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1881-1885 autograph album that belonged to Robert B. Wood, "Robbie", of Spring Valley, New York. His name appears on the inside front cover.
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The album was given to him as a Christmas present, presumably in 1881.
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The album measures approximately 7" x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of 30 of Robbie's relatives, friends and schoolmates. 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.
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From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections and additions welcome!]
Robert B. Wood was born about February 1870 in New York, the son, I believe, of James and Hannah M. (Hope) Wood. I believe he had two siblings, older sister Anna Wood and younger sister Ella Hope Wood.
Several of the inscribers were members of the Wood family of Hillsboro, Texas [scroll down to Mr. and Mrs. William Wood.]. Robbie's paternal uncle, William Wood, had gone to Texas after the Civil War and was a postmaster and lumber yard operator at Hillsboro. Others of his family who inscribed pages: wife Janet (Robertson) Wood, "Nettie", and children Jane/Jennie; Alice; William Jr/Willie; Mary/Mamie; and Martha/Mattie. The way the pages are written, it seems that Robbie had visited them in Texas, rather than vice versa.
I believe Robert B. Wood married twice; first to Mary Estelle Sherwood in 1903, who died in 1920, and then to Florence, who survived him. With Mary Estelle, he had a daughter Helen G. Wood, born about 1907. Robert B. Wood died in 1937 and is buried with his first wife, Mary Estelle (Sherwood) Wood, at the Brick Church Cemetery at Spring Valley, New York.
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.
Surnames in the album
| ? [2] | M |
| A | Merritt |
| Allen | S |
| B | Selleck |
| Blauvelt [3] | Sherwood |
| Brooks | Smith [2] |
| C | Sugden |
| Comeskey | V |
| Cruikshank | Van Orden [2] |
| E | Van Riper |
| Erickson | W |
| G | Westervelt |
| Gemmel [2] | Wood [9] |
Signers in the album [Note: Given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order]
- Unsigned
- "Friend" Warner, who sketched a quill and scroll with the name R. B. Wood on it, in honor of the album owner.
- Julie S. Allen of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 16, 1882
- Belle Blauvelt of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 9, 1882
- Carrie E. Blauvelt of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 5, 1882
- Mattie Blauvelt of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 13, 1882
- Lottie L. Brooks of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 9, 1882
- Emma Comeskey, signed on January 6, 1882
- John W. Cruikshank of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 18, 1882
- C. H. Erickson of Hightstown, New Jersey, signed on December 16, 1885; Robbie's schoolmate
- J. Frank Gemmel of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 19, 1882.
- Allie Gemmel of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 19, 1882
- Ada L. Merritt of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 19, 1882
- Preston M. Selleck of Pine Plains, New York, in Dutchess County, "Secretary of the [symbols for Sigma Phi]"
- T. A. Sherwood, or Y. A. Sherwood or ?, signed on January 26, 1882
- Mattie V. O. Smith of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 12, 1882
- Eleanor C. Smith of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 12, 1882
- Salome G. Sugden of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 19, 1882
- Frank M. Van Orden of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 9, 1881; Robbie's schoolmate
- J. S. Van Orden of Spring Valley, New York, signed at S. S. Institute on December 16, 1885
- Lillie Van Riper of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 16, 1882
- Emma Westervelt of Spring Valley, New York, signed on January 22, 1882
- R. Wood; written on the inside front cover. Robert B. Wood, "Robbie", received the album as a Christmas present, presumably in 1881.
- Willie Wood of Hillsboro, Texas, signed on December 1, 1883; Robbie's cousin
- Cousin Jennie, signed at Hillsborough, Texas, on November 29, 1884; Jennie Wood
- Cousin Willie of Hillsboro, Texas, signed on November 30, 1884; presumably another page inscribed by William Wood, Jr.
- Mamie Wood of Hillsboro, Texas, signed in July 1884
- Mattie Wood of Hillsboro, Texas, signed on December 9, 1885
- Aunt Nettie, signed at Hillsboro, Texas, on December 9, 1885. Janet (Robinson) Wood, wife of Robbie's uncle William Wood, who signed the right facing page.
- Uncle Will, signed at Hillsborough, Texas, on December 9, 1885. Robbie's uncle William Wood, whose wife Janet (Robertson) Wood signed the left facing page. He was born at Spring Valley, New York, on July 23, 1841 and moved to Texas where he served as postmaster for a while and then as manager of the C. T. Lyon lumber yard.
- Alice M. Wood, signed at Hillsboro, Texas, on December 9, 1885; Robbie's cousin
Spring Valley, New York
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