Sunday, December 6, 2020

1890s Autograph Album of Edna Laniel Given (abt 1878-) of Alna, Maine; also known as Edna Laniel Meader after her Stepfather, Franklin C. Meader

1890s autograph album that belonged to Edna Laniel Given (abt 1878-) of Alna, Maine.


Edna was the daughter of Robert Given and Medora Bryant (Hall) Given Meader (1856-1925), "Dora", of Alna Maine.  I'm not sure what happened to Robert, but Dora married Franklin C. Meader (1858-1941) in 1890, after which some records show Edna's maiden name as Meader. Edna would marry Edgar Whitman Looke in Massachusetts in 1900.

Deaths and/or breaks in family relationships made researching this family difficult. Hopefully a reader will provide clarifications.

Dora's stepfather Franklin C. Meader was presumably the F. C. Meader who inscribed a page in the album.


The album measures approximately 8" by 5" and contains the sentiments of 18 of Edna's relatives and friends. An alphabetical list of the inscribers, along with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.

Surnames in the album
Cobb (2)
Duran
Given (2)
Heath
Hilton (2)
Jordan
Lunt
Meader 
Morrill (2)
Page
Parsons
Ware (2)
Winslow
Young

Two of Edna's sisters inscribed pages in the album: Mamie Cargill Given and Maude G. Parsons, who was presumably adopted out at some point.

Mary Cargill Given (abt 1879-1940), "Mamie", who would marry Walter W. Pitcher

Maud G. Parsons (1882-1951), who would marry Ralph Lysander Jackson

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the people mentioned in the list of inscribers below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Alphabetical List of Inscribers
  • Ina E. Cobb of Randolph, Maine. Ina Evelyn Cobb (1878-), daughter of inscriber Lizzie S. Cobb. Ina would become a teacher in Massachusetts.
  • Mrs. L. S. Cobb of Randolph, Maine; inscribed on November 5, 1891. Perhaps Sarah Elizabeth (Pierce) Cobb (1852-1939), widow of Frank E. Cobb (1853-1890). 
  • Julia C. Duran of Cumberland, Maine; inscribed at Alna, Maine, on January 9, 1891. Presumably teacher Julia C. Duran (abt 1852-1896)
  • Edna L. Given of Alna, Maine; inscribed on December 25, 1890, when she presumably received the album as a Christmas present. Presumably Edna Laniel Given (1878-), daughter of Robert Given and Medora Bryant (Hall) Given. Edna apparently later took the surname of her stepfather, Frank C. Meader. Edna would marry Edgar Whitman Looke in 1908.
  • Mamie Cargill Given of Chelsea, Maine; inscribed on August 13, 1900. Album owner Edna's sister Mamie Cargill Given (about1879-1940), who married Walter W. Pitcher in 1906. 
  • Myra Heath of Chelsea, Maine; inscribed on January 22, 1894. Perhaps Elmira E. Heath (1883-1915), "Myra". 
  • H. A. Hilton of Alna, Maine; inscribed at Chelsea, Maine, on 1-9-92. More than one possibility
  • Lura F. Hilton of Alna, Maine; inscribed at Chelsea, Maine, on June 29, 1893. Lura Florence Hilton (1873-1935), who married Theodore Moss Davis. 
  • Grace E. Jordan of Lewiston, Maine; inscribed on March 18, 1893
  • Mertie L. Lunt of Chelsea, Maine; inscribed on March 12, 1894. Perhaps the Mertie Bell Lunt (1885-1971) who married Ernest Leroy Johnson. 
  • F. C. Meader, inscribed on April 5, 1891. He was presumably Franklin C. Meader (1858-1941) who, in 1890, married Dora B. Given, who was presumably Medora B. (Hall) Given, album owner Edna's mother. 
  • Eva Morrill of Chelsea, Maine; inscribed on April 10, 1891. Presumably Eva May Morrill (1877-1897), sister of inscriber Lottie M. Morrill. 
  • Lottie Morrill of Chelsea, Maine; inscribed on January 24, 1894. Presumably Lottie M. Morrill (abt 1875-1953), sister of inscriber Eva May Morrill. Lottie would marry Eben Hallowell. 
  • Alice E. Page of Chelsea, Maine; inscribed on April 23, 1893. Possibly Alice E. Page (abt 1876-1949), who married Edgar H. Libby. 
  • Maud G. Parsons, "Your loving Sister". Maud's parents were Robert Given and Medora B. (Hall) Given; she may have been adopted by the Parsons family. Maude G. Parsons (1882-1951), who would marry Ralph Lysander Jackson. 
  • Allie L. Ware of North Whitefield, Maine; inscribed on January 18, 1891. She was Allie L. (Peaslee) Ware (1862-), whose husband Benjamin K. Ware (1858-) inscribed the left facing page.
  • B. K. Ware of Whitefield, Maine; inscribed on January 18, 1891. He was Benjamin K. Ware (1858-), whose wife Allie L. (Peaslee) Ware (1862-) inscribed the right facing page.
  • Edwin A. Winslow of Chelsea, Maine; inscribed in January 1892.  Possibly Edwin Alvah Winslow (1874-1925), who married Agnes M. Thompson in 1904. 
  • L .A. Young, or S. A. Young, of Alna, Maine; inscribed on January 18, 1891. Perhaps Lucy Ann (Weeks) Young (1821-1903), wife of James B. Young (1817-1897). 

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