1884-1890 Autograph Album of Annie May (Stuff) King of Polo, Illinois, & Keuka, Florida

1884-1890 autograph album that belonged to Annie May Stuff of Polo, Illinois, with some autographs collected after her marriage to George W. King.  Many of the autographs were signed at Keuka, Florida.

Annie's name appears on the first end paper, shown below; it's very faint.

The album measures approximately 7-1/4" x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of 68 of Annie's relatives and friends.  An alphabetical surname list and an alphabetical list of the signers, together with any personal information they offered, appear at the end of this post.

From online research, hopefully correct:  [corrections and additions welcome!]

Annie May Stuff was born on the 10th or the 17th of May 1868 at Polo, Illinois, the daughter of John Herbert Stuff and Lydia L. (Hershey) Stuff.  She had, I believe, eight siblings.

One signer, James C. Lahman, inscribed a page to "Sister Annie".  I don't know whether he was a brother-in-law to Annie or her husband George W. King or was referring to a religious relationship.  Annie's family were members of the Church of the Brethren.  J. C. Layman was a minister in that order and would help build the community at Keuka, Florida.

In case there is a family connection to the Lahman family, another signer by that name, Susan B. Lahman, inscribed a page at Franklin Grove, Illinois, on February 19, 1889.

One especially touching page was inscribed by Annie's aunt, Lydia Alice (Stuff) Powell, on April 27, 1884. She was a sister to Annie's father John Herbert Stuff and was the wife of William Upton Powell.  "Remember the Beautiful night you received this Book and the splendid sleighing.  I don't think I ever will."  Annie would name a daughter Alice, presumably in Aunt Alice's honor.

Others who mentioned a family relationship:  [and there may be more relatives who didn't specify a relationship; refer to the list of signers at bottom.]

• Aunt and Uncle Susie and John Teeter, who signed at Mount Morris, Illinois, on April 30, 1884. They later lived at Keuka, Florida.
• Cousin J. F. Stuff of Upton, Pennsylvania
• Cousin Susie, who signed the page after J. F. Stuff, in case that is a clue
• Cousin Daniel L. Forney who signed at Polo, Illinois, on "5/11/1884"
• Cousin Sadie A. Moots who signed at Polo, Illinois, on May 5, 1884

It seems that the connection for the Stuff family of Polo, Illinois, and Keuka, Florida, had to do with the Church of the Brethren.  In 1884, the Managing Editor of the "Messenger", Elder J. H. Moore of Mount Morris, Illinois, went to Florida to preach and determined that the climate might be beneficial for his wife, who was suffering from tuberculosis.  Six months later, he was joined by Annie's uncle John Teeter and family.  The community planted many orchards and prospered until the freeze of March 1895 delivered a terrible blow.  Read more about the community at Keuka and Hawthorne here.

Places mentioned in Florida: 

• Residence "Brightside"
• Narrows
• "old Ft. Brooks"
• Orchid
• "Don't forget the trip to the Oclawaha river"
• Residence "Lake View"

On October 13, 1888 in Illinois, Annie May Stuff married George W. King.  He may have been the son of Jacob and Linda Rodabaugh King, but I haven't found confirmation of that.  George and Annie apparently moved to Florida at some point, as George died there in 1902, leaving a son George and a daughter Alice.  

On August 31, 1905, Annie married William L. Keefer, a Pennsylvania native, son of Joseph Lynn Keefer, Sr., and Christine (Luckenbach) Keefer.  William and Annie had a daughter, Lucile S. Keefer, who, according to an unverified source, was adopted.

Annie died at Phoenix, Arizona, in 1922.  William lived until 1956.   Annie's buried with her parents and other family members at the Pine Creek Brethren Cemetery at Pine Creek Township in Ogle County, Illinois.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the signers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Surname list

? [2]	I	R	Z
B	Ingraham	Ringer	Z ?
Bail	K	Rohrer [2]
Bomberger	Kingery	Rosenberg
Bosserman	L	Rowland [2]
Brown	Lahman [2]	S
Buck [3]	Long	Shaw [3]
Burns	M	Smith
D	M ?	Snyder
Denton [2]	McGregor	Spickler [3]
E	Michael [2]	Sterrett
Esterly	Miller [2]	Stevens
F	Moots	Storrs
Forney	Morris	Stuff [3]
G	O	Swank [2]
Gabriel	Oaks [2]	Sword
Good	P	T
Gray [3]	Pike [2]	Teeter
H	Powell	W
Holsinger	Price [2]	Wolf/Wolff

Signers in the album

• ?, signed on February 9, 1884 in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Name might be Mide Pray or Mide Pray Warrors or Worroes or ?
• Susie; Annie's cousin

B

• Sam W. Bail, signed on December 30, 1884
• Olla Bomberger, signed on "4-6-84"
• S. T. Bosserman of Dunkirk, Ohio, signed at Keuka, Florida, in 1885. Residence "Brightside"
• Nettie E. Brown, signed at Elk Horn Grove, Illinois, in Carroll County, on April 27, 1884
• Nellie Buck, signed at Polo, Illinois, on August 3, 1884
• Minnie Buck, signed at Polo, Illinois, on August 7, 1884
• Nannie Buck, signed at Polo, Illinois, on July 26, 1884
• C. A. Burns, signed at Leipsic, Ohio, on December 7, 1884

D

• T. C. Denton, signed at Daleville, Virginia, on December 28, 1884
• Lula C. Denton, signed at Daleville, Virginia, on December 28, 1884

E

• Emma Esterly [or Esterly could be a place name]

F

• Daniel L. Forney, signed at Polo, Illinois, on "5/11/1884"; Annie's cousin

G

• F. J. Gabriel, from or signed at Hagerstown, Maryland, on July 12, 1886
• Annie E. Good of Mt. Morris, Illinois, signed on October 19, 1884
• Madge Gray, signed at Narrows, Florida, on October 10, 1889
• James T. Gray of Narrows, Florida, signed on November 1, 1889
• E. L. Gray, signed on October 29, 1889

H

• Jennie Holsinger of Polo, Illinois, signed on July 19, 1884

I

• Andrew W. Ingraham of Keuka, Florida, signed on May 4, 1885. Mentions "old Fort Brooks"

K

• Libbie Kingery of Polo, Illinois, signed on July 19, 1884

L

• James C. Lahman; inscribed to "Sister Annie"
• Susan B. Lahman, signed at Franklin Grove, Illinois, in Lee County, on February 19, 1889
• Albert Long, signed on January 20, 1884

M

• F. S. M., signed on May 18, 1884
• H. E. McGregor of Nova Scotia, signed at Keuka, Florida, on January 20, 1885
• Meda Michael, signed at Narrows, Florida, on January 24, 1890
• Elmira Michael, signed at Orchid, Florida, on February 25, 1890
• Mollie Miller, signed at Polo, Illinois, on September 7, 1884 [not sure of date due to strikeover]
• G. A. Miller of Woosung, Illinois, signed on January 17, 1884; given name initial might be J.
• Sadie A. Moots, signed at Polo, Illinois, on May 5, 1884; Annie's cousin
• ? Morris, signed at Polo, Illinois, on April 27, 1884. First name might be Scott or Leott or ?

O

• Annie Oaks
• Anna Oaks, signed at Dayton, Ohio, on November 23, 1884

P

• Frank Pike of Polo, Illinois, signed on February 7, 1884
• Beele Pike, signed on February 7, 1884. Not sure of given name.
• Alice Powell, signed on April 27, 1884; Annie's aunt. "Remember the Beautiful night you received this Book and the splendid sleighing. I don't think I ever will." Presumably Lydia Alice (Stuff) Powell, sister of Annie's father John Herbert Stuff.
• Alice V. Price of Pine Creek, Illinois, signed at Keuka, Florida, on April 5, 1885. Also has the message: "Sally Jane ever remember your friend Aunt Betsy"
• A. W. Price of Pine Creek, Illinois, signed at Keuka, Florida, on "4-5-85" "Don't forget the trip to the Oclawaha river"

R

• May Ringer, signed at Baileyville, Illinois, on July 23, 1884
• Carrie Rohrer of Polo, Illinois, signed on Easter Sunday, April 13, 1884
• Susie A. Rohrer of Polo, Illinois, signed on April 12, 1884
• Frank D. Rosenberg of Keuka, Florida, signed on March 6, 1885
• Susie Rowland of Polo, Illinois, signed on February 24, 1884
• Mrs. D. Rowland, signed on August 29, 1884

S

• Charles N. Shaw, signed at Keuka, Florida o May 5, 1885
• L. L. Shaw, signed on February 7, 1884
• Emma Shaw
• Emma Smith, signed at Mt. Morris, Illinois, on October 16, 1884
• A. D. Snyder of Eakles Mills, Maryland, signed on July 10, 1884
• Rosa Spickler, signed on "3-9-1884"
• Henry M. Spickler of Polo, Illinois, signed on March 9, 1884
• Emma Spickler of Polo, Illinois, signed on "2.9.1884"
• J. M. Sterrett, signed at Keuka, Florida, on May 4 [no year written]
• Augusta Stevens, signed at Mount Morris, Illinois, on October 16, 1884
• Mattie Storrs of Interlachen, Florida, signed on April 15, 1885
• Miss Annie May Stuff; album owner. During the time the autographs were collected, she married George W. King.
• J. F. Stuff of Upton, Pennsylvania; Annie's cousin
• D. W. Stuff of Upton, Pennsylvania, signed on March 9, 1884; Annie's cousin
• Hettie Swank, signed on May 5, 1885 at Keuka, Florida, Residene Lake View. Not sure of latter place name.
• Libbie Swank of Lake View, signed at Keuka, Florida on May 5, 1885
• Emma Sword, signed at Lanark, Illinois, on January 25, 1884

T

• Susie and John Teeter, your Aunt and Uncle, signed at Mount Morris, Illinois, on April 30, 1884. They later lived at Keuka, Florida.

W

• Ella Wolf, signed at Woosung, Illinois, on May 19, 1884
• Daniel Wolf, signed on March 29, 1884
• Emma Wolf, signed on March 29, 1884
• Gracie Wolff, signed on May 18, 1884; Annie's schoolmate; her surname might have been Wolf or she might have been from a different family from Ella, Daniel and Emma.

Z

• Vernie G. Z. signed on October 27, 1884

1880s Autograph Album of Minnie M. Beard, a student at Otterbein University in Ohio

1880s autograph album that belonged to Minnie M. Beard, a student at Otterbein University at Westerville, Ohio.

As if this album wasn't interesting enough, it's even more interesting because Minnie penned notes about the signers.  One such page was that signed by William C. Wickham, who was the president of the Class of 1883 at Otterbein University.  Sadly, Minnie noted that he was one of the over 2200 victims of the Johnstown Flood of May 31, 1889 in Pennsylvania.

The album is approximately 4-1/4" x 3" and contains the sentiments of nearly 80 of Minnie's relatives, friends and schoolmates.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

From online research, hopefully correct:  [corrections and additions welcome!]

Minnie's 1942 obituary in the St. Petersburg Times of St. Petersburg, Florida, indicates that she was a graduate of Otterbein University Conservatory of Music and that she died at the home of her brother, Alvin Glossbrenner Beard.  I had searched for Minnie Kincaid because a 1901 Otterbein University publication mentioned her as an 1885 graduate of the Conservatory of Music there and that her surname was then Kincaid.

Minnie was presumably the daughter of Jacob Beard Julia Ann (Wolfe) Beard, but I hope to hear from a reader with more information.

On 29 April 1896 at Hendricks, Indiana, Minnie M. Beard married bookkeeper Wendell T. Kincaid, son of Thomas and Sarah Kincaid of Dayton, Ohio.  Minnie and Wendell lived at Indianapolis, Indiana; Charleston, West Virginia and, finally, St. Petersburg, Florida.  They raised at least four children.

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

Minnie pasted some newspaper clippings on the back end paper and inside back cover.  [Click to enlarge.]

Two people in the album indicated a cousin relationship with Minnie.  One was Maimee C. Shunk [not sure of given name or surname], who signed a page on June 21, 1882.

The other cousin was possibly Nell E. Crissman or Well E. Crissman, or perhaps Crissman was not a surname but rather a town in Pennsylvania.  If you can clear up this confusion, please leave a comment.

Surnames in the album

?            [14]
Beard    [2]
Cathcart
Coomer
Cornell
Crissman
Daymude
Dickerson
Dwyer
Everhart
Fall
Funk
Gardner    [3]
Gilbert
Graves
Harbert
Hatfield
Herlocker
Hill
Jinkins
Judy
Keister
Kinsey
Kumler
Lorenz    [2]
Lotspeich    [2]
Markley    [2]
McClure
Mills    [2]
Moore
Mundhenk
Orndorff
Phinney    [2]
Pickford
Queen
Reamer
Reed
Reese
Rogers    [2]
Scott    [2]
Shunk    [2]
Sinclair
Slusser
Slyh
Smith
Stauffer
Stimmel
Thomas
Thompson
Weller    [2]
Wickham
Wilkinson
Wolff
Wyatt
Zaring

Signers in the album    [Note: Given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]

?S. J. S., signed at Otterbein University on November 14, 1884 "Remember the eve you wrote that letter to Miss ? Philips of Ashley, Ohio"

• J. A. J. of Grover, Ohio, or Groves, Ohio. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• Cora
• Fred, signed on February 26, 1882. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• Rob, signed on November 4 [no year written]
• Lida
• Signed on January 21, 1883 by Spiro Spero [?]. Page is written in code. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• Lel F. [part of the first name is erased], signed at Westerville, Ohio, on June 6, 1883. Minnie's later note: "Dead"
• Hettie, signed at Ashley, Ohio. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• Anna M. P.  Minnie's later note: "Married"
• Minnie's cousin, but I can't quite decipher the name and place. It looks like "Nell E. Crissman, Pa", but I don't know if Crissman is a surname or a placename, and "Nell" could be "Well".
• Rachel, signed on December 28, 1882
• R. W. P. of Westerville, Ohio, signed on February 25, 1883; "Neighbor Boy"
• H. L. F.; C. M. Erck

B

• Minnie M. Beard, signed at Otterbein University on February 27, 1880; album owner
• Alice K. Beard, signed at Westerville, Ohio, on May 10, 1880 - she may have been Minnie's sister Alice C. Beard, if K stood for Kate, as in Catherine.

C

• Clarence C. Cathcart of Dayton, Ohio, signed at Otterbein University on March 25, 1880
• Harry Coomer, signed at Ashley, Ohio, on August 6, 1882; presumably Harry A. Coomer
• A. Blanche Cornell of Westerville, Ohio, signed on April 3, 1880
• Minnie's cousin, but I can't quite decipher the name and place. It looks like "Nell E. Crissman, Pa", but I don't know if Crissman is a surname or a placename, and "Nell" could be "Well".

D

• J. A. Daymude, signed at Otterbein University. Minnie's later note in ink: "Married", and in pencil: "Dead". Presumably James A. Daymude
• Lulie Dickerson, signed on September 12, 1887 [or 1881]
• Maude M. Dwyer, signed on December 18, 1882 at Otterbein University. Minnie's later note: "Died June 29, 1886"

E

• Emma Everhart, signed at Basil, Ohio

F

• Lu M. Fall of New Paris, Ohio, signed at Otterbein University on March 22, 1880
• W. R. Funk of West Newton, Pennsylvania. Minnie's later note: "Married"

G

• Frank Gardner, signed at Otterbein University on May 20, 1880
• Mary Gardner, Class of 1881 at Otterbein University. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• Jennie Gardner, signed at Otterbein University on May 19, 1880
• Billie Gilbert of Dayton, Ohio; mentions Senior Party of June 8, 1885 [or 1883]
• A. S. Graves of Columbus, Ohio, signed at Westerville, Ohio, on August 13, 1882

H

• May Harbert, signed at Ashley, Ohio, on June 22, 1882. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• W. F. Hatfield of Westerville, Ohio, signed on "10-4-81" at Otterbein University, Class of 1882. Minnie's later note: "Died July 1, 1882
• W. B. Herlocker of Freeport, Illinois, signed on June 15, 1882
• E. H. Hill, signed at Otterbein University, on April 5, 1881. Minnie's later note: "Dead"
• B. T. Jinkins; presumably Byram Thomas Jinkins, who attended Otterbein University. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• C. S. Judy, signed on April 30, 1880. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• L. H. Keister, signed at Germantown, Ohio, on May 2, 1880; "your classmate"
• Nettie C. Kinsey of Galion, Ohio, signed at Otterbein University, on Mary 5, 1880
• Frank A. Z. Kumler, signed at Westerville, Ohio, on March 1, 1880. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• Justina A. Lorenz, signed at Otterbein University on April 13, 1880. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• Daniel E. Lorenz, signed at Otterbein University; Minnie's classmate
• Mrs. Mamie Lotspeich, signed on August 20, 1882
• C. L. Lotspeich, signed on August 20, 1882
• Ida M. Markley of Cherry Grove, Ohio. Minnie's later note: "Married March 20, 1883. Died July 24, 1883"
• O. L. Markley of Sweet Wine, Ohio, signed at Otterbein University on April 10, 1880. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• Lizzie McClure, signed at Preston, Ohio, on "3-11-82; not sure of surname as it ran off the page
• J. S. Mills, Minnie's pastor; presumably Rev. Job Smith Mills, whose wife Mary (Keister) Mills signed the overleaf. He was an administrator at Otterbein University and later Western College and Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania.  http://www.fooa.org/EastEndWalkingTour/East%20End%20Tour/East%20Main/400%20Block/444%20East%20Main/444%20East%20Main.htm
• M. K. Mills of Westerville, Ohio; presumably Mary (Keister) Mills, whose husband, Rev. Job Smith Mills, signed the overleaf. http://www.fooa.org/EastEndWalkingTour/East%20End%20Tour/East%20Main/400%20Block/444%20East%20Main/444%20East%20Main.htm
• B. E. Moore of Sparta, Ohio, signed at Otterbein University, on March 6, 1883
• Minnie Mundhenk of Pyrmont, Ohio, signed at Otterbein University on June 11, 1882
• Asa Orndorff
• J. B. Phinney, Class of 1882 at Otterbein University, signed on February 27, 1882
• Ida Phinney, signed on May 10, 1882
• Alfred Pickford, signed at Ashley, Ohio, on March 13, 1882; A.H.S.
• C. N. Queen, signed at Otterbein University, on March 18, 1880. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• W. D. Reamer of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, signed at Otterbein University, Class of 1882. Not sure of Greensburg; might be Greunsburg
• Alice C. Reed of Cherry Grove, Ohio, signed at Otterbein University
• W. C. Reese, signed at Westerville, Ohio. Minnie's later note in ink: "Married" and a further note in pencil: "Dead"
• A. M. Rogers of Columbus, Ohio, signed on March 3, 1880; Minnie's later note: "Married"
• Ida J. Rogers of Columbus, Ohio, signed on March 4 [no year written]
• Annie M. Scott of Preston, Ohio, signed at Otterbein University on March 18, 1880
• Bertha A. Scott, signed at Otterbein University on April 24, 1880. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• Maimee C. Shunk, signed on June 21, 1882; Minnie's cousin
• Imogene J. Shunk, signed at Cardington, Ohio, on October 26, 1881. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• J. P. Sinclair, Class of 1885, presumably at Otterbein University. Minnie's later note, written in two places: "Married"
• Harry Slusser of Louisville, Ohio, signed at Otterbein University on December 17, 1880. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• Lottie C. Slyh, signed on March 7, 1880
• Rev. J. F. Smith of Circleville, Ohio, signed on March 7, 1881. "Class of 1879". Minnie's later note: "Married"
• Henry Stauffer of Sterling, Kansas, signed at Otterbein University, on April 26, 1880. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• Jay C. Stimmel, signed at Westerville, Ohio, on October 20, 1884; schoolmate at Otterbein University
• E. N. Thomas, signed at Otterbein University on January 18, 1883
• Jessie F. Thompson, signed at Otterbein University on April 26, 1880
• J. Weller, signed at Westerville, Ohio, on February 25, 1881; Minnie's pastor. He gave his middle initial, but I can't decipher it. Possibly Joseph A. Weller: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ksdickin/1893bios/1893wellerjosepha.html
• Mrs. M. E. Weller of Westerville, Ohio, signed on March 16, 1881. Minnie's later note: "Died September 20, 1881". From Find-a-Grave. She was Mary Elizabeth (Pletcher) Weller, born 7 November 1844 in Ohio, daughter of Andrew and Rachael (Thomas) Pletcher and wife of Joseph Augustus Weller.
• William C. Wickham, President of the Class of 1883 at Otterbein University, signed on May 1, 1883. Minnie's later note: "Drowned in Johnstown Flood" [May 31, 1889]
• ? Wilkinson; ornate initials; possibly P. F. Wilkinson.  Minnie's later note: "Married"
• James M. Wolff of Navarre, Ohio, signed on "9/12/1881. Minnie's later note: "Died October 20, 1881"
• Charles E. Wyatt, signed at Ashley, Ohio. Minnie's later note: "Married"
• H. O. Zaring of Frankfort, Indiana, signed on December 21, 1883 at Otterbein University; not sure of initials, but the signer could have been Henry Oliver Zaring

Westerville, Ohio

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Photograph of Arthur Morris, by a Bangor, Maine studio

Photograph of a young man identified on the reverse as Arthur Morris.  The photograph was taken by the Ramsdell studio of Bangor, Maine.

Researching online, I found a likely prospect in Arthur Hayden Morris who attended Bangor Theological Seminary during the 1908-1909 school year.  

He was born 2 July 1884 at New York City, the date according to his World War I draft registration card, and the date and place according to a listing in a Seminary publication.  

I believe his parents were James Hayden Morris and Hattie (Dietz) Morris.  At the time of the enumeration of the 1900 Census, Arthur and his younger sister Sarah were living with their widowed father at Mount Vernon City, New York.  James Hayden Morris was a music teacher and composer.

The 1910 Census lists Arthur as boarding at Steuben, Maine with Ada S. Noyes, with the occupation of student.  He may have attended Bangor Theological Seminary in 1910 as well.

Ada (Stevens) Noyes was the widow of Lendell Boyd Noyes, who died in 1906.  Ada, born 11 May 1850 at Steuben, Maine, was the daughter of Henry and Abigail C. (Nash) Stevens.  

The Penobscot Marine Museum has a photograph of Arthur Morris driving a Model T at Steuben about 1909 or 1910.  

Arthur's World War I draft registration card shows his occupation to be Farmer.  It appears that he helped Ada Noyes run her farm, and he was still doing so at the time of the 1930 Census of Steuben.

On 9 August 1930, Arthur married Sadie G. (Stevens) Sumner of Steuben.  She was the daughter of Alfred K. and Florence (Rankin) Stevens.   Alfred K. Stevens' father, Pillsbury Stevens, was a paternal uncle of Ada (Stevens) Noyes.

Sadie was first married to Maurice M. Sumner of Amherst, Maine.

The 1940 Census shows the couple living at Stratham, New Hampshire.  They weren't easy to find in one of my two go-to genealogy resources, as they were indexed as Auther and Lydia, with Auther's occupation shown as truck driver.  A reading of the document itself shows that he was a truck gardener.

At Hope Baptist Cemetery in Bradford County, Florida, there's a gravestone of an Arthur H. and Sadie G. Morris, as  shown on Find-a-Grave, with Arthur's birth year 1883 rather than 1884.  If these are the correct Arthur and Sadie, Arthur died in 1967 and Sadie in 1968.

Coincidentally, this photograph was purchased with a few others from a dealer's collection of seemingly unrelated photographs, of which another one had a Steuben connection, showing Olive Cushman Young and Sophia Baker.  I'm now wondering how many of the other photographs had a Steuben, Maine, connection.  Most were unidentified, but had a studio imprint.  I'll contact the dealer.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or if you feel that the Arthur Morris in the photograph is not Arthur Hayden Morris, please leave a comment or contact me directly. Thanks!


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c1904 Photograph of Howard Smith Taylor of Bangor, Maine; while a student at University of Maine

c1904 photograph of a young man identified on reverse as Howard S. Taylor '04.  The photograph was taken by the Chalmers studio of Bangor, Maine.

Howard Smith Taylor graduated from the University of Maine in 1904 with a degree in civil engineering.

The reverse of the photograph, shown below, has been tweaked to highlight the handwritten identification.

From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections welcome]

Howard Smith Taylor was born at Bangor, Maine, on 6 July 1881, the son of Frank and Emma Taylor, who were both Maine natives, according to Census data.

After graduation in 1904, Howard left the State of Maine.  At the time of the 1910 Census, he was working as a civil engineer and living at Montville, Connecticut, with wife Ethel, a New York native, and a newborn son.  

By 1920, the family, now increased to two sons, had moved to Van Buren, Ohio.  They were still there at the time of the 1930 Census.  Howard was still working as a civil engineer.

Sometime before 1935, the family moved to Sarasota, Florida, where they are listed in the 1935 Florida State Census.  The sons had moved out by this time.  Howard was still working as an engineer.  He and Ethel are still at Sarasota by the time of the 1945 Florida State Census, and Howard was working as a consulting engineer.

If you have corrections to the above, or further information on Howard Smith Taylor and his parents and ancestors, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

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1893 graduation photo of Mertie Laura Graham; Mt. Holyoke College at South Hadley, Massachusetts; later wife of Edwin Osgood Grover

Graduation photograph of Mertie Laura Graham of Richford, Vermont, Class of 1893 at Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts.

In 1896, Mertie graduation from the Hartford Theological Seminary at Hartford, Connecticut.  After graduation, she was involved with the American Missionary Association but is probably best known as the wife of Edwin Osgood Grover, philanthropist and first "Professor of Books" at Rollins College in Florida.

From online research, hopefully correct:

Mertie Laura Graham was born January 25, 1871 at Colebrook, New Hampshire, the daughter of William Arthur Graham and Dencie L. (Pratt) Graham, who were born in Quebec and New Hampshire, respectively.

On June 4, 1899 at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, Mertie married Edwin Osgood Grover and they shortly afterward moved to 108 Bloomfield Street, Dorchester, Massachusetts.  They also lived in the Midwest before eventually settling at Winter Park, Florida.

Edwin was born June 4, 1870 at Mantorville, Minnesota, son of Rev. Nahum Wesley Grover and Frances Elizabeth (Osgood) Grover, who were born at Bethel, Maine, and Bangor, Maine, respectively.  After Edwin's birth, the family returned to New England, where Edwin was educated at St. Johnsbury Academy in Vermont and at Dartmouth College at Hanover, New Hampshire.

From an 1899 Hartford Theological Seminary publication:

I found a brief mention of Nahum Wesley Grover in the book History of Bethel (1768-1890), by William B. Lapham, published in 1891:

Edwin's sister, Eulalie Osgood Grover, was the author of the beloved children's series, The Sunbonnet Babies and the Overall Boys.

Edwin led a full life, before and after his marriage.  He traveled widely on a shoestring in the late 1890s.  He then worked for Ginn as a textbook representative and then at Rand McNally.  He started his own publishing company and later became president of the Prang Company.

His life work's direction changed,  however, when he accepted the call in 1926 to become a professor at Rollins College in Florida.  I found an interesting biography of Edwin on a Rollins College website. The couple had two daughters and a son.  They lived a life of service and philanthropy.

Sadly, Mertie was killed in a car accident in 1936, and son Graham was killed in a train accident in 1940. Edwin died in 1965.  They're buried in the Palm Cemetery at Winter Park, Florida.

See a photograph of the setting of a stone in Dr. Grover's honor in the Rollins College Walk of Fame on the occasion of his 88th birthday in 1958 here.

If you have any corrections and/or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Photo of Young Siblings James Dalton Elliott & Miriam Velma Elliott of Lakeland, Florida

Circa 1900 photograph of siblings James Dalton Elliott and Miriam Velma Elliott of Lakeland, Florida.  The photograph was taken by the Ward Pender studio of Lakeland.

From online research, hopefully correct:

James Dalton Elliott and his sister Miriam Velma Elliott were the children of Dudley Dalton Elliott and wife Ida Isabelle (Lanier) Elliott, both born in Florida.  Their paternal grandparents were Irvin Hilton Elliott and his first wife Diana Hester (Beaman) Elliott.  Their maternal grandparents were James S. and Sarah Miriam (Turner) Lanier.

James Dalton Elliott was born 29 December 1896 at Kathleen, Florida.  In 1918, he married Eurie Alberta Hebb, who was born 13 December 1900, the daughter of Nicholas Harris Heb and wife Harriet Tallulah "Lula" (Folsom) Heb.

James and Eurie lived at Lakeland, Florida, where they raised several children.

Miriam Velma Elliott was born 30 December 1898.  I found a reference online where she died 27 May 1989 but I haven't found the actual source myself.  I didn't find a marriage for her.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

This post originally included another photograph, that of a young woman identified as Elsie Elliot, but Elsie is now featured in a post of her own.  She was the daughter of Llewellyn Ansel Elliot and Effie May (Roseburrough) Elliot of Ames, Iowa.  At age 43, Elsie married a Mr. Ramsey and moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The photographs were found together but whether the siblings and Elsie are related, or if Elliott and Elliot are merely coincidental, I don't know.