collections at the University of Maryland at College Park, Maryland, kindly forwarded images of an 1856 prospectus of Lutherville Female Seminary, which contains the names of some of the inscribers, including Marian.  A reader with may be able to match up more of the inscribers, some of whom used only a given name or partial initials.  The images of three pages listing the students appear near the end of this post.


From brief online research, hopefully correct - corrections and additions requested:

Marian Livingston McConkey, "Mollie", was born about October 1841 in Maryland, the daughter of George W. McConkey and Eliza R. (Coale) McConkey.   While researching the McConkey family, I found a reference to a photograph of Marian's parents, held in the Rider Collection at the Maryland Historical Society and the 1982 annual bulletin of the McConnaughey Society of America - McConkey is one of several variant spellings.

On September 26, 1871 at Frederick, Maryland, Marian married Richard Wallace Simpson.  Three of their daughters and son Warfield inscribed pages in Marian's album, the only inscriptions beyond 1856-1860 [or possibly 1866].  It's heartwarming to think of the album's surfacing in the 1890s and the children's desire to add their names to it.

Irene Simpson of Libertytown, Maryland; inscribed on March 26, 1894; "Your loving little Daughter".


Lila Simpson of Liberty, Maryland; inscribed on December 22, 1885; "Your loving little Daughter".


Ida Simpson of Liberty, Maryland, inscribed on December 22, 1885.  "Your loving little Daughter".


W. Simpson of Libertytown, Maryland; inscribed on May 5, 1891; "Your loving son".  Warfield Simpson.


Marion, who died in 1917, and Richard, who died in 1923, are buried in the Fairmount Cemetery at Libertytown, Maryland.

Students listed in the 1856 Prospectus of Lutherville Female Seminary - images courtesy of the Hornbake Library at the University of Maryland.





Surnames in the Album

? [39}PPearce
CChurchPlowman
GGettingsPolk
HHoffRRockland
HuggSSangston
HutchinsShaffer
JJohnsonShaw
MMartin [2]Simpson [6]
MatthewsStartzman
MauckTTurner
McConkeyVVan Hoff
Morris


Inscribers in the Album
  • Sophie ?, possibly Sophie I. or Sophie F. or ?
  • B. C., ofr [officer /?]; inscribed on November 21, 1856 at Retirement
  • Lean C. L.; not sure of given name
  • William; inscribed at Retirement on November 7, 1856
  • L. E. R. of "Liberty Place", Harford County, Maryland; inscribed in August 1857.  She may have been the Louisa E. Remare of Monkton, Maryland, mentioned in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.
  • M. E. S., inscribed at Brooklyn Heights on February 10, 1858
  • Hay or Kay or ?; inscribed on March 15, 1856 at Baltimore, Maryland.  Perhaps she was the May Hay Morris of Baltimore, Maryland, mentioned in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.
  • Helen S.; inscribed at Lutherville, Maryland, on February 3, 1857.  She may have been the Helen Slingluff of Baltimore County, Maryland, mentioned in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary
  • Maggie B.; inscribed at Lutherville Seminary on February 3, 1857.  She may have been the Maggie O. Brady of Baltimore County, Maryland, mentioned in an 1856 publication. of Lutherville Female Seminary.
  • Jane; inscribed in 1856.  She may have been the Jane C. Klinck of Charleston, South Carolina, mentioned in an 1856 publication of the Lutherville Female Seminary
  • J. J.; inscribed at Retirement on November 21, 1856
  • Sallie; from or inscribed at Taneytown, J. H. or I. H., on May 16, 1856.  Perhaps the Sallie C. Sentman of Taneytown, Maryland, mentioned in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary
  • Washington
  • Joshua
  • Sophie; surname possibly starts with I.; inscribed at Retirement
  • M. R. A.; inscribed at Lutherville Female Seminary on December 4, 1856.  Presumably the Mary R. Amerman of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who was named in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.
  • Harry; inscribed at Thornton on April 30, 1860
  • Ella D.; inscribed on October 30, 1858
  • Bell; inscribed near Towsontown, Maryland, on January 9, 1857; perhaps the Isabella S. Matthews of Towsontown, Maryland, mentioned in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.  
  • Eddie
  • Willie; inscribed on February 4, 1858
  • Sturgis; inscribed at Spring Hill on April 3, 1860
  • H. M. S.; inscribed at Bruceville, presumably Bruceville, Maryland, on September 20, no year written
  • Joshua; inscribed at Towsontown, Maryland, on January 6, 1857
  • Maggie; inscribed on January 9, 1857
  • Ida; inscribed at Flowervale, presumably Flowervale, Maryland, in August 1857.  Perhaps the Ida A. Slothower of Baltimore, Maryland, mentioned in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.
  • S. J. R.; not sure of initials; inscribed at Thornton on April 21, 1861
  • Name either too faint to read or rubbed out; inscribed at Glen Brooke on August 28, 1858
  • Nannie.  Perhaps she was the Nannie G. Merryman of Cockeysville, Maryland, mentioned in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.
  • J. D. O.; inscribed at Valley in Baltimore County, Maryland, on June 4, 1859
  • T.; inscribed at Bruceville, Maryland, on June 4, 1859
  • J. L. R., Jr.; inscribed at Bruceville, Maryland, on June 4, 1859
  • Annie M. R.; inscribed at Bruceville, Maryland, on June 4, 1859.  Possibly the Annie M. Ritz of Hanover, Pennsylvania, mentioned in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.
  • Nannie.  Perhaps she was the Nannie G. Merryman of Cockeysville, Maryland, mentioned in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.
  • Ella
  • Inscription started but not finished
  • Eliza J. M.; inscribed at Woodbine, presumably Woodbine, Maryland, on February 11, 1857
  • Sophie Simpson ?; possibly Crapster or Crafstein; inscribed at Mountain View, Maryland, on September 28, 1857
  • Unsigned
C
  • Tillie R. Church of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; inscribed at Lutherville, Maryland, on November 24, 1856
G
  • Lottie Gettings; inscribed at Lutherville, Maryland, on December 6, 1856.  Her name and residence are given as Lottie E. Gittings of Upper Falls, Baltimore County, Maryland, in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.
H
  • Laura A. Hoff; inscribed at Lutherville Female Seminary on December 6, 1856.  Baltimore, Maryland written at bottom of page.  Her residence is given as Baltimore, Maryland, in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.
  • Maggie Hugg; not sure of surname; inscribed at Lutherville Female Seminary on February 3, 1857.  A list of students in 1856 gives her name as Maggie V. Hugg, and her residence as Baltimore, Maryland.
  • Helen A. Hutchins; on a page shared by 5 people, inscribed on August 24, 1860, or possibly, 1866, at retirement.  Helen inscribed another page shared with 3 other people
J
  • Julia Johnson; on a page shared with 3 other people
M
  • Annie M. Martin; inscribed at Brooklyn Heights in January 1858
  • Laura A. Martin ; inscribed at Brooklyn, New York, on January 16, 1858
  • Belle S. Matthews; on a page shared by 5 people, inscribed on August 24, 1860, or possibly 1866, at retirement.  Belle also inscribed another page. Shared with 3 other people.  An 1856 gives her name and residence as Isabella S. Matthews of Towsontown, Maryland.
  • Alice Mauck of Laurel Del.; inscribed on March 15, 1856 at Baltimore, Maryland.  Her name and residence of Laurel, Delaware, are given in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.
  • Marian L. McConkey (1841-1917), "Mollie", of Baltimore, Maryland.  The album was presented to her on March 8, 1856 by Colonel Polk.  Mollie inscribed a page shared with 4 others on August 24, 1866 [not sure of year]; Helen A. Hutchins; Lou Shaffer; Belle S. Matthews; and George R. Simpson.  Her name and address - Marian L. McConkey of Baltimore County, Maryland, are given in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.
  • Georgie A. Morris; inscribed on March 15, 1856 at Baltimore, Maryland.  Her name and residence of Baltimore, Maryland, are given in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.
P
  • Gussie Pearce; inscribed at Lutherville Seminary on December 6, no year written.  An 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary gives her name and address as S. Augusta Pearce of Monkton, Maryland.
  • H. Nannie Plowman; inscribed at Lutherville Female Seminary on November 25, 1856.  Baltimore, Maryland, written at bottom of page.  Her residence is given as Baltimore, Maryland, in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.
  • Colonel Polk; he presented the album to Marian L. McConkey, "Mollie", on March 8, 1856.  Perhaps Col. James Polk (1794-1868)
R
  • Kate Rockland; inscribed at Lutherville Female Seminary on February 3, 1857; Mollie's schoolmate
S
  • Rosallia Sangston; middle initial K or H; inscribed at Lutherville Female Seminary on December 6, 1856.  An 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary gives her name and residence as Rosa C. Sangston of Baltimore, Maryland.
  • Lou Shaffer; on a page shared by 5 people, inscribed on August 24, 1860, or possibly 1866. at retirement.  Lou also inscribed another page shared with 3 other people
  • E. L. Shaw of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; inscribed on September 20, 1873; inscribed another page on the same date
  • George R. Simpson; on a page shared by 5 people, inscribed on August 24, 1860, or possibly 1866.  Possibly the George Simpson who was a brother to Mollie's future husband, Richard Wallace Simpson.
  • Ida Simpson of Liberty, Maryland, inscribed on December 22, 1885.  "Your loving little Daughter".  Ida Randolph Simpson, daughter of Richard Wallace Simpson and Marian Livingston (McConkey) Simpson, "Mollie".
  • Irene Simpson of Libertytown, Maryland; inscribed on March 26, 1894; "Your loving little Daughter".  Irene G. Simpson, daughter of Richard Wallace Simpson and Marian Livingston (McConkey) Simpson, "Mollie".
  • Lila Simpson of Liberty, Maryland; inscribed on December 22, 1885; "Your loving little Daughter".  Lila Simpson, daughter of Richard Wallace Simpson and Marian Livingston (McConkey) Simpson, "Mollie".
  • Sophie Simpson ?; possibly Crapster or Crafstein; inscribed at Mountain View, Maryland, on September 28, 1857.  Possibly the Sophie Simpson who was a sister to Mollie's future husband, Richard Wallace Simpson.
  • W. Simpson of Libertytown, Maryland; inscribed on May 5, 1891; "Your loving son"  Richard Warfield Simpson, son of Richard Wallace Simpson and Marian Livingston (McConkey) Simpson, "Mollie".
  • Laura Startzman of Baltimore, Maryland; inscribed at Lutherville Seminary on December 9, 1856.  An 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary gives her name and residence as Laura M. Startzman of Baltimore, Maryland.
T
  • Laura Turner; inscribed at Lutherville, Maryland, on February 3, 1857; Mollie's schoolmate.  An 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary gives her name as Laura V. Turner of Baltimore, Maryland.
V
  • Kate E. Van Hoff; inscribed on October 10, 1856; Mollie's schoolmate.  Her name and residence of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, are given in an 1856 publication of Lutherville Female Seminary.

1 comment:

  1. Marion McConkey is my great grandmother, my paternal grandmother is Irene Simpson Alleman.

    ReplyDelete