1882-1898 Autograph Album owned first by James D. Abbott (1869-1883) of Andover, Maine; and then by his niece Blanche M. Russell (1883-1966)

1874-1898 autograph album originally owned by James D. Abbott (1869-1883) of Andover, Maine; and later by his niece, Blanche M. Russell (1883-1966).

It would appear that James received this album as a Christmas present in 1882 but there is an earlier inscription by John L. Hutchins on June 4, 1882, unless John got the year wrong.  Sadly, James died just a few months after starting to collect inscriptions.

The album is a small one, measuring approximately 4-1/4" by 3" and contains the sentiments of nearly 40 wellwishers of James and Blanche. Two alphabetical lists appear at the end of this post, one of the inscribers to James and the other of the inscribers to Blanche.

Surnames in the Album

Abbott [7]		Glines		Newton [4]
Akers [3]		Howard		Richardson
Bartlett		Howe		Robertson
Bryant		Hoyt [2]		Silver
Caldwell		Hutchins [2]		Small
Campbell [2]		Landman
Cutting [3]		Litlehale
Frost		Lovejoy

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

James D. Abbott (1869-1883) was born at Andover, Maine, on 22 August 1869, the son of Thomas Parker Abbott (1823-1906) and Maria Henrietta (Newton) Abbott (1840-1893). 

Sadly, James died in his youth in 1883, not long after he started his album. The album apparently lay for a while before being reused in 1897 and 1898 by Blanche M. Russell (1883-1966), who was the daughter of James' sister Annie Marie (Abbott) Russell (1853-1917) and Orlando Perry Russell (1840-1906). Blanche would marry Clement U. Worcester (1902-1959).

Tucked in the album is a photograph of an old man identified as Ben Newton, a relative of James' mother, perhaps her older brother Benjamin.

If you have corrections and/or additional information on any of the people mentioned in this post, please leave a comment for the benefit of other researchers.

Alphabetical List of the Inscribers to James D. Abbott (1869-1883)

• Calling card of Charles M. Abbott pasted onto the inside back cover. Presumably James' younger brother Charles Whitly Abbott (1872-1953)
• Eva Abbott of Andover, Maine; inscribed on January 28, 1883 to her brother.  Eva Mary Abbott (1863-1943), would marry Edson Olen Hayford.
• Hattie Abbott of Andover, Maine; inscribed on January 22, 1883 to her brother James.  Harriet Frances Abbott (1859-1940), would marry John C. Twombly
• Henry C. Abbott of Andover, Maine; inscribed on January 4, 1883; perhaps Henry C. Abbott (1865-1906), presumably a cousin
• James Abbott; inscribed on December 25, 1882.  James D. Abbott (1869-1883), original album owner, who died just a few months after receiving it.
• Georgie F. Akers of Andover, Maine; inscribed on January 2, 1883. Presumably Georgie F. Akers (1867-1954)
• Henry S. Akers of Andover, Maine; inscribed on January 4, 1883
• Sadie S. Akers of Andover, Maine; inscribed on January 2, 1883. Presumably Sarah S. Akers (1864-1938), who would marry Alphonso K. Bryant (1859-1924)
• A. K. Bryant of Locke's Mills, Maine; inscribed at Andover, Maine, in 1883; teacher. Presumably Alphonso K. Bryant (1859-1924), who would marry Sarah S. Akers (1864-1938)
• Josie Campbell; inscribed on January 1, 1883
• George H. Cutting of Andover, Maine; inscribed on January 4, 1883. Perhaps George H. Cutting (1868-1897)
• Rose Cutting of Andover, Maine; inscribed on January 2, 1883. Perhaps Rose E. Cutting (1869-1896) who married Harry E. Bacon
• Willie W. Cutting of Andover, Maine; inscribed on January 4, 1883. Perhaps William W. Cutting (1870-1950)
• Ellery Frost of Hanover, Maine; inscribed on January 14, 1883. Perhaps Ellery Channing Frost (1867-1941)
• John L. Hutchins; inscribed on June 4, 1882. Interesting, as it appears from the ownership page that James acquired this album at Christmas in 1882.
• Belle K. Litlehale [most records show her name as Littlehale] of Andover, Maine; inscribed on January 2, 1883; schoolmate; inscribed to first owner of the album, James D. Abbott (1869-1883).  Presumably Arabella K. Littlehale (1866-1911), who married George E. McCleary and Percival DeCoster
• Charlie M. Newton of Andover, Maine; inscribed on January 4, 1883. Perhaps Charles Melville Newton (1869-1958)
• Hattie Newton of Andover, Maine; inscribed on January 3, 1883; James' schoolmate. Perhaps Hattie May Newton (1869-1958), who would marry Simon Lucien Akers

Alphabetical List of Inscribers to Blanche M. Russell (1883-1966); most of them presumably students at Rumford Point High School at Rumford, Maine

• Harry C. Abbott; inscribed at Hanover, Maine, on April 5, 1898. Harry Carl Abbott (1883-1966) was the youngest sibling of original owner James D. Abbott (1869-1883) and uncle of second owner Blanche M. Russell (1883-1966)
• Clevie Bartlett of East Bethel, Maine; inscribed on April 4, 1898. Possibly James Cleveland Bartlett (1884-1958)
• Bertha Caldwell of North Rumford, Maine; inscribed on April 7, 1898. Perhaps Bertha M. Caldwell (1884-1980), who would marry W. L. Noble
• Emma R. Glines of North Rumford, Maine; inscribed on April 7, 1898. Presumably Emma Rose Glines (1881-1876), who would marry Mathias P. Mooney
• Susie L. Howard, inscribed at Rumford Point High School on April 4, 1898.  Perhaps Susie Louise Howard (1881-1966), who would marry Harrison Gilman Elliot
• Florence Hoyt; inscribed at Rumford Point High School at Rumford, Maine, on April 4, 1898. Presumably Florence Marcia Hoyt (1881-1966), who would marry Archie V. Swan.
• Harold Hutchins of East Bethel, Maine; inscribed on April 6, 1898. Perhaps Harold Sullivan Hutchins (1882-1947)
• Nina T. Landman of Townshend, Vermont; inscribed on May 16, 1898
• Alice Lovejoy of Rumford, Maine; inscribed on April 6, 1898. Perhaps Alice Lillian Lovejoy (1880-1954), who would marry Harold Herbert Gammon
• Ada Clare Richardson of Hanover, Maine; inscribed on April 5, 1898. Ada Clare Richardson (1883-1973), who would marry Jonathan Lyford Dyer and Daniel John Dickens
• Pearl Robertson, inscribed at Rumford Point, Maine, on April 4, 1898. Perhaps Pearl Annie Robertson (1879-1958), who would marry Charles Davis Howard
• Harriet Frances Silver of Ellis River, Maine; inscribed on April 4, 1897. Harriet Frances Silver (1880-1965), who would marry Isaac Walter Waite
• H. L. Small of Kingfield, Maine; inscribed at Rumford Point, Maine, on March 6, 1898.  Harry Lester Small (1872-1904), who taught at Rumford Point High School before becoming a doctor.

Undated 

• Luna Abbott; of the several women by that name in the area, she may have been Luna E. Abbott (1864-1906) 
• Alice Campbell; inscribed at New Year
• Abbie I. Howe; presumably Abbie I. Howe (1883-1899), who inscribed her page to Blanche.
• Marie Hoyt of Rumford, Maine
• J. Q. Newton or J. G. Newton of Andover