Monday, March 5, 2018

1886-1899 Autograph Album of Viola Jane Fenner of Streator & Reading, Illinois; her Photograph, Memento & Calling Cards & Friends' Calling Cards


Autograph album that was kept by Viola Jane Fenner of Streator, Illinois, and Reading, Illinois.  Accompanying the album were a photograph of Viola and two of her callings cards, a memento, and the calling cards of several friends.



The album measures approximately 6-1/4" by 3-3/4" and contains the sentiments of 38 of Viola's relatives and friends and the tucked-in calling cards of herself and nine of her 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

?DDefebaugh [4]NNelson
BBair [2]Defenbaugh [8]PPatterson
Brown [2]FFenner [5]SStevens [4]
BundyFowlerTTombaugh
CCarmichael [3]HHigbeeWWalker
ClarkHutton ?Walter
ClayLLeipseZZeilman
CornellMMcClelland
CrullMiller
CummingsMilnes




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

Viola Jane Fenner was born in 1876 in Illinois, the daughter of Martin Van Buren Fenner and Mary Ann (Defenbaugh) Fenner.  Viola's sister Lena inscribed a page in the album at Reading, Illinois, on March 30, 1891.  I believe her name was Lena Lucretia Fenner.


Other people who expressed a kinship with Viola [and there were likely others who didn't express a relationship, especially people named Defebaugh and Defenbaugh]:
  • Aunt Minia; inscribed on November 28, 1886.  Viola's aunt.  Presumably Alminia Jane Defenbaugh, sister of Viola's mother Mary Ann (Defenbaugh) Fenner.  Minia would marry Allen H. Armstrong in 1887.
  • Ellen; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, on December 29, 1886.  Viola's aunt.  Possibly Georgia Ellen Defenbaugh, sister of Viola's mother Mary Ann (Defenbaugh) Fenner.  Georgia Ellen would marry Adam Irgang in 1893.
  • Ellen Fenner; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, on October 30, 1886.  Viola's cousin, possibly Ellen E. Fenner, daughter of America Ellen (Chritton) Fenner, "Merica", and Rozell Fenner, who was a brother to Viola's father Martin Van Buren Fenner.
  • Etta Fenner; inscribed at Streator, Illinois, on October 29, 1886.  Viola's cousin, possibly Maryette Fenner, daughter of America Ellen (Chritton) Fenner, "Merica", and Rozell Fenner, who was a brother to Viola's father Martin Van Buren Fenner.
  • M. E. Fenner; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, on January 24, 1888.  Viola's aunt, possibly America Ellen (Chritton) Fenner, "Merica", wife of Rozell Fenner.
  • Ada Stevens; inscribed on Reading, Illinois, on June 4, 1890.  Viola's cousin, daughter of John H. Stevens and Elizabeth M. (Fenner) Stevens, who was a sister to Viola's father Martin Van Buren Fenner.
  • E. Stevens; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, in June 1890.  Viola's aunt, presumably Elizabeth M. (Fenner) Stevens, who was a sister to Viola's father Martin Van Buren Fenner.
  • Jessie Stevens; inscribed on January 3, 1889.  Viola's cousin, daughter of John H. Stevens and Elizabeth M. (Fenner) Stevens, who was a sister to Viola's father Martin Van Buren Fenner.
  • Lizzie Stevens; inscribed at Reading, Illinois; on June 6, 1899.  Viola's cousin Elizabeth Stevens, daughter of John H. Stevens and Elizabeth M. (Fenner) Stevens, who was a sister to Viola's father Martin Van Buren Fenner.



On June 30, 1927 in Chatauqua, New York, Viola Jane Fenner married James Clinton Hale, son of Horace and Huldah Hale.  I don't know if they had any children or if James was married before.  At the time of her death in 1937, according to her death record, Viola was widowed and was working as a school teacher.   She is buried in the Long Point Cemetery at Long Point, in Livingston County, Illinois.

Facing pages by Viola's teacher J. F. Crull from November 8, 1887.



Sources
U.S. Federal Census
New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936
Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 
FindaGrave.com

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the inscribers or calling card owners listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.


List of Inscribers and Calling Card Owners - note the spellings of surnames Defebaugh and Defenbaugh
  • Trixie; inscribed at Aurora, Illinois, on January 2, 1889
B
  • Carrie E. Bair; her calling card tucked in Viola's autograph album.
  • Cora A. Bair; her calling card tucked in Viola's autograph album.
  • Bert Brown; inscribed on January 25, 1893
  • Nora E. Brown; not sure of given name, could be Vora or ?; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, on June 4, 1890
  • Minnie Bundy; inscribed on 11-4-1891
C
  • Claude Carmichael; calling card tucked in Viola's autograph album.
  • Maude Carmichael; her calling card tucked in Viola's autograph album.
  • Sallie Carmichael; her calling card tucked in Viola's autograph album.
  • Miss Ellen Clark; inscribed on December 31, 1888
  • Ora M. Clay; inscribed on January 3, 1889.  Viola's schoolmate
  • Bertha Cornell; inscribed on October 29, 1886
  • J. F. Crull; inscribed on November 8, 1887.  He sketched a vessel off a mountainous coast with a fortress or castle on the left facing page.  Viola's teacher
  • Caroline Cummings; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, on October 2, 1891
D
  • Douglas Defebaugh; his calling card tucked in Viola's autograph album.
  • E. S. Defebaugh; inscribed on January 20, 1889.  Possibly Elijah S. Defebaugh, husband of inscriber Loretta (Turk) Defebaugh. Note the spelling of his surname, which is slightly different from the surname Defenbaugh of several other inscribers.
  • Esther Defebaugh; her calling card tucked in Viola's autograph album.
  • Mrs. Loretta Defebaugh; inscribed on January 10, 1889.  Presumably Loretta E. (Turk) Defebaugh, wife of inscriber Elijah S. Defebaugh.  Note the similarity to the surname Defenbaugh of several other inscribers.
  • ? Defenbaugh; possibly Manda or Maude or ?; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, on June 9, 1890
  • Aunt Minia; inscribed on November 28, 1886.  Viola's aunt.  Presumably Alminia Jane Defenbaugh, sister of Viola's mother Mary Ann (Defenbaugh) Fenner.  Minia would marry Allen H. Armstrong in 1887.
  • Ellen; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, on December 29, 1886.  Viola's aunt.  Possibly Georgia Ellen Defenbaugh, sister of Viola's mother Mary Ann (Defenbaugh) Fenner.  Georgia Ellen would marry Adam Irgang in 1893.
  • Florence Defenbaugh; inscribed at Streator, Illinois, on October 29, 1886
  • Grace Defenbaugh; inscribed on October 30, 1886 at Streator, Illinois
  • Jessie Defenbaugh; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, on January 26, 1893
  • Malinda Defenbaugh; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, on February 26, 1889
  • Nellie Defenbaugh; inscribed on October 29, 1886
F
  • Ellen Fenner; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, on October 30, 1886.  Viola's cousin, possibly Ellen E. Fenner, daughter of America Ellen (Chritton) Fenner, "Merica", and Rozell Fenner, who was a brother to Viola's father Martin Van Buren Fenner.
  • Etta Fenner; inscribed at Streator, Illinois, on October 29, 1886.  Viola's cousin, possibly Maryette Fenner, daughter of America Ellen (Chritton) Fenner, "Merica", and Rozell Fenner, who was a brother to Viola's father Martin Van Buren Fenner.
  • Lena Fenner; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, on March 30, 1891.  Viola's sister Lena Lucretia Fenner
  • M. E. Fenner; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, on January 24, 1888.  Viola's aunt, possibly America Ellen (Chritton) Fenner, "Merica", wife of Rozell Fenner.
  • Viola Jane Fenner of Streator, Illinois; album owner
  • Emma Fowler; inscribed at DeKalb, Illinois, on January 2, 1889
H
  • Lula Higbee; inscribed at Ancona, Illinois, on June 19, 1891
  • Lina Hutton; not sure of either name; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, on March 30, 1891
L
  • Edith M. Leipse; her calling card tucked in Viola's autograph album.
M
  • Dora McClelland of Tarlton, Ohio; inscribed on September 28, 1886
  • Mettie Miller; calling card tucked in Viola's autograph album.
  • D. May Milnes of Long Point, Illinois; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, on May 15, 1895
N
  • Nellie Nelson; inscribed at Streator, Illinois, on January 3, 1889.  Viola's schoolmate
P
  • Maud Patterson; inscribed at Streator, Illinois, on December 31, 1888
S
  • Ada Stevens; inscribed on Reading, Illinois, on June 4, 1890.  Viola's cousin, daughter of John H. Stevens and Elizabeth M. (Fenner) Stevens, who was a sister to Viola's father Martin Van Buren Fenner.
  • E. Stevens; inscribed at Reading, Illinois, in June 1890.  Viola's aunt, presumably Elizabeth M. (Fenner) Stevens, who was a sister to Viola's father Martin Van Buren Fenner.
  • Jessie Stevens; inscribed on January 3, 1889.  Viola's cousin, daughter of John H. Stevens and Elizabeth M. (Fenner) Stevens, who was a sister to Viola's father Martin Van Buren Fenner.
  • Lizzie Stevens; inscribed at Reading, Illinois; on June 6, 1899.  Viola's cousin Elizabeth Stevens, daughter of John H. Stevens and Elizabeth M. (Fenner) Stevens, who was a sister to Viola's father Martin Van Buren Fenner.
T
  • Hilda Tombaugh of Munster, Illinois; inscribed at Dixon, Illinois, on September 6, 1895
W
  • Emma C. Walker of Streator, Illinois; inscribed on June 11, 1890
  • Cora Walter; inscribed on October 30, 1886
Z
  • William Zeilman; inscribed at Long Point, Illinois, on January 18, 1893


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