Wednesday, January 3, 2018

1880s/1890s Autograph Album of Mary Frances Gallagher of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania


1880s-1890s autograph album that presumably belonged to Mary Frances Gallagher [or Mary Francis Gallagher] of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, possibly at Bryan or Rural Valley.

Most of the inscribers gave addresses in and around Armstrong County, Pennsylvania:
  • Blanket Hill
  • Bryan
  • Dayton
  • Echo
  • Freeport
  • Goheenville
  • Muff
  • Phoenix
  • Rural Valley, 

The album presumably had covers at one point, and perhaps more pages, including a possible ownership page inscribed by Mary herself.  However, there are two inscriptions, one by a Mary Gallagher of Bryan, Pennsylvania, and one by Mary Gallaher of Bryan, Pennsylvania, that might have been penned by Mary Frances Gallagher herself.  One of them appears on the page after an inscription by Mary's sister Hannah [shown in the family history section farther below]



The album, or what's left of it, measures approximately 6-3/4" by 4" and contains the sentiments of around 45 of Mary's relatives, friends, schoolmates and pastors.   An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.

Surnames in the Album

? [7]HHallNNeale
AAsheHenryRRoup/Rupp ?
BBakerJJonesRumbough
BittingerMMartinRupp/Roup ?
BriceMcAdooSSowers ?
CCalhounMcCouchStewart [3]
CampbellMcElwain [4]TTempleton
Clever [2]McGeeWWalton ?
DDimmick [2]McGregor [3]Westwood
GGallagher [3]McKinley
Moore

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

According to information provided by her husband, Charles Addison Carson, on her 1918 death certificate, Mary Frances [ or Francis] Gallagher was born September 25, 1867 at Dayton, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Irish immigrants James Gallagher and Rebecca (Williamson) Gallagher.

Mary had several siblings, one of whom, older sister Hannah (Gallagher) McGregor, wife of William McGregor, inscribed a page in the album.


One of the last inscriptions in the album was that of Mary's niece Becca McGregor, who was Rebecca McGregor, daughter of Hannah (Gallagher) McGregor and William McGregor.


Another niece who inscribed a page was Laura Brice, daughter of Mary's older sister Isabella (Gallagher) Brice, "Belle" or "Bella", and James Brice.


On June 17, 1896 in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, Mary Frances Gallagher married Charles Addison Carson, son of Andrew and Catherine Carson.  They settled at Kittanning, Pennsylvania, where Charles was the Sheriff.  I'm not sure if they had any children before Mary died on June 3, 1918 at Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Mary and Charles, who died in 1942, are buried in the St. Michaels Episcopal Cemetery at Rural Valley, Pennsylvania, with other relatives.

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.

Inscribers in the Album
  • Hannah; inscribed on August 17, 1884.  Mary's cousin
  • Mary; inscribed at Rural Valley, Pennsylvania, on September 1, 1884
  • ?; inscribed at Phoenix, presumably Pennsylvania.  Possibly C. C. C? or O. O. C?  Extremely faint
  • Gertie of Dayton, Pennsylvania; inscribed on February 25, 1885.  Surname too faint to make out
  • Your friend
  • H. P. C.; inscribed on March 4, 1887.  Mary's pastor
  • Thomas Westwood or Thomas of Westwood, Pennsylvania
  • Cora M. Ashe; inscribed on March 16, 1886
  • Hermon Baker of Freeport, Pennsylvania, in Armstrong County.  Very faint
  • J. C. Bittinger of Echo, Pennsylvania; Mary's schoolmate
  • Laura Brice of Dayton, Pennsylvania; inscribed on July 15, 1895.  Mary's niece.  Laura was the daughter of James Brice and Isabella (Gallagher) Brice, "Belle", who was a sister to album owner Mary.
  • W. J. Calhoun of Goheenville, Pennsylvania
  • Mary A. Campbell
  • Clark Clever of Muff, Pennsylvania; inscribed on August 29, 1886
  • W. R. ?, possibly W. R. Clever; inscribed on June 7, 1884
  • Annie Dimmick
  • Rev. S. Dimmick; inscribed on July 29, 1888
  • Mary; presumably Mary F. Gallagher of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania; album owner
  • Mary Gallagher of Bryan, Pennsylvania; in Armstrong County; inscribed on February 22, 1884. Could she be the same Mary of Bryan, Pennsylvania, who spelled her name as Mary Gallaher?  And it's very possible that this inscription was made by album owner Mary F. Gallagher
  • Mary Gallaher of Bryan, Pennsylvania, in Armstrong County; inscribed on April 17, 1885.  Could she be the same Mary from Bryan, Pennsylvania, who spelled her name as Mary Gallagher?  And could Mary be album owner Mary F. Gallagher?
  • W. J. Hall of Rural Valley, Pennsylvania; inscribed on April 16, 1885
  • Susie C. Henry
  • Jonathan Jones or John Jones; inscribed on June 16, 1884
  • W. M. Martin
  • Samuel McAdoo
  • Anna M. McCouch of Bryan, Pennsylvania; inscribed on April 22, 1999
  • Ella McElwain
  • J. E. McElwain of Echo, Pennsylvania; inscribed on April 10, 1887
  • Jennie McElwain; inscribed at Echo, Pennsylvania, on April 8, 1887
  • S. J. McElwain; inscribed at Echo, Pennsylvania, on April 8, 1887
  • W. B. McGee or W. B. McG.; inscribed on February 25, no year written
  • Becca McGregor of Bryan, Pennsylvania; inscribed on November 17, 1888.  Mary's niece.  Rebecca was the daughter of William McGregor and Hannah (Gallagher) McGregor, who was a sister to album owner Mary.
  • Emma McGregor of Blanket Hill, Pennsylvania, inscribed on January 24, 1888
  • Hannah; inscribed on August 7, 1885; Mary's sister Hannah (Gallagher) McGregor
  • Maggie McKinley; inscribed on June 29, 1884
  • Martha Moore
  • Belle Neale; inscribed on August 7, 1885
  • Kitt M. Roup [not sure of surname] of Dayton, Pennsylvania; inscribed on February 25, 1885.  Could be related to Maggie Rupp/?
  • George C. M. Rumbough
  • Maggie Rupp; not sure of surname; could be related to Kitt M. Roup/?
  • J. G. Sowers; sketched himself.  Perhaps James G. Sowers
  • Anne Jane Stewart; inscribed on November 18, 1885 [or 1883].  Presumably sister of inscribers Nancy G. Stewart and William B. Stewart
  • Nancy G. Stewart; inscribed at Bryan, Pennsylvania, on November 18, 1885.  Presumably sister of inscribers Anne Jane Stewart and William B. Stewart
  • W. B. Stewart; inscribed on November 18, 1885.  Presumably William B. Stewart, brother of inscribers Nancy G. Stewart and Anne Jane Stewart
  • J. Templeton; middle initial might be C; inscribed at Rural Valley, Pennsylvania; possibly James C. Templeton
  • Lillie M. ?, possibly Lillie M. Walton; inscribed on February 25, 1885.  Very faint
  • Thomas Westwood or Thomas of Westwood, Pennsylvania


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