Cabinet Photograph of Young Woman IDed as Carrie Palmer, Missionary to India; Carrie Jane (Palmer) Bruere (1860-1952)

Cabinet photograph of a young woman identified on the reverse as "Carrie Palmer, my father's cousin, missionary to India".  The photograph was taken at the Elmer Chickering studio at 21 West Street, Boston, Massachusetts.

She was Carrie Jane (Palmer) Bruere (1860-1952), daughter of Boston printer Mayhew Washington Palmer and Mary Jane (Lewis ?) Palmer and wife of Rev. William Wynn Bruere (1857-1927), also a missionary to India.

Carrie's parents died while she was young, Mayhew in 1861 and Mary Jane in 1874.  Perhaps Carrie lived with at one time with the "cousin" referenced in the identification.

In 1886 in India, Carrie Jane Palmer married Rev. William Wynn Bruere (1857-1927), a New Jersey native. The couple had several children born in India. Rev. Bruere died in India in 1927 and is buried there.  Carrie returned to the United States and died in 1952; she's buried in the First Presbyterian Church of Ewing Cemetery at Ewing, New Jersey.

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

1888-1890 Autograph Album of Isabelle Hill Ackerman, "Belle", of Madison, Georgia; Cabinet Photo of young Belle

Note: A Madison, Georgia historian has provided information about an inscription that might have been made by a Cornelius Vason.  See the list of inscribers at the end of this post.

1888-1890 autograph album that belonged to Isabelle Hill Ackerman, "Belle", of Madison Georgia.  A cabinet photograph of young Belle came with the album when I purchased it.

The album was either printed as a softcover, or it's missing its covers.  It measures approximately 6-3/4" by 4" and contains the sentiments of over 50 of Belle's 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

	? [18]	F	Faver	R	Redwine
A	Ackerman [4]		Ferr		Renouff
	Adams	G	Gavin		Rich
	Augier	H	Hough [2]		Robertson
B	Berry	J	Jones	S	Smith [2]
	Butler [2]	K	Keiley		Stanley
C	Carroll		Kellam		Stephens
	Cavin	P	Peteet [2]	T	Tidwell [2]
	Cleveland		Pon ? [2]	W	Walker
D	Dickinson		Prescott		White
					Williams

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

I haven't found a birth record but marriage and death records indicate that Isabel/Isabell/Isabelle/Isabella Hill Ackerman, "Belle", was born October 28, 1877 at Madison, Georgia, the daughter of Abram Kennedy Ackerman and his first wife Lydia Kennedy (Robertson) Ackerman.  Lydia died in 1893, and Abram subsequently married Emma Theobald in Ohio in 1896.

The "Papa" and "Father" who inscribed pages in Belle's album were perhaps her paternal grandfather, Andrew Jackson Ackerman, and her father, Abram Kennedy Ackerman, unless Abram inscribed the pages using both terms.  Belle's paternal grandfather, John Dennis Morris Robertson, had died in 1882.

Belle married twice:

1. Glenn McBride, who died in 1904, with whom she had one child
2. George Lewis Breitenbucher, with whom she had two children

Belle died in 1960 and is buried with her second husband in Crest Lawn Memorial Park at Atlanta, Georgia.  If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the inscribers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Inscribers in the Album

• Aunt Hannah; inscribed at Madison, Georgia, on May 15, 1888.  Perhaps Hannah Maude Ackerman, sister of Belle's father Abram Kennedy Ackerman
• Minnie S.
• Hallie; inscribed at Madison, Georgia, on May 16, 1888
• Greek and Mathematical Symbols
• J. M. S.; Belle's schoolmate
• Niel ?ason; perhaps Vason; inscribed on May 13, 1888.  A Madison, Georgia, historian writes that the Vason family operated a drug store at Madison and that Cornelius was a recurring family name.  
• Ida A.; inscribed on May 13, 1888
• Syllables that might mean something, or not
• Miss Viola
• Unsigned sentiment
• Leonard
• ?  L. ?  Looks almost like P. L. P. , but the two Ps are formed differently.  Could be O. L. P.
• Dennie; inscribed at Madison, Georgia, in October 1888.  Belle's cousin
• Albert; inscribed to "Little friend" at Atlanta, Georgia, on 5/10/90
• Aunt Bess; inscribed on July 6, 1888.  Perhaps Bessie Dennis (Robertson) Walker, half sister of Belle's mother Lydia Kennedy (Robertson) Ackerman or the wife of a blood uncle.
• Mary Lizzie B.; inscribed at Madison, Georgia, on May 20, 1888
• Mamie H.; inscribed on January 13, 1890.  Belle's schoolmate
• Uncle Will; inscribed at Villa Rica, Georgia, on December 23, 1888.  Perhaps William Preston Robertson, half brother of Belle's mother Lydia Kennedy (Robertson) Ackerman
• Aunt Hannah; inscribed at Madison, Georgia, on May 15, 1888.  Perhaps Hannah Maude Ackerman, sister of Belle's father Abram Kennedy Ackerman

A

• Isabelle Hill Ackerman, "Belle", of Madison, Georgia; album owner.  A cabinet photograph of young Belle came with the album.
• Abram Kennedy Ackerman; inscribed on April 26, 1888; Belle's father
• "From Your Affectionate Papa"; inscribed at Atlanta, Georgia, on April 25, 1888.  He may have been Belle's paternal grandfather Andrew Jackson Ackerman.
• Angelyn Adams
• Lizzie Augier; inscribed at Atlanta, Georgia, on January 22, 1890

B

• Annie Berry
• Bessie W. Butler; inscribed on June 29, 1888.  Her sister Daisy W. Butler inscribed the right facing page at Madison, Georgia.
• Daisy W. Butler; inscribed at Madison, Georgia, on June 29, 1888.  Her sister Bessie W. Butler inscribed the left facing page.

C

• Annie Carroll
• Lessie Cavin; inscribed at Madison, Georgia, on May 11, 1888
• Fannie Cleveland; inscribed at Atlanta, Georgia, on January 14, 1890

D

• Mamie Dickinson; inscribed on April 27, 1888
• Rosa Douglas

F

• Katie Faver
• Lily Ferr

G

• Lizzie Gavin; inscribed at Atlanta, Georgia, on March 11, 1889

H

• Alma S. Hough of Madison, Georgia; inscribed on July 14, 1888
• Careye K. ?, possibly Hough; if Hough, then possibly Carey K. Hough of Madison, Georgia

J

• L. F. Jones; inscribed on November 3, 1890

K

• Edward Keiley; inscribed on March 7, 1890
• May R. Kellam; inscribed to "Dear little Belle" on April 26, 1888.

P

• Claud Peteet; inscribed at Madison, Georgia, in October 1888
• Percy M. Peteet; inscribed on September 12, 1918, "Registration Day for France"
• Carrie Pon - not sure of surname as the entire inscription is very faint
• Mittie Pon; not sure of surname; inscribed on June 17, 1888
• Elsie Prescott; she wrote on the page upside down

R

• Bessie Redwine; inscribed at Atlanta, Georgia, on February 7, 1890
• Rebecca L. Renouff; inscribed at Atlanta, Georgia, on March 12, 1889; 2 page sentiment
• Fanny Rich
• Uncle Will; inscribed at Villa Rica, Georgia, on December 23, 1888.  Perhaps William Preston Robertson, half brother of Belle's mother Lydia Kennedy (Robertson) Ackerman

S

• Jessie Smith; inscribed on January 18, 1890.  Belle's schoolmate
• Ora Smith; inscribed at Atlanta, Georgia, on January 22, 1890.  Belle's schoolmate
• Mamie Stanley; inscribed at Atlanta, Georgia, on March 25, 1889
• Ruth Stephens of Atlanta, Georgia; inscribed at the Boulevard School

T

• C. R. Tidwell; inscribed at Atlanta, Georgia, on February 14, 1889.  "At Home"
• Minnie Tidwell; inscribed at Atlanta, Georgia, on February 13, 1889.  In pencil at the bottom, more Greek and Mathematical symbols

V

• Niel ?ason; perhaps Vason; inscribed on May 13, 1888.  A Madison, Georgia, historian writes that the Vason family operated a drug store at Madison and that Cornelius was a recurring family name.  

W

• Aunt Bess; inscribed on July 6, 1888.  Perhaps Bessie Dennis (Robertson) Walker, half sister of Belle's mother Lydia Kennedy (Robertson) Ackerman or the wife of a blood uncle.
• Annie L. White; inscribed at Atlanta, Georgia, on April 27, 1888
• L. Y. Williams of Atlanta, Georgia; inscribed on April 26, 1888

.

Photograph of William Henry Holst of West New York, New Jersey; at age 11 Months

Photograph of a baby identified on the reverse as Willie Holst of 783 Bergenline Avenue, West New York, New Jersey, at age 11 months.  It appears that the photograph was purchased from the Deutsches Journal of New York, New York.

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

William Henry Holst was born March 3, 1912 at West New York, New Jersey, the son of Charles Holst and Susan (Meehan) Holst.  By 1930, the family was living at Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Charles was working as the foreman in a printing operation.  By 1940 William was still living with his parents at Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was teaching in a private school.

William may have moved to the Manchester, New Hampshire area by 1942, as it was from there that he enlisted into the Army.  His enlistment record notes that he was of the occupation classification: Artists, sculptors, and teachers of art.

William was living at Stonington, Maine, when he died in 1995.  If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Sources

• U.S. Federal Censuses
• United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946
• U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 
• U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 - Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File
• U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 

Cabinet Photograph of Joseph Ralph Mulford of Bridgeton, New Jersey; possibly Graduation Photograph

Cabinet photograph, possibly a graduation photograph, of a young man identified on the reverse as J. Ralph Mulford.  The photograph was taken by the W. E. Service studio of 4 East Commerce Street, Bridgeton, New Jersey.

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

Joseph Ralph Mulford was born November 1, 1873 in Fairfield Township, New Jersey, son of Albert G. Mulford and Olive M. (Chesner) Mulford.

According to the 1910 Census, which notes how many years people had been in their present marriage, it was about 1902 that Ralph married Laura M. Fox.  Laura, who was born about 1877, and Ralph had at least two children.

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

Sources

• New Jersey Births and Christenings, 1660-1980
• U.S. Censuses
• United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918

1841+ Autograph Album of Ellwood Thomas at Westtown Boarding School, West Town, Pennsylvania

Autograph album started in 1841 by Ellwood Thomas of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a student at Westtown Boarding School at West Town, Pennsylvania.

The album is missing its covers, if it ever had them.  It measures approximately 8" by 5" and contains the sentiments of 42 of Ellwood's schoolmates and others.  An alphabetical surname list and an alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered or that I derived from the Morgan Library list, appear at the end of this post.

Westtown Boarding School was founded as a Quaker school in 1799 and is still operating today as Westtown School.   The school's website contains a history and timeline.  In addition, the school maintains the Esther Duke Archives, which contains records, manuscripts, photographs, artifacts, textiles, artwork, furniture and other items relating to the history of the school.

Read a history of the school here - from A Brief History of Westtown Boarding School, with a General Catalogue of Officers, Students, etc., published in 1884.

Ellwood penciled in the names of many of the inscribers in the upper right hand corner of the pages.  This was a great help as some of his fellow students wrote only an initial and surname or even less.  Another great help was the list of Westtown Boarding School students found on the Morgan Library of Ohio website.

The inscriptions were mostly left in February and March, with the months indicated as "2nd" or "2" or "3rd" or "3".  Quakers preferred  not to use the names of months named after gods and eventually adopted the numbering practice for all months, as you can see in this explanation on the Swarthmore College website.

One of the pages was inscribed on "3 mo 24, 1841" by Davis Reece, a teacher and governor at Westtown Boarding School.

Surnames in the Album

	? [3]	J	Jones [2]	S	S ?
A	Allen	L	Lightfoot		Stephens
B	Bailey & Baily [2]	M	Magill		Stokes
C	C ?		Murray	T	Taylor
	Coates	N	Newlin		Thomas
	Crenshaw	P	P ?	U	Underhill
D	D ?		Pennell	V	Vail
E	Eldridge	Q	Quinby	W	Walton
	Emlen	R	Reece		Warner
H	H ?		Rhoads [2]		Warrington
	Haines		Richardson [2]	Y	Yarnall
	Harper		Roberts
	Howell		Rudolph

Inscribers in the Album

• Henry of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Henry C. William
• W. or M.
• F. T. or F. S. or F. F. or F. ?.
• Charles J. Allen, inscribed at Westtown Boarding School on March 19, 1841; Charles J. Allen of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, presumably the same Charles J. Allen who became a treasurer of Westtown Boarding School
• E. Bailey; possibly Edward Baily of Coatesville, Pennsylvania; or Eleanor Baily of Parkersville, Pennsylvania; or Elizabeth Baily of Parkersville, Pennsylvania; or Elmira Bailey of Cincinnati, Ohio
• W. L. Baily, inscribed at West Town, Pennsylvania in 1841; either William L. Baily of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, or William L. Baily of Coatesville, Pennsylvania
• George C? of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, inscribed on February 26, 1841
• G. Coates of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, inscribed on February 25, 1841.  George Coates of Coatesville, Pennsylvania
• Edmund Crenshaw of Virginia, inscribed on February 23, 1841;  Edmund Crenshaw of Richmond, Virginia [spelled Edmond in a school document]
• E. D., inscribed at West Town, Pennsylvania, on February 23, 1841
• Abner Eldridge, inscribed at Westtown Boarding School on March 22, 1841
• James Emlen, inscribed at Westtown Boarding School in April 1841.  Perhaps the James Emlen of Middletown, Pennsylvania, who attended Westtown Boarding School in 1802 and may have returned as an instructor; or the James V. Emlen of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who attended Westtown Boarding School in 1830 and may have returned as an instructor
• William H., inscribed at West Town, Pennsylvania, on March 23, 1841; presumably William H. Nicholson of Haddonfield, New Jersey
• E. Haines, inscribed at West Town, Pennsylvania.  Possibly Edwin Haines of Medford, New Jersey; Emmor Haines of Lockport, Pennsylvania; or Erasmus W. Haines of Christiana, Pennsylvania
• Benjamin Harper, inscribed at Westtown Boarding School on March 3, 1841. Benjamin Harper of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Joshua R. Howell, inscribed at Westtown Boarding School on March 25, 1841; Joshua R. Howell of Edgmont, Pennsylvania
• G. Jones, inscribed at Westtown Boarding School on February 23, 1841; possibly George Jones of Cheltenham, Pennsylvania
• J. Jones or T. Jones or ? Jones, inscribed at Westtown Boarding School on March 5, 1841
• F. Lightfoot, inscribed on March 10, 1841; Francis Lightfoot of Goshen, Pennsylvania
• Edward Magill, inscribed at West Town, Pennsylvania, on February 23, 1841; Edward H. Magill of New Hope, Pennsylvania
• John Murray of New York, New York, inscribed on February 23, 1841
• Levis P. Newlin, inscribed in March 1841; Levis P. Newlin of Middletown, Pennsylvania
• C. A. P.
• Larkin Pennell, inscribed at Westtown Boarding School on March 19, 1840; Larkin Pennell of Chichester, Pennsylvania
• Watson Quinby, inscribed at Westtown Boarding School on February 23, 1841; Watson F. Quinby of Brandywine, Pennsylvania
• D. Reece, inscribed on March 24, 1841; presumably Davis Reece who was a teacher and governor at Westtown Boarding School
• George Rhoads, inscribed at West Town, Pennsylvania; George Rhoads of Springfield, Pennsylvania
• J. P. Rhoads, inscribed at Westtown Boarding School on February 22, 1840, "Washington's Birth Day"; presumably John P. Rhoads of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• John Richardson; presumably John Richardson of Wilmington, Delaware, who was a student at Westtown Boarding School in 1839
• Joseph P. Richardson, inscribed at West Town Boarding School in 1841; Joseph P. Richardson of Wilmington, Delaware
• John F. Roberts, inscribed at West Chester, Pennsylvania; John F. Roberts of West Chester, Pennsylvania
• T. Rudolph, inscribed at West Town, Pennsylvania; Thomas Rudolph of Springfield, Pennsylvania
• S. R. S. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, inscribed on February 25, 1841; Samuel R. Shipley of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; student at Westtown Boarding School
• William Stephens, inscribed at Westtown Boarding School on February 23, 1841; William Stephens of Tredyffrin, Pennsylvania
• Edwin Stokes, inscribed at West Town, Pennsylvania, on February 25, 1841;  Edwin Stokes of Marlton, New Jersey
• Benjaminn F. Taylor, inscribed at Westtown Boarding School on February 23, no year specified;  Benjamin F. Taylor of Taylorsville, Pennsylvania
• Ellwood Thomas of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; his autograph album started on February 20, 1841, compiled while a student at Westtown Boarding School at Westtown, Pennsylvania; he inscribed the first and last pages.
• Robert Underhill of New York, New York; inscribed on February 23, 1841
• Hugh D. Vail, inscribed at West Town, Pennsylvania, in March 1841; Hugh D. Vail of Plainfield, New Jersey
• Joseph Walton, Jr.; possibly the Joseph Walton of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who was a student at Westtown Boarding School in 1830
• Yardley Warner; Yardley Warner of Fallsington, Pennsylvania
• Thomas Warrington, inscribed on March 24, 1841; Thomas Warrington of Moorestown, New Jersey
• Howard Yarnall, inscribed at Westtown Boarding School on March 16, 1841; Howard Yarnall of Edgemont, Pennsylvania, a student at Westtown Boarding School in 1828 - perhaps he returned as a teacher.

If you have information to share on any of the people mentioned above, especially album owner Ellwood Thomas, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Westtown was described in a 19th century school publication as a day's ride from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

c1899 Candid Photograph of John Insley Blair (1802-1899) of Blairstown, New Jersey

c 1897-1899 photograph elderly John Insley Blair of Blairstown, New Jersey.  He was a self-made entrepreneur and railroad magnate; see his papers here.

 "John Insley Blair 1897-1899 on his porch - Blairstown, N.J."

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

John Insley Blair was born August 22, 1802 at Foul Rift, near Belvidere, New Jersey, the son of James Blair and Rachel (Insley) Blair.  On September 20, 1826 at Blairstown, New Jersey, John married Nancy Locke, "Ann", daughter of John and Rachel (Armstrong) Locke.  They would have four children, three of whom, tragically, died before their parents:

1. Emma Elizabeth Blair (1827-1869); married Charles Scribner
2. Marcus Laurence Blair (1830-1874)
3. DeWitt Clinton Blair (1830-1915)
4. Aurelia Anne Blair (1838-1866)

John and Ann, who died in 1888, are buried in the Blairstown Cemetery at Blairstown, New Jersey, along with son Marcus.

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

1890 Commencement and History of Lansley Business College of Elizabeth, New Jersey

1890 Commencement program and advertisement for Lansley Business College and Academy of Elizabeth, New Jersey.  This particular copy of the commencement was designed as a supplement to The Educationist, which may have been the periodical published at Topeka, Kansas.

See the pages in order at the end of this post.  Among the pages are a two page salutatory by Margaret M. Tillou of Lyons Farms, New Jersey, and a four page valedictory by Lotta M. Gates of Woodbridge, New Jersey.

The booklet, which measures approximately 7-3/4" by 5-1/4", contains 14 pages of text, plus two pages with engravings of the founder, James H. Lansley, Ph.D., and the "New Building" located at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Magnolia Avenue in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

James H. Lansley, Ph.D., Principal of Lansley Business College

A history of the college, founded in 1872, and engraving of the new building:

The commencement program for the Class of 1890

18th Annual Commencement, June 25, 1890
Names on the page above: [two appear twice]
Rev. M. L. Gates
Margaret M. Tillou of Lyons Farms, New Jersey; Salatutory Address
Prof. George Schmidt, Master George Schmidt, Jr.; piano 4 hand
Rev. F. M. McAllister
Rev. Ed. Ransford
Lotta M. Gates of Woodbridge, New Jersey - Valedictory Address
Margaret Graham, piano selection
Mary M. Waters, piano selection "Ripples of the Alabama"

The Principal, presumably James H. Lansley, Ph.D.

Rev. Lewis R. Dunn, D.D.; address to the graduates

Graduates, Class of 1890, Shorthand and Typewriting

Gentlemen
Elmar F. Daland Henry Gebhardt * Jeremiah D. Leary Edward Danneberger James T. Kennedy Charles A. Reilly **
Ladies Carrie Barnard Nellie R. Green Dora L. Reynolds ** Catherine C. Burns ** Lillian F. Hoag Lizzie Schanze Annie M. Burns Sarah I. Kennedy Marie C. E. Schmidt Carrie A. Clark Ida Knox Harriet L. Thompson May B. Clark Katie B. McCarthy Margaret M. Tillou Cassie B. Fisher Lizzie T. Mahoney Mary M. Waters ** Katie R. Flanagan Carrie D. Meddaugh Annie V. White Lotta M. Gates Louise Metzger Dora H. Whitehead Margaret A. Graham Maggie Moran Alice G. Woodland **
* Business Branches Only       **  Business Branches added Prizes Young Ladies Carrie Barnard Louise Hinte Abbie E. Richart Clara H. Burges Lillian F. Hoag Susie R. Richards Catherine C. Burns Annie Hopwood Lizzie Schanze Annie M. Burns Sarah I. Kennedy Marie C. E. Schmidt Carrie A. Clark Ida Knox Bella Skinner May B. Clark Katie B. McCarthy Clara L. Steiner Florence Clark Lizzie T. Mahoney Harriet L. Thompson Cassie B. Fisher Carrie D. Meddaugh Margaret M. Tillou Katie R. Flanagan Louise Metzger Mary M. Waters Louise Fritsche Maggie Moran Annie V. White Lotta M. Gates Geraldine H. Norris Dora H. Whitehead Margaret A. Graham Maggie K. Reid Alice G. Woodland Nellie R. Green Dora L. Reynolds Young Gentlemen William F. Barry Henry Gebhardt Gardner H. Marsh Samuel P. Case James W. Hopwood Charles A. Reilly Richard Cavanagh James T. Kennedy Edward B. Wall Elmar F. Daland Alexander Kerr Roscoe Wyckoff Edward Danneberger Jeremiah D. Leary

If you have stories to share about any of the people listed above, please leave a comment for the benefit of other researchers.

Click on an image to enlarge it.