Friday, June 17, 2022

1870s Autograph Album of, presumably, William Edward McPherson (1857-1949) of Concord, New Hampshire & Cape Elizabeth, Maine

1870s autograph album that belonged to a William E. McP? of Concord, New Hampshire.  

Based on clues in the album, I believe he was William Edward McPherson (1857-1949)

On the ownership page, William noted that he lived in Concord, New Hampshire,  but many pages were inscribed by schoolmates in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.  It appears that William, orphaned early, was living with his maternal aunt's family in Maine in 1874 and returned to New Hampshire by 1875, when other inscriptions were made by people in Pittsfield.


The album measures approximately 5-1/4" by a bit under 4" and contains the sentiments of 20 of his relatives, friends and schoolmates.  An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.

Surnames in the Album

New Hampshire

EmersonGriffin (2)McPherson (presumably)
GayHillSargent
Gove

Maine

AbbottHuntPratt
ChaplinJordanThompson
ColeLindallWilson
DamLoveitt
Dyer

From brief online research, hopefully correct and assuming that William Edward McPherson was indeed the album owner - corrections and additions requested:

William Edward McPherson was born 27 July 1857 in New Hampshire, the son of William Daniel McPherson (1825-1867) and Elizabeth Jordan (Newcomb) McPherson (1826-1861). William Edward's mother died in 1861 and his father in 1867. 

At some point, perhaps as early as 1867, but definitely in 1874, he was living in the home of his mother's sister, Rhoda Symonds (Newcomb) Lindall and her family in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Rhoda's son Charles Edward Lindall (1860-1935) inscribed a page in the album.


By 1875, William was back in New Hampshire, where he collected autographs from Concord, Manchester and several from Pittsfield.  About 1882, he married Nellie A. Long (1859-1926), and the couple had several children. William's obituary in the  27 December 1949 issue of the Nashua Telegraph notes that he had been business and circulation manager at that paper in the early 1900s.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information provided here, please leave a comment for the benefit of other researchers.

Inscribers in the Album
  • William E. McP?, possibly William Edward McPherson (1858-1949) of Concord, New Hampshire, and Cape Elizabeth, Maine; album owner
  • ?  Possibly Nora ?
  • C. L. Abbott of Knightville, Maine; inscribed on October 9, 1874
  • Joseph F. Chaplin of Cape Elizabeth, Maine; inscribed on October 9, 1874.  Perhaps Joseph F. Chaplin (1858-1937); a photograph of this Joseph: https://www.mainememory.net/artifact/14441
  • H. R. Cole of Ferry Village, Maine.  Possibly Herbert R. Cole (1858-1934)
  • Alvah M. Dam of Springvale, Maine.  Presumably Alvah Morton Dam (1851-1913)
  • Melvin R. Dyer of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, on October 16, 1874.  Perhaps Melvin R. Dyer (1857-1917)
  • Nellie R. Emerson of Manchester, New Hampshire
  • T. F. Gay; inscribed at Pittsfield, New Hampshire, on March 6, 1875. Perhaps Thomas F. Gay (1836-1901)
  • Frank D. Gove of Pittsfield, New Hampshire. Perhaps Frank Drew Gove (1853-1922)
  • Etta Griffin, inscribed on February 7, 1875 at Pittsfield, presumably Pittsfield, New Hampshire; inscribed to "Brother Willie". Presumably Marietta Griffin (1853-1890)
  • Mrs. F. M. Griffin.  Perhaps Francena M. (Emerson) Griffin (1827-1900), wife of David Griffin (1821-1877)
  • Ella F. Hill of Concord, New Hampshire
  • F. H. Hunt of Cape Elizabeth Depot, Maine; inscribed on October 7, 1874
  • Fred H. Jordan of Cape Elizabeth, Maine; inscribed on October 6, 1874.  Perhaps Frederick H. Jordan (1859-1933)
  • Charles E. Lindall of Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Presumably Charles Edward Lindall (1860-1935)
  • Freeman E. Loveitt of Point Village, Maine; inscribed on October 6, 1874.  Freeman E. Loveitt (1859-1955)
  • William E. McP?, possibly William Edward McPherson (1858-1949) of Concord, New Hampshire, and Cape Elizabeth, Maine; album owner
  • Albert H. Pratt of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Ferry Village, inscribed on October 16, 1874.  Albert H. Pratt (1859-unk)
  • Mandana Sargent; inscribed at Pittsfield, New Hampshire, on March 3, 1875. Presumably Almira Mandana Sargent (1850-1925)
  • Alfred H. Thompson of Cape Elizabeth, Maine; inscribed on October 6, 1874; schoolmate. Possibly Alfred Herbert Thompson (1859-1928)
  • Olive Wilson of Cape Elizabeth, Maine; inscribed on October 6, 1874. Perhaps Olive J. Wilson (1858-1941), who married William Thomas Ballard

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