Wednesday, March 18, 2020

1876-1881 Autograph Album of William Henry Conant (1855-1935) of Wayne, Maine


Autograph album with entries from 1876 to 1881 that belonged to William Henry Conant (1855-1935) , "Will", of Wayne, Maine.

The album was found with another that appears to have belonged to William's mother Rosella Clough (Leighton) Conant (1828-1907) of Wayne, Maine, wife of Thomas Conant (1809-1894).  The 1881-1897 era album that presumably belonged to Rosella's album is featured in another post.

Will may have attended the nearby Maine Wesleyan Seminary in Readfield, Maine, at Kents Hill.  The institution now operates as Kents Hill School.

The ownership page has a newspaper clipping pasted on that refers to William's marriage to Catharine McKinnon.


The album measures approximately 7" by 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of 32 of Will's relatives and friends.  An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.

The surnames of several of the inscribers are connected to families of Will's parents.


William Henry Conant (1855-1935), "Will", was born 7 September 1855 at Wayne, Maine, the son of Thomas Conant (1809-1894) and Rosella Clough (Leighton) Conant (1828-1907).  Will's mother was born at Parkman, Maine, which may account for the several inscriptions from Dover and Foxcroft.

Read more on the Conant family in Maine in a History and Genealogy of the Conant Family in England and America, published in 1887 by Frederick Odell Conant.

Will's uncle, Daniel Lunt Conant (1807-1883) of Peru, Maine, and Daniel's son William Henry Conant (1849-1927) of North Livermore, Maine, inscribed facing pages in 1878.


Another inscriber, Thomas S. Hoyt of Chelsea, Massachusetts, inscribed his page to Uncle Thomas, Aunt Rose and Willie.


Inscribers in the Album
  • Esther C. Ankarloo of Manchester, New Hampshire
  • W. C. Brainard of Providence, Rhode Island
  • Clara A. Brawn of Foxcroft, Maine; inscribed in July of 1877.  Written with pointillism so hard to decipher.
  • Susie J. Brawn of Foxcroft, Maine; inscribed on July 24, 1877
  • W. A. Burgess of Wayne, Maine; inscribed on Sunday, June 9, 1878.  Perhaps William A. Burgess
  • Walter Chamberlin of Campello, Massachusetts
  • Mary A. Chase of Turner, Maine; inscribed on July 25, 1877. Not sure of middle initial
  • D. L. Conant of Peru, Maine.  Daniel L. Conant (1807-1883), brother to album owner William Henry Conant's father Thomas Conant (1809-1894)
  • W. H. Conant of North Livermore; inscribed on June 17, 1878.  He was the album owner's cousin with the same name, William Henry Conant (1849-1927), son of Daniel L. Conant (1807-1883), who was a brother to the album owner William Henry Conant's father Thomas Conant (1809-1894)
  • Will H. Conant of Wayne, Maine; inscribed on March 25, 1881.  Album owner William Henry Conant (1855-1935).  Has a clipping pasted to page: "Wayne - June 9th, by Rev. W. H. Foster, Mr. W. H. Conant and Miss Catharine McKinnon, both of Wayne"
  • Rosanna Cummings of Augusta, Maine; inscribed on August 6, 1877
  • Thomas S. Hoyt of 60 William St., Chelsea, Massachusetts; inscribed to Uncle Thomas, Aunt Rose and Willie, on June 9, 1878
  • Eva M. Ladd of Wayne, Maine; inscribed on April 1, 1878
  • Abbie R. Leighton of Augusta, Maine; inscribed on August 6, 1877
  • R. S. Loring MD of Leeds, Maine.  Dr. Rollin S. Loring (1827-1902)
  • Carrie E. Morgan of Buckfield, Maine; inscribed on July 23, 1877
  • Mabel Morgan of Buckfield, Maine; inscribed on July 23, 1877
  • William H. Nason of Augusta, Maine; written upside down on the page
  • Ray P. Parkman, or Kay P. Parkman of Belfast, Maine
  • Sarah A. Philbrick, "Sadie", of Turner, Maine; inscribed on July 22, 1877
  • Ada C. Richards of East Wilton, Maine
  • Jennie F. Rollins; mentions East Livermore, Maine
  • Abbie M. Ronco of Wayne, Maine; inscribed on July 28, 1877
  • Lizzie A. Shea of Fayette, Maine; inscribed on May 13, 1878.  "Remember Camp meeting"
  • Florence Stinchfield; inscribed at Wayne, Maine, on May 26, 1878
  • Cora M. Stowe of Wayne, Maine, inscribed on January 12, 1878
  • J. A. Stowe of Dover, Maine; perhaps Julia A. Stowe
  • Charlie P. Swift of Wayne, Maine; inscribed on March 24, 1878
  • Julia A. Swift of Wayne, Maine; inscribed on March 22, 1878
  • Mabel Swift of Wayne, Maine; inscribed on March 20, 1878 [or 1877 - struckover]
  • Jennie Thorne; written upside down on the page
  • Mary A. Trott of Woolwich, Maine; inscribed on January 20, 1880
  • Alice M. Wing of Wayne, Maine; inscribed on April 19, 1876; written upside down on the page


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