1880s autograph album of Ida Moore (1868-1920), a student at Decorah Institute at Decorah, Iowa. Inscribers hailed mostly from Iowa, with three from Minnesota, and one each from Nebraska and Wisconsin.
Ida wrote her name and address on the inside back cover, along with the note: To read when I am old and grey.
The album measures approximately 6"by 4" and contains the sentiments of over 80 of Ida's relatives, friends, schoolmates and teachers. An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.
Surnames in the Album
Ida Moore was born 19 January 1868 in Decorah, Iowa, the daughter of Charles Oscar Moore and Gustava (Erickson) Moore. Two of Ida's brothers inscribed pages in her album.
Brother Henry inscribed a page.
Brother Louis Moore inscribed a page but he was young, and his handwriting is not easy to decipher.
One of the inscribers, F. M. Jewell, who penned his page on March 20, 1886 at Decorah, Iowa, noted: "True friends are jewells but like jewels are scarce".
Fittingly, Ida and Franklin M. Jewell married at Decorah, Iowa, on 9 September 1891. They would have, I believe, three children, one of whom, Emily Jewell, "Emma", inscribed a page in the album.
Ida died in 1920 and Frank in 1941. They're buried with Ida's parents in the Phelps Cemetery in Decorah, Iowa.
Teachers who inscribed pages:
- Moses Billings
- Annis Mott
- F. B. Tillotson
If you have corrections and/or additions to the above or information or research to share on any of the people listed below, please leave a comment.
Alphabetical List of Inscribers
- Mary ?, possibly Mary Daley, Dalvey or Dalen, of Calmar, Iowa. Middle initial could be J or I. She was Ida's seatmate
- Emma
- Name unclear
- Hammond ? Emma, possibly Emma W. (S); Ida's seatmate, presumably at Decorah Institute
- Peter Nar?, possibly Peter Narum; inscribed at Decorah Institute on February 6, 1886 Robert
- Mary Bachelder of Castalia, Iowa; inscribed at Decorah Institute on February 11, 1886. Ida's friend and schoolmate
- Moses Billings, Ida's teacher; inscribed on December 1, 1884. Presumably Moses Billings (1862-1921)
- D. Boyd; inscribed at Decorah, Iowa, on September 6, 1886
- Allie Bridge; inscribed on January 20, 1884 at Decorah, Iowa
- Allie Bridge; inscribed on January 2, 1885
- Priscilla Bridge; inscribed on December 28, 1883
- Estella Child of Decorah, Iowa; inscribed on December 19, 1885
- Charlie Child of Decorah, Iowa; inscribed on December 19, 1885
- Atta L. Coleman; inscribed at Decorah, Iowa, on July 17, 1884
- Kate G. Coughlin; inscribed at Decorah, Iowa, on October 5, 1885; Ida's schoolmate
- Mary ?, possibly Mary Daley, Dalvey or Dalen, of Calmar, Iowa. Middle initial could be J or I. She was Ida's seatmate
- Lina Eide of Bratsberg, Minnesota; inscribed at Decorah Institute on January 26, 1886
- Thomas Elwick; inscribed on March 4, 1886 at Decorah, Iowa
- Caroline Erickson of Springwater, Iowa; inscribed on February 20, 1885
- Mabel I. Gardner of Decorah, Iowa; inscribed on May 17, 1885
- Christine Gullickson; inscribed on February 10, 1886 at Decorah Institute; Ida's schoolmate
- Julius Haas of Decorah, Iowa; inscribed in 1884 at age 9
- Emma Haas of Decorah, Iowa; inscribed in 1884 at age 7
- Maggie Haas; inscribed at 33rd Avenue, Decorah, Iowa, on May 19, 1885
- Emma M. Hansohn; inscribed on January 26, 1886. Not sure of surname
- Louise Headington; inscribed in 1884 Nellie Headington, inscribed in 1884
- Hallie Headington Herb Headington of Decorah, Iowa
- Winnie Headington; inscribed on May 19, 1885. Ida's schoolmate Helena Hegg
- Ollie Hesla; not sure of surname; inscribed in 1885, at D.I., presumably Decorah, Iowa
- Lena Hesla of Waterville, Iowa; inscribed at Decorah Institute on October 30, 1885. Not sure of surname
- Hallie V. Hitchcock; inscribed at Decorah, Iowa
- Emmy M. Jerald of Lime Springs, Iowa; inscribed on December 19, 1885 at Decorah, Iowa
- ? V. E. Jewell; inscribed in October 1887. Presumably Benjamin E. Jewell (1850-1938), Ida's future brother-in-law
- Miss Emma Jewell of Decorah, Iowa; Ida's daughter
- F. M. Jewell; inscribed at Decorah, Iowa, on March 20, 1886. Presumably Frank M. Jewell. He played on his surname: "True friends are jewells but like jewels are scarce". True indeed, because Ida and Frank married on 9 September 1891!
- Alfred O. Johnson of Decorah, Iowa; inscribed on January 2, 1887
- Ella M. Kearns of Ossian, Iowa; inscribed at Decorah Institute on 10/8/85
- Ida's schoolmate Nellie Kirk of Lansing, Iowa; inscribed on January 25, 1886
- Christena Larson; inscribed at Decorah, Iowa, on March 3, 1884
- Anna Linzenmeyer
- William Lowe of Hadley, Minnesota; inscribed on January 27, 1884
- Hattie McCarthy of Jackson Junction, Iowa; inscribed at Decorah Institute, on March 15, 1886
- Will Merrill; inscribed on January 9, 1884
- Nettie Merrill of Decorah, Iowa; inscribed on January 9, 1884
- Henry Moore; Ida's brother Louis Moore of Decorah, Iowa, in a year I can't make out; age ?, possibly 8. He was John Louis Moore (1877-1947), Ida's brother
- Ida Moore, Decorah, Iowa, album owner. "To read when I am old and grey". Written on the inside back cover
- Annis Mott; inscribed in 1886 and directed to Ida, "Dear teacher". Possibly the Annis Mott who married Martin Ellingson in 1894
- Peter Nar?, possibly Peter Narum; inscribed at Decorah Institute on February 6, 1886
- Anna Nelson; inscribed at Decorah Institute on April 7, 1885
- John N. Nelson; inscribed at Decorah, Iowa
- A. J. Ness; inscribed on March 18, no year written; Ida's uncle
- H. Nodshilder Joseph Odson; inscribed on January 10, 1885 at Springwater, Iowa
- Samuel Odson; inscribed in 1885 at Springwater, Iowa
- Rachel Odson; inscribed at Springwater, Iowa, on January 10, 1885
- Albert A. Olson of Springwater, Iowa
- Petra Pedersen; inscribed at Decorah, Iowa, on December 31, 1883 [not sure last digit]. Presumably written in Danish
- Dora Puntney; inscribed on June 23, 1886
- Joseph Richards of York, Minnesota; inscribed on February 15, 1886
- Betsey C. Rierson of Mona, Iowa; inscribed on March 12, 1885 at Decorah Institute
- Charles Sallee; inscribed on January 17, 1884 at Decorah, Iowa
- Mrs. Sallee; inscribed at Decorah, Iowa, on August 1, 1884
- Dixie Sallee of Decorah, Iowa
- Carrie Sallee; from or inscribed at Royal, Nebraska, on February 16, 1889
- Johanna Schmidt of B?, Howard County, Iowa; inscribed at Decorah Institute on October 30, 1885
- Mrs. E. W. Scott of Decorah, Iowa; inscribed on November 29 [the year is too faint to read]. Possibly Edith E. (Fawcett) Scott, who married Edward W. Scott on 11 May 1886. Edward may have been the E. W. Scott who inscribed a page elsewhere in the album.
- E. W. Scott of Decorah, Iowa; inscribed on October 29, 1886. Presumably the Edward W. Scott who married Edith E. Fawcett on 11 May 1886. Edith was presumably the Mrs. E. W. Scott who inscribed a page elsewhere in the album.
- Margaret L. Scott; inscribed on October 16, 1886
- Sever Severson, age 12, of Spring Water, Iowa; inscribed in 1886. Sever "John" Severson (1874-1955)
- Helen Severson; inscribed at Decorah, Iowa, on December 20, 188?
- Belle Shulze
- Carrie Thompson of Springwater, Iowa; inscribed on November 17, 1885
- F. B. Tillotson; inscribed at Decorah, Iowa, on January 8, 1884. Ida's teacher. Presumably Fred Burr Tillotson (1860-1937)
- Edith Tuttle of St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin; inscribed on December 10, 1884 ?
- Gacie Tuttle, age ?, 1887. Possibly "Lillie Gracie Tuttle" or "little" Gracie Tuttle; age could be five. Alternatively, the year could be 1897
- Mary Weymouth
- Ada Whiteman; inscribed at Decorah, Iowa, on October 13, 1883. Possibly the Ada S. Whiteman who married John J. Headington on 1 December 1886 at Decorah, Iowa.
- Vinnie Whiteman
- Clara Wilson or Wilsons
This was fun to look at. Goodness, all those entries. I wish they were popular now, I even wish I had kept mine. Anyway, I liked the first entry, "To read when I am old and grey." I bet she read it many times over. Thanks Pam.
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