Friday, December 1, 2017

1870 Autograph Album of Charles Briggs, a Student at Highland Military Academy at Worcester, Massachusetts


1870 autograph album that belonged to Charles Briggs, presumably a student at Highland Military Academy at Worcester, Massachusetts

Charles may have been Charles Wanton Briggs of Grosvenor Dale, Connecticut.


The album measures approximately 7" by 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of nearly 60 of Charles' instructors and classmates.  An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.



Surnames in the Album

? [3 Japanese names]HHardingWSafford
AAinsworthHaynesShaw
AllenHodgesSheldon
AyresHoveySherman
BBartlettHowardSpellman
BriggsKKentStuart
BrownKnoxTTabor
BushieMMason [2]Taylor
CClarkMasonThorne ?
CliftonMerchantTracy
CollierMurrayTucker
CookPPartridgeUUpton
CranePikeWWalden
CulverPrattWarren
DDiasPutnamWay
DurantRReedWebb
EEarleReeveWhitin
ElliottRiceWhiting
GGurneyWhittemore

Three pages were inscribed by students from Japan.




If you have any information on the people mentioned above or in the list of inscribers below, please leave a comment for the benefit of fellow researchers.

Clarence Way of Boston Highlands, Massachusetts; Class of 1870

List of Inscribers
  • Yosikatsu R. Enouye of Chikuzen, Japan; inscribed on April 17, 1870; including Japanese characters
  • M. Yamada; inscribed at Highland Military Academy on June 2, 1870.  He sketched a bird holding a flag with Japanese characters
  • A. Hongma of Hapan; includes Japanese characters
  • John M. Ainsworth of Castleton, Vermont
  • Ebbie Allen of Sprague, Connecticut; inscribed at Highlands on June 7, 1871.  Presumably Ebenezer Allen
  • George P. Ayres of Pittsfield, Massachusetts; inscribed on October 15, 1870.  Not sure of middle initial, but if it is P, the inscriber might have been George Platner Ayers
  • I. H. Bartlett, or J. H. Bartlett, of Worcester, Massachusetts; inscribed at H. C. C. on July 1, 1870
  • Charles Briggs; album owner
  • H. C. Brown of Concord, New Hampshire; inscribed on April 16, 1870 at Highland Military Academy; Class of 1870
  • James Bushie; inscribed at Highland Military Academy at Worcester, Massachusetts in May 1870.  There was a James Bushee listed as an instructor in an 1870 catalog of the Academy.
  • George L. Clark, or George S. Clark, of Worcester, Massachusetts; Instructor at Highland Military Academy
  • Charles Clifton of Buffalo, New York; inscribed at Worcester, Massachusetts, on April 17, 1870
  • W. W. Collier, Cadet, of Battle Creek, Michigan; inscribed at H.C.C.
  • John P. Cook, Esq., of Salem, Massachusetts; inscribed on June 7, 1870.  Sergeant H.C.C.
  • Augustus Crane, Jr., Cadet Corporal, of Morristown, New Jersey; inscribed at H.C.C.
  • A. R. Culver, inscribed at Highland Military Academy of Worcester, Massachusetts.  Class of 1870.  He also wrote Brooklyn, Long Island, and that was presumably his residence.
  • Joseph Dias of New Bedford, Massachusetts; inscribed at H.C.C> on May 29, 1870
  • James M. Durant of Washington, D.C.; inscribed at Highland Military Academy, Class of 1870
  • B. D. Earle, Cadet Corporal, of Providence, Rhode Island; inscribed at H.C.C. on June 20, 1870; Charles' schoolmate
  • Adelbert Elliott of Grosvenor Dale, Connecticut; inscribed on August 19, 1870
  • D. E. Gurney of Abington, Massachusetts; inscribed at Highlands on June 11, 1870
  • W. B. Harding of Athol, Massachusetts; High Private Rear Rank; inscribed at H.C.C., Worcester, Massachusetts, on January 7, 1871
  • Charles T. Haynes, teacher at Highland Military Academy at Worcester, Massachusetts; inscribed on April 15, 1870
  • R. C. Hodges of Detroit, Michigan; inscribed at H.C.C. on May 13, 1870
  • Henry R. Hovey of Centre Brook, Connecticut
  • J. E. Howard, Military Secretary; inscribed at Worcester, Massachusetts at Highlands, on April 16, 1870
  • Edward A. Kent of Buffalo, New York
  • J. S. B. Knox of Weston, Massachusetts; inscribed on April 21, 1870.  Class of 1870
  • Simeon Leland, Jr., of New York City; inscribed on May 29, 1870
  • Frederick Leland of New York; Charles' classmate
  • Eddie S. Mason of Woonsocket, Rhode Island; inscribed on March 6, 1871
  • Edward S. Mason, Cadet, of Woonsocket, Rhode Island; inscribed at Highland Military Academy
  • D. E. Merchant of New Haven, Connecticut; inscribed on April 21, 1870.  Class of 1870 of Highland Military Academy
  • R. L. Murray, Corporal, or R. S. Murray, Corporal of Brooklyn, New York; inscribed at Highland Military Academy on June 5, 1870
  • Albert Partridge of Worcester, Massachusetts; inscribed at Highlands on September 22, no year written, but presumably 1870
  • James E. Pike of Sterling, Connecticut; inscribed on June 12, 1870
  • W. A. Pratt of Montclair, New Jersey; inscribed at Highlands on April 21, 1870
  • William H. Putnam of Wilton, New Hampshire; inscribed on April 16, 1870 at Highland Military Academy
  • Harry Reed, possibly Harry D. Reed, of Abington, Massachusetts; inscribed at Highlands H.C.C., on June 12, 1870
  • D. D. Reeve of Brooklyn, New York; inscribed at Highland Military Academy on June 5, 1870
  • ?. Rice, possibly H. Rice, Sargeant, of Attleboro, Massachusetts
  • James P. Safford of Salem, Massachusetts; inscribed on April 21, 1870.  Class of 1870
  • Joseph A. Shaw of Highland Military Academy at Worcester, Massachusetts; inscribed on May 16, 1870.  Instructor at Highland Military Academy
  • Archie L. Sheldon of Rutland, Vermont; inscribed at Highland Military Academy on February 15, 1870 or 1871 [strike-over]
  • E. C. Sherman, Cadet Sargeant, of Castleton, Vermont; inscribed at H.C.C., Class of 1870
  • Walter A. Spellman, Orderly Sergeant, of Providence, Rhode Island; inscribed at H.C.C. on June 11, 1870
  • James H. Stuart of Portland, Maine; inscribed at Highlands; Class of 1870
  • S. W. Tabor of Longmeadow, Massachusetts; Charles' classmate
  • Jacob M. Taylor of Brighton, Massachusetts; inscribed on April 17, 1870
  • Harry M. Thorne or Thome of Lema, Peru; Class of 1870
  • Willis H. Tracy, Cadet Lieut., of Havana, New York; inscribed at Highland Military Academy on May 14, 1870
  • Fred M. Tucker of Ludlow, Vermont; Class of 1870
  • F. Upton, Cadet Lieutenant and ?; inscribed on May 31, 1870.  Middle initial possibly N
  • J. Henry Walden of Willimantic, Connecticut; inscribed on December 17, 1870.  "Remember post No. 63"
  • Samuel L. Warren of Newtown, Long Island, New York; inscribed on June 5, 1870
  • Clarence Way of Boston Highland, Massachusetts; Class of 1870
  • J. Audubon Webb, Cadet Drummer, of Worcester, Massachusetts; inscribed at Highland Military Academy on April 17, 1870
  • Harry Whitin of Whitinsville, Massachusetts; inscribed at Highlands on January 8, 1870 or 1871.  Can't decipher middle initial
  • W. J. Whiting of Franklin, Massachusetts; inscribed at H.C.C. on June 12, 1870
  • Walter Whittemore of Boston, Massachusetts; inscribed at Highland Military Academy

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