Thursday, February 8, 2018

1887-1890 Autograph Album of Harriet E. Phillips, "Hattie", of Oakland County, Michigan


Autograph album with inscriptions from 1887 to 1890 that belonged to Harriet E. Phillips, "Hattie", of Oakland County, Michigan.   The album was given to Hattie by her cousin Polly at Christmas in 1887.


Inscribers came from:
  • Clawson, Michigan
  • B-ham, Michigan, presumably Birmingham or Burnham, Michigan
  • Troy, Michigan

Additionally, several inscribers gave residences of Florida and Wilton, but did not mention a state.  I assume that these were villages in Michigan, but perhaps a reader will have more insight.

The album measures approximately 7-3/4" by 5" and contains the sentiments of 22 of Hattie's relatives and friends.  An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.

Surnames in the Album - see the List of Inscribers for more information
  • ?  [3] - one of whom was "Cousin Polly"
  • Baker  [5] - Hattie's future in laws
  • Blair  [2]
  • Kyser or Keyser
  • Lilair ?
  • Neilson
  • Phillips  [2] - Hattie and her paternal grandmother Mary (Mogford) Phillips
  • Walker  [7] - cousins and "Uncle Net"
From brief online research, hopefully correct - corrections and additions requested:

According to her death record, Harriet E. Phillips, "Hattie", was born March 28, 1872 at White Lake, Michigan, the daughter of Eli Phillips and Julia (Perkins) Phillips.   Hattie's paternal grandmother, Mary (Mogford) Phillips, inscribed a page in the album on January 3, 1889.


On April 2, 1891 at Pontiac, Michigan, Hattie E. Phillips married Charles Baker, son of George Baker and Harriet (Long) Baker, who had immigrated to the United States from England.  Charles inscribed a page in Hattie's album on October 1, 1888 at Clawson, Michigan.


Charles' sisters inscribed pages, and the H. Baker who inscribed a page may have been Charles' mother Harriet (Long) Baker.


Hattie died at Royal Oak, Michigan, on March 17, 1947; Charles died in 1949 at Clawson, Michigan.  They're buried in the Crooks Road Cemetery at Troy, Michigan.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Sources
  • U.S. Federal Censuses
  • Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867-1952
  • Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925
  • Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1950
  • FindaGrave.com
Inscribers in the Album
  • A.; inscribed at Clawson, Michigan, on March 20, 1888
  • C.B.C.M.; inscribed on 10-1-1888
  • Polly; inscribed at Clawson, Michigan, on December 25, 1887.  She was Hattie's cousin and the person who gifted the album to Hattie.
  • Ada Baker; inscribed on October 4, 1888.  Presumably Ada Maria Baker, sister of Hattie's future husband Charles Baker
  • Charlie Baker; inscribed at Clawson, Michigan, on October 1, 1888.  Presumably Hattie's future husband Charles Baker.
  • Eliza Baker of Troy, Michigan; inscribed at Clawson, Michigan, on August 4, 1888.  Perhaps Elizabeth Matilda Baker, sister of Hattie's future husband Charles Baker
  • Flora Baker; "your sister".  She was the sister of Hattie's husband Charles Baker
  • H. Baker; inscribed on September 2, 1888.  Perhaps Harriet (Long) Baker, mother of Hattie's future husband Charles Baker
  • Maurice R. Blair; inscribed at Clawson, Michigan, on March 12, 1890.  His wife Nellie (Allen) Blair, whom he married on March 12, 1882, inscribed the right facing page.
  • Minnie Blair of Clawson, Michigan; inscribed on Mary 9, 1890
  • Nellie Blair of Clawson, Michigan; inscribed on March 12, 1890.  She was Nellie (Allen) Blair, whose husband Maurice R. Blair, whom she married on March 12, 1882, inscribed the left facing page.
  • Rosetta Kyser, or Rosetta Keyser, of Burnham, Michigan; inscribed on October 2, 1888.  The town is shown as B-ham, so I'm guessing it's either Birmingham, Michigan or the former settlement of Burnham at Arcadia, Michigan.
  • Franke Lilair or Frauke Lilair; from or inscribed at Clawson, Michigan, on March 10, 1890
  • Bertha Neilson; inscribed at Wilton, no state listed, on December 23, 1888
  • Hattie Phillips of Oakland County, Michigan; given the album by her cousin Polly on December 25, 1887
  • Mary Phillips; inscribed on January 3, 1889.  "Your Grandmother, Mary Phillips".  Presumably Mary (Mogford) Phillips, Hattie's paternal grandmother
  • Abbie Walker; inscribed in Florida [don't know if this is a township in Michigan or another State or the State of Florida], on December 30, 1888
  • Edith Walker; inscribed on January 5, 1889; Hattie's cousin
  • Estelle Walker; inscribed at Wilton, no state written, on November 4, 1888.  Hattie's cousin
  • Lottie Walker; inscribed at Florida, no state written, on January 5, 1889
  • Net Walker; inscribed at Wilton, no state written, on January 5, 1888.  Hattie's uncle.
  • S. R. Walker; inscribed on December 30, 1888
  • Wellington Walker; inscribed at Wilton, no state written, on October 21, 1888.  Hattie's cousin

2 comments:

  1. I believe that B'ham refers to Birmingham, Michigan, just northwest of Clawson.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! I worked your info into the blog post; most appreciated.

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