1859-1887 Autograph Album of Mary C. Eaverson of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1859-1887 autograph album kept by Mary C. Eaverson (1842-1916) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Mary would marry one of the inscribers, Lorenzo F. Davis (1835-1903).

The album, published by Riker, Thorne & Company and printed by Ackerman Lith., measures approximately 9-1/2" by 7-1/2 and contains the sentiments of 50 of Mary's relatives and friends, as well as six full page hand-colored engravings of birds and flowers [shown at the end of the post]. This would have been a treasured gift.

An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears at the end of this post.

Surnames in the Album

	? [4]	D	Davis [2]	M	Moore [3]
A	Alford [3]		DuBree [2]	P	Paxson [3]
	Ash [2]	E	Eavenson [10]	S	Seeley
B	Baxter	F	Finney [3]	T	Thomas
	Borden	G	Gilbert	V	Valentine [3]
	Branyan	H	Hathaway	W	Warren [2]
	Bushong [3]		Holland		Williams
C	Cooper	L	Lincoln [3]

Places in the Album - presumably Pennsylvania

• Bart, Lancaster County
• Christiana
• Duncannon, Pennsylvania
• Eden
• Georgetown Mills or Hills
• Moscow
• Philadelphia
• Pleasant Valley
• Sunbeam Seminary
• Sycamore Glen
• Valey, Valery or Valley Home

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

Mary C. Eavenson was born in 1842, the daughter of Jones Eavenson and Emily (Valentine) Eavenson, Quakers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Mary's father and his third wife Phebe inscribed a page in the album on the 6th day of the second month 1883.  Sadly, Jones Eavenson would die the next month.

It appears that Mary and her husband Lorenzo F. Davis made their home in Philadelphia.  Their marriage year is given as 1868 in A genealogical record of the descendants of John and Mary Palmer of Concord, Chester (now Delaware). Lorenzo wrote his name in two places in the album, one on an individual page at Philadelphia on the 19th day of the first month of 1883 and again on the 24th day of the 4th month of 1887 on a page shared with Aldes L. Ash.

Many of Mary's relatives inscribed pages in the album, some with the surname Eavenson and some from surnames that married into the Eavenson family.

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

As I was going through, it became evident that the owner was Mary C. Eavenson, but it helped that Aldes L. Ash created an Acrostic of Mary's name in 1864 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Interestingly, many online trees have Mary's middle initial as E, so Aldes' inscription is especially important.

Inscribers in the Album

• "Thy Cousin Sallie"; inscribed to Mollie, which was presumably the nickname of album owner Mary C. Eavenson (1842-1916)
• Maggie; inscribed at Pleasant Valley on September 12, 1858
• Mary; album owner Mary C. Eavenson's cousin
• Leonardo; inscribed on April 12, 1862
• Augustus Alford; inscribed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 18, 1876
• C. Jennie Alford; inscribed on September 30, 1876
• Carrie Alford; inscribed on September 23, 1876; perhaps Caroline T. (Brooks) Alford, wife of Augustus Alford
• Aldes L. Ash, inscribed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 31, 1864; he made an acrostic of the name of the album owner, Mary C. Eaverson
• Aldes L. Ash; his inscription on a page of 10 little boxes with only his name and that of Lorenzo F. Davis, who dated his signature on the 24th day of the 4th month of 1887
• Mary Baxter; inscribed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 12, 1862
• Joseph E. Borden; inscribed at Christmas in 1879
• Anna E. Branyan; inscribed at Duncannon, Pennsylvania
• E. Bushong; inscribed at Valey or Valery Home on January 20, 1859
• E. K. Bushong; inscribed on January 16, 1859. Presumably Edith Kinsey (Paxson) Bushong (1836-1914), wife of Gilbert Bushong (1836-1911), who inscribed the following page.
• Gilbert Bushong; inscribed at Eden on January 16, 1859. Presumably Gilbert Bushong (1836-1911). The E. K. Bushong who inscribed the previous page was presumably Gilbert's wife Edith Kinsey (Paxson) Bushong (1836-1914)
• Sue R. Cooper; inscribed at Georgetown Hills or Mills on March 19, 1859
• Lorenzo F. Davis; inscribed on the 24th day of the 4th month of 1887; his inscription on a page of 10 little boxes with only his name and that of Aldes L. Ash
• Lorenzo F. Davis; inscribed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the 19th day of the 1st month of 1883
• Emilie DuBree; inscribed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 12, 1875. Perhaps Emily DuBree (1850-1876), sister of Nathan E. DuBree, who was married to Lydia A. (Eavenson) Dubree, sister of album owner Mary C. Eavenson
• Lydia A. DuBree; inscribed in the second month, 6th day of 1883. She was Lydia Ann (Eavenson) DuBree (1828-1883), wife of Nathan E. DuBree and sister of album owner Mary C. Eavenson (1842-1916)
• Benjamin Eavenson; inscribed at Moscow, on November 15, 1858. Perhaps Mary C. Eavenson's older brother Benjamin Eavenson (1831-1918) or her uncle Benjamin Eavenson (1808-1883)
• Emily V. Eavenson, "Thy Niece"; inscribed at Bart, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on April 18, 1879. Perhaps Emily, daughter of Hanna W. (Cooper) Eavenson and Reese Eavenson, who was a brother to album owner Mary C. Eavenson
• Hanna W. Eaverson; inscribed on March 19, 1859. Presumably Hanna W. (Cooper) Eavenson, wife of Reese Eavenson, brother to album owner Mary C. Eavenson
• Jones Eavenson and Phebe M. Eavenson; inscribed on the 6th day of the 2nd month in 1883. They were album owner Mary C. Eavenson's father Jones Eavenson (1804-1883) and his third wife Phebe (Massey) Eavenson (1839-1916). Jones Eavenson would die a month or so later on 15 March 1883. How nice that Mary would have this memento.
• Martha Eavenson; inscribed at Moscow on November 26, 1858; perhaps Martha Ellen (Ash) Eavenson, wife of Mary's brother Albin T. Eavenson
• Marvin M. Eavenson; inscribed to "Sister Mary" at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Maech 24, 1872.  He was Marvin Meeker Eavenson (1845-1926), whose wife Mary (Eachus) Eavenson inscribed the right facing page. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53342385/marvin-eavenson
• Mary Eavenson; inscribed in the 12th month of 1858 [or 1859]. Perhaps Mary (possibly Valentine) Eavenson (1807-1897), who was the wife of inscriber Benjamin Eavenson (1808-1883), paternal uncle of album owner Mary C. Eaverson (1842-1916). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/147831624/mary-eavenson
• May E. Eavenson; inscribed on March 24, 1872. She was May (Eachus) Eavenson (1846-1922), whose husband Marvin Meeker Eavenson inscribed the left facing page. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/84643930/mary-eavenson
• Reese Eavenson; inscribed on December 20, 1859; brother of album owner Mary C. Eavenson
• William Eavenson, "Your Nephew"; inscribed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 18, 1875. Perhaps William Eavenson (1856-1909), the son of Mary C. Eavenson's brother Benjamin Eavenson (1831-1918) and Martha (Gibbs) Eavenson (1839-1898)
• M. L. Finney; inscribed at Christianna, presumably Christiana, Pennsylvnia
• S. D. Finney; inscribed at Christianna on March 28, 1859; presumably Christiana, Pennsylvania
• W. B. Finney; inscribed at Christianna on March 29, 1859; presumably Christiana, Pennsylvania
• Will O. Gilbert; inscribed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 28, 1879
• Tillie Hathaway; inscribed at Pleasant Valley on September 22, 1858
• Annie Holland
• Lydia Lincoln; inscribed at Sunbeam Seminary on November 8, 1858.
• Ruth Ann Lincoln; inscribed at Moscow on November 6, 1858
• Sallie J. Lincoln; inscribed in Moscow on November 7, 1858
• Levi W. Moore; inscribed on October 17, 1858
• Phebe A. Moore; inscribed on October 17, 1858
• R. A. Moore; inscribed on the 21st day of the 8th month of 1858
• Lizzie L. Paxson
• Mary Jane Paxson
• William L. Paxson; inscribed on the 2nd day of the 11th month of 1858. Perhaps William Longstreth Paxson (1817-1884)
• H. F. Seeley; inscribed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 29, 1879
• Mary Thomas; cousin; inscribed on 5.1.1887
• Mary L. Valentine; inscribed at Sycamore Glen on January 20, 1861
• Rachel H. Valentine; inscribed in the 2nd day of the 1st month of 1859
• Rebecca Valentine; inscribed at Sycamore Glen on October 26, 1860
• Clara B. Warren; inscribed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on January 14, 1880
• S. E. Warren
• J. L. Williams; inscribed on July 30, 1877

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.

Huldah's 1830/1840s Autograph Album, Signed by Rhode Island & Massachusetts Students at Fryville Seminary, Bolton, Massachusetts

1830/1840s autograph album that belonged to Huldah, who was presumably a student at Fryville Academy at Bolton, Massachusetts.  

If you have a theory as to the owner Huldah's identity, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

The album is approximately 7-3/4" x 6-1/4" and contains 41 pages signed by Huldah's friends and fellow students at Fryville Seminary at Bolton, Massachusetts.  From what I could find online, Fryville Seminary was founded by members of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers.  

Most signers made use of the entire page for their sentiments.  An alphabetical list of the students appears at the end of this post.

The album was printed by J. C. Riker at 15 Ann Street, New York City, and contains five illustrations interspersed throughout.  See images of them after the list of signers.

Two items were enclosed in the album.

One signer, "C.", made use of the illustration "Death of Hassan" by quoting Shakespeare on the left facing page.  The illustration was based on the painting by Emile Jean-Horace Vernet and was engraved by George B. Ellis.

The album has a note on the first end paper indicating the name of artist Mary Blood Mellen, who studied with Fitz Hugh Lane.  I found evidence where Mary Blood Mellen attended Fryville Seminary, but she didn't sign a page in the album as Mary Blood or Mary Blood Mellen, and it doesn't seem likely that her nickname was Huldah.  Perhaps the person who left the note was simply connecting a well-known person to Fryville Seminary.

Two signers had the surname Fry: Sarah and John E.  They may have been siblings Sarah Congden Fry and John Eddy Fry, children of Thomas and Mary (Eddy) Fry of Bolton, Massachusetts, of which Fryville is a village.

One page was signed by Susan Almy at Fryville Seminary, and another looked to be Susan Almy Jr., also at Fryville.  Their handwriting is similar, so they may be the same person.  Perhaps what appears on one page to be "Jr." is not that at all.  I wasn't able to find a Susan Almy with a mother named Susan, but may have missed someone.

A few pages presented names that were hard to decipher.  If you have a suggestion for any of the names shown in the image below, please leave a comment.  The name below looks like Santa Andrew of Waltham, Massachusetts, but I didn't find any references to such a person.  Perhaps the "Santa" was referring to a person whose first name was Andrew.

The name below looks like Ect Richards, but could be Ed Richards or something else entirely.

The name below has me stumped.  Looks like "A. bexan" but could be "A Texan" or "Alexan" or ?

List of signers:  [Note: given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]

• Huldah, album owner
• Catharine G., signed at Manville [presumably Manville, Rhode Island}, on August 8, 1841
• George W. B., signed at Lonsdale [presumably Rhode Island], on November 23, 1839
• Louise or Louisa, signed at Fryville Seminary at Bolton, Massachusetts, in November 1838 [looks like 1828 but album was printed in 1835]
• Santa Andrew of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on August 25, 1838
• C, signed on November 4, 1839; wrote "Death of Hassan" from Shakespeare, with the right facing page being an engraving by George B. Ellis of the Vernet painting "The Death of Hassan"
• Looks like "Written by A. bexan" or "Written by Alexan" or "Written by A Texan" or ?
• Susan Almy, Jr., signed at Fryville Seminary at Bolton, Massachusetts; not sure of "Jr." or given name; either this person or another named Susan Almy signed a page
• Susan Almy, written at Fryville Seminary at Bolton, Massachusetts, on July 2, 1838; could be the same person as Susan Almy Jr. who signed another page.
• Roby Smith Bellows of Burrillville, Rhode Island, presumably the daughter of William and Martha (Mowry) Bellows
• Mary Ann Bentley of Holden, Massachusetts, signed at Fryville Seminary at Bolton, Massachusetts, on July 2, 1838
• Lewis W. Briggs, signed at Mansville [presumably Rhode Island], on April 12, 1840
• Cyrel Bullock, Jr., of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, signed at Fryville [presumably Fryville Seminary at Bolton, Massachusetts] on December 5, 1838
• John Carter of Boston, Massachusetts, signed at Fryville Seminary at Bolton, Massachusetts
• F. L. Cook, or F. L. Cooke, signed at Lonsdale [presumably Rhode Island] on November 1, 1839; not sure of initials
• John S. Crooks of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, presumably the son of Samuel and Emeline Crooks
• Sarah Darling of Millville 
• Eliza A. Darling of Millville, signed at Fryville Seminary at Bolton, Massachusetts 
• Sarah C. Fry
• John E. Fry, perhaps John Eddy Fry of Bolton, Massachusetts, son of Thomas and Mary (Eddy) Fry
• Martha Gulley, signed at Smithfield [presumably Rhode Island], on January 12, 1841; can't decipher middle initial
• Freeman Hurd of Smithfield [no state given, but presumably Rhode Island], signed at Bolton, Massachusetts, on December 8, 1838
• Lucy Jones
• Clarissa Jones, signed in 1838
• Earl Joslin of Douglas, Massachusetts, signed at Fryville Seminary at Bolton, Massachusetts, on December 5, 1838
• Alfred Knight of Manville [presumably Rhode Island], signed on March 28, 1841.  Possibly the son of Richard and Rebecca (Brayton) Knight
• George C. Lawton of Watertown, Massachusetts, signed at Fryville Seminary at Bolton, Massachusetts, on December 9, 1838
• Artemas Longley, signed at Fryville Seminary at Bolton, Massachusetts, on December 2, 1838
• S. C. Maxfield
• C. H. Merriam of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, signed at Fryville Seminary at Bolton, Massachusetts, on October 30, 1838.  Perhaps the Charles Henry Merriam born in Vermont and later a resident of Leominster, Massachusetts
• Isaac Nelson of Upton, Massachusetts
• Abigail J. Newton, signed July 4, 1838.  Possibly Abigail Jackson Newton of Boston, Massachusetts, daughter of John and Abigail Newton
• Moses Nichols of Fall River, Massachusetts
• Fidelia G. Owen of Gloucester, Rhode Island, written at Lonsdale, Rhode Island, on April 7, [1837 or 1839]
• Sarah D. Peirce of West Boylston, Massachusetts
• ? Richards; looks like Ed Richards or Ect Richards
• Willard Southwick of Berlin, Massachusetts, signed at Fryville Seminary at Bolton, Massachusetts
• Electa J. Stoddard, written at Fryville Seminary at Bolton, Massachusetts, in 1838
• Sarah Sweetser
• Velorous Taft of Upton, Massachusetts
• ? Weston, signed at Lonsdale [presumably Rhode Island] on December 8, 183x [could be 1837, 1838 or 1839]
• Alexander H. Young of Manville, Rhode Island

Fryville in Bolton, Massachusetts


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