1861-1862 Autograph Album of Narcissa Hardin, "Nettie", of Chelsea, Massachusetts; before Marriage to Enoch Lowell

1861-1862 autograph album that belonged to Narcissa Hardin, "Nettie", of Chelsea, Massachusetts.  Nettie would marry Enoch Lowell and live at Saco, Maine.

Interestingly, an eBay seller is currently offering a little marriage book that contains a page recording the 1858 marriage of Nettie's sister Frances S. Harden and Joseph S. Hatch.

The album measures approximately 8-1/4" by 6-3/4" and contains the sentiments of seven of Nettie's friends, inscribed at Chelsea and Charlestown, Massachusetts, and Saco, Maine.  An alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appears farther below, as do images of all of the pages with handwriting or engravings.

Two of the surnames are in question, so your comments on the images would be most appreciated.  They appear to be Mr. Oblie and Nicholas Percimmons; the latter might be a surname or a joke nickname based on his real surname.

The album, published by Leavitt and Allen of New York City, also contains six engravings, a pressed fern and a newspaper clipping of portions of a novel.

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

Narcissa Hardin, "Nettie", was born about 1842 at Chelsea, Massachusetts, the daughter of James and Mary (Webber) Hardin, both Maine natives.  James was a wood and coal dealer at Chelsea.

On November 26, 1863 at Chelsea, Massachusetts, Nettie married Enoch Lowell, son of Hon. Moses and Abigail Hight (Jordan) Lowell of Saco, Maine.  Nettie and Enoch lived at Saco, Maine, and had four children, of which two, Frank H. Lowell and Grace G. Lowell, lived to maturity.  Enoch had a stove and tinware business.

Sadly Narcissa (Hardin) Lowell, "Nettie", died in 1881.  Enoch subsequently married Mary Gilpatrick and had four more children.

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

List of Inscribers and Owner

• Valentine, inscribed at Saco, Maine, in August 1861

A

• Adie A. Abbott of Charlestown, Massachusetts, inscribed on June 13, 1862; shared the page with Marietta Eldridge of Chelsea, Massachusetts

B

• I. B. Bean, inscribed at Saco, Maine, on September 6, 1861. Perhaps Isaac B. Bean.  I. B. Bean inscribed another page in the album on that same day.

E

• Marietta Eldridge of Chelsea, Massachusetts; shared the page with Adie A. Abbott of Charlestown, Massachusetts

H

• Narcissa Hardin, "Nettie" of Chelsea, Massachusetts; album owner; future wife of Enoch Lowell of Saco, Maine

O

• Mr. Oblie; not sure of name

P

• Nicholas Percimmons, inscribed at Saco, Maine, in September 1861; not sure of surname; if Percimmons, it might be a joke nickname for a surname like Percy or ?

W

• Hattie Wilson, inscribed at Charlestown, Massachusetts, on July 21, 1862

The pages with handwriting and engravings, in order.  Click on an image to enlarge it.

1858-1860 Autograph Album of John Perley, a Principal at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary and Female College at Kents Hill, Maine

1858-1860 autograph album that belonged to John Perley, a teacher and principal at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary and Female College at Kents Hill in Readfield, Maine.

John Perley authored "Perley's System of Penmanship and Bookkeeping".  He also taught at Waterville Classical Institute at Waterville, Maine; Hebron Academy at Hebron, Maine and Houlton Academy at Houlton, Maine.

"The Scriptural Album", which measures about 8" by 7", was published by John P. Perry of 198 Market Street, Philadelphia.  In addition to the hand colored engraving on the title page, it contains 8 other hand colored engravings, all of a Biblical nature.  It must have been a treasure when first acquired, and it remains so.

The album contains the sentiments of 28 of John Perley's students, fellow educators and friends.  An alphabetical surname list and an alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appear at the end of this post.

One especially touching page was inscribed by John Perley's former student and then fellow teacher, John E. Bryant of Buckfield, Maine.

George Johnstone of Germantown, Pennsylvania, inscribed a two-page sentiment on February 9, 1860.

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

John Perley was born at Unity, Maine, on March 15, 1812, the son of John and Mary (Spaulding) Perley.  Son John married twice: 1) Elizabeth Walker (1809-1841), daughter of William Gleason Walker and Huldah (Scribner) Walker; 2)  Esther Carter Foster (1814-1889), daughter of Thomas Dresser Foster and Joanna (Carter) Foster.

Children with wife Elizabeth Walker:

1. Benjamin Dudley Perley, born February 14, 1835; died of consumption on March 11, 1854
2. Esther Maria Perley, born February 13, 1838; married George Washington Clark; died March 30, 1924
3. Sarah Amelia Perley, born August 27, 1839; died January 27, 1840
4. John Milton Perley, born November 9, 1840; died March 4, 1841

Children with wife Esther Carter (Foster) Perley

1. Eliza Jane Perley, born February 27, 1845; died March 14, 1920
2. Roscoe John Perley, born August 2, 1846; married Maria Bishop; died January 17, 1928
3. Olive Foster Perley, born August 2, 1847; died August 16, 1847
4. Robert Foster Perley, born September 20, 1849; died October 4, 1849
5. Helen Margelia Perley, born January 29, 1852; married Rev. James Eugene Clark; died March 29; 1896

John Perley died May 20, 1895; his second wife Esther had predeceased him in 1889.  John and his wives and several of his children are buried at the Farwell Cemetery at Unity, Maine.

Read more about Professor Perley in Martin Van Buren Perley's History and Genealogy of the Perley Family, pages 419-421.

Surnames in the Album

?	E	Eaton	P	Perley	S	Snow
Adams [2]	F	Fernald		Pottle		Storer
Batchelder		Fisk	R	Rhoades [2]	T	Trafton
Beath		Frye		Robinson		True
Boyington	H	Harriman		Rogers [2]
Bryant	J	Johnstone		Rouse
	L	Larrabee [4]

Inscribers in the Album

• Unsigned; perhaps written by J. Perley himself

A

• Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath
• Mr. E. H. Adams; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath

B

• Amelia A. R. Batchelder
• Rinda J. Beath; presumably Rinda Jane Beath; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath
• Addie Boyington
• John E. Bryant of Buckfield, Maine; Mr. Perley's one-time student and now fellow teacher, presumably at Maine Wesleyan Seminary at Kents Hill, Maine

E

• Mattie W. Eaton of Pishon's Ferry, Maine, inscribed at Kents Hill, Maine, at Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on May 17, 1858. Pishon's Ferry is located at Clinton, Maine.

F

• O. H. Fernald, inscribed at Tremont, Maine, on May 20, 1858; presumably Oliver H. Fernald
• Emma Fisk; her middle initial is either T or Y or ?; inscribed at Kents Hil, Maine, at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on May 22, 1858
• Emily A. Frye

H

• D. G. Harriman of New Sharon, Maine, inscribed at Kents Hill, Maine, at Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on May 20, 1858. Presumably Daniel G. Harriman

J

• 2-page sentiment of George Johnstone of Germantown, Pennsylvania, inscribed on February 9, 1860

L

• E. E. Larrabee, or C. E. Larrabee; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath
• Mrs. A. P. Larrabee; not sure of middle initial; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath
• Augusta Marie Larrabee; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath
• Charles S. Larrabee; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath

P

• John Perley; album owner.  He was an administrator and instructor at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary and Female College at Kents Hill in Readfield, Maine
• Abel Pottle of Salem, Maine, inscribed at Kents Hill, Maine, at Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on May 20, 1858 to his teacher Mr. Perley; inscribed to "Dear Bro. Pearley"

R

• Mary A. Rhoades of Bremen, Maine, inscribed at Kents Hill, Maine, at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on May 18, 1858
• L. Rhoades of Bremen, Maine, inscribed at Kents Hill, Maine, at Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on May 22, 1858
• M. C. Robinson; shared the page with 8 people: M. C. Robinson; Mrs. Jeannie M. Adams; Mr. E. H. Adams; E. C. Larrabee, or E. E. Larrabee; Mrs. A. P. Larrabee (not sure of middle initial); Augusta Marie Larrabee; Charles S. Larrabee; Rinda J. Beath
• Jennie A. Rogers
• Margaret Rogers
• Cora E. Rouse

S

• Addie Snow
• Lucy J. Storer of Mexico, Maine, inscribed at Kents Hill, Maine, at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on May 17, 1858

T

• Annie Trafton of East Strong, Maine, inscribed at Kents Hill, Maine, at Maine Wesleyan Seminary, on October 27, 1860; John Perley's pupil.
• Rosie E. True of Hope, Maine, inscribed at Maine Wesleyan Seminary, Spring Term, 1858

12 Vintage Photographs of the Charbneau Family of Seattle, Washington, and San Francisco, California

Collection of 12 photographs of the Jules Louis Charbneau [variant Charbeneau] family of Michigan, Washington and California.  Above is Josephine (Jacques or Jock) Charbeneau, a Michigan nurse who volunteered during World War I.

The other four photographs are of Josephine's grandchildren, the children of her son Jules Louis Charbneau.  Jules and his daughter Isabella Josephine (Charbneau) Anderson Warren were noted appraisers, with a specialty in miniature collectibles.  See more farther below.

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

On February 8, 1880 at Mount Clemens, Michigan, Josephine Jacques, also known as Jock, married Louis Charbeneau, son of Louis Sackett Charbeneau and Matilda (Moore) Charbeneau.  It appears that Josephine and Louis divorced and remarried a couple times.

Their son Jules Louis Charbneau was born October 20, 1883 at Mount Clemens, Michigan.  I believe he had four siblings.  On October 20, 1904, in King County, Washington, at Sacred Heart Church, presumably in Seattle, Jules married Carolyn Ellen Standley, daughter of Joseph Edward Standley and Isabella Agnes (Rounds) Standley.

Jules and Carolyn had, I believe, two children, daughters Isabella Josephine Charbneau and Phyllis Robin Charbneau, who are pictured below.

Isabella Josephine Charbneau was born May 24, 1906 at Seattle, Washington.  One of the photographs shows her as a baby on the proverbial blanket.  Another, taken in June 1918, shows her at age 12; the identification, presumably in her own handwriting 30 years later, notes that she had been on stage for the first time and that she was a student of Mary Ann Wells.  Isabella Josephine Charbneau married Charles Clair Warren, Jr., in 1957, and she may have been married to a Mr. Anderson before that.

The reverse of her baby photograph, indicating that the photograph was taken August 24, 1907 by her father Jules Louis Charbneau at 2320 Walnut Avenue, Seattle, Washington.  The reverse of her photo as a 12-year-old has information on her first stage appearance.

Another of Isabella Josephine Charbneau:

Phyllis Robin Charbneau was born May 7, 1908 at Seattle, Washington.  Her photograph, also taken in June 1918 at age 9, indicates that she also had had her first stage appearance as a ballet student of Mary Ann Wells.  She married Keith Torrey Middleton at Manhattan, New York City in 1937; the collection includes several photographs of Phyllis' family after her marriage, including two of her son.  There's also in intriguing photograph of a racehorse named "Irish Peer", taken in British Columbia, that may have belonged to the Charbneau family or friends.

Below, a photograph showing a beautifully decorated yard at 1750 Palm Avenue, West Seattle, Washington, which may have been home of the girls' maternal grandparents, Joseph Edward and Isabella Agnes (Rounds) Standley.

As noted above, Jules Louis Charbneau and at least one of his daughters, Isabella Josephine Charbneau, became noted appraisers and collectors, particularly well known in the field of miniatures.  For more information on them:

• An article in the Free Lance Star, issue of June 18, 1858 - which includes Isabella Josephine's photograph
• A letter mentioned in Life Magazine, signed by Isabella Charbneau Andersen of San Francisco
• Jules Charbneau's World of Miniatures, published in 1968 by the Jules Charbneau Miniature Museum
• Article about Jules Charbneau's collection of miniatures in a 1940 Issue of Popular Mechanics 
• Article in Washington Curiosities, published in 2007 - which includes Jules' photograph
• Article in Miniature Book News, issue of 1969 - which includes Isabella Josephine's photograph
• Article in Reading Eagle, issue of August 23, 1953 about Jules Louis Charbneau and his collection

2320 Walnut Avenue, Seattle; and 1750 Palm Avenue, West Seattle

c1880 Cabinet Photographs of Eliza Ann (Stevens) Norman Jolley and Daughter Hannah Maria (Norman) Tucker

 Cabinet photographs of Eliza Ann (Stevens) Norman Jolley and daughter Hannah Maria (Norman) Tucker of Morris County, New Jersey.  The photographs are mounted in mats measuring a little larger than 10-3/4" by 8".

Note in the enlargement, below, of the handwriting on the right edge of the mat, that in the identification made by Eliza's grandchild, the grandchild erroneously gave Eliza the married name of Tucker.  Eliza's first husband's name was John S. Norman, but their daughter married Freeman Tucker, which apparently was the source of the confusion.

On the reverse of Eliza's photograph:

Hannah Maria (Norman) Tucker:

Hannah's photograph was taken by the Lacey Studio of Morristown, New Jersey.

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

Eliza Ann Stevens was born about 1811 in New Jersey; I don't have information on her parents.  On May 28, 1831 in Morris County, New Jersey, Eliza Ann married John S. Norman, son, I believe, of Samuel and Mary (Keepers) Norman.    John S. Norman died on February 3, 1837 at Milton, New Jersey.

About 1838 Eliza Ann (Stevens) Norman married Samuel Jolley, son of Richard and Amy (Molyneaux) Jolley or Jolly.   Eliza, from what I could gather, had four children with Samuel:

1. Robert Jolley (1863-1863); died at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
2. Edwin Jolley (1844-1917); married Matilda or Sarah Matilda
3. Frances A. Jolley (about 1846-?)
4. Lizzie A. Jolly (about 1848-?); married George Quayle

Samuel Jolley died in 1865; Eliza Ann (Stevens) Norman Jolley died in 1902.

Hannah Maria Norman, daughter of Eliza Ann (Stevens) Norman Jolley and John S. Norman, was born about 1832.  On June 30, 1850, Hannah became the second wife of Freeman Tucker, son of Lines and Phoebe (Allen) Tucker.   They had at least two children, daughters Phoebe W. Tucker and Ella Frances Tucker.  Samuel died in Yuba City, California, in 1889.  He's buried there, with his son, Judge William E. Tucker, from his first marriage to Elizabeth Williams Drake.

By 1920, widow Hannah Maria (Norman) Tucker was living with her daughter Phoebe W. (Tucker) Van Gilder and husband Charles VanGilder at Morristown, New Jersey.  She was not in their home by 1930 and may have died by then.

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

Family Bible of Emma Augusta (Horton) Rumsey of Yates, Ontario and Monroe Counties, New York; Wife of Samuel Randal Rumsey

Bible that apparently originally belonged to Mrs. Minerva Horton of Yates County, New York, who then passed it on to her daughter, Emma Augusta (Horton) Rumsey, wife of Samuel Randall Rumsey.

Minerva, born about 1821 in New York.  I believe her husband was Isaac Horton, born about 1808 in either Vermont or New York.  Someone, perhaps Minerva herself, wrote the names of her children on the page below; Emma was her second youngest child.

The Bible, which measures about 8" by 5", has handwritten genealogy, in the handwriting of more than one person, concerning the Horton and Rumsey families, with the included surnames of Parlett, Albro and Felps [Phelps ?], and a few items tucked in.

Some of the information contained in the Bible is at odds with what I found online, perhaps because entries, at least some of them, were entered at long remove by someone who may not have been in attendance at the actual event.

The facing pages below were inscribed by one of Emma's children.

"Samuel Randal Rumsey and Emma Augusta Horton was married January 12, 1873 by Rev. Braddish at Newark, New York.  Pa Born at Hornellsville, Mar 15 /1849.  Died at Rochester, Jan 19 /1918.  Ma Born at Naples, Mar 12 /1859.  [Died at] Rochester Nov 13 /1920.  Of this union 9 children were born."

• Charles - Charles Burton Rumsey - born December 6, 1876 at Geneva, New York; died January 14, 1910 at Pittsburg
• Emma - Emma Estella Rumsey - born at Penn Yan, New York, on February 3, 1880
• Phoebe - Phoebe Ann Rumsey - born at Penn Yan, New York, on April 22, 1882
• Freddie, born at North Bloomfield, New York, on May 16, 1886; died July 22, 1886 at North Bloomfield [The paper scrap gives his place of birth and death as Lima, New York.]
• Samuel Rebecca Rumsey, born a Lima, New York, on April 26, 1888
• Henry James Rumsey, born at North Bloomfield, New York, on August 7, 1890; died at Veterans Hospital, Staten Island, New York, on July 15, 1948  [The paper scrap gives his place of birth as Lima, New York.]
• Harry Benham Rumsey, born at North Bloomfield, New York, on September 22, 1893; died at Rochester, New York, on April 21, 1934
• Alza Louise Rumsey, "Allie", born at Honeoye Falls, New York, on January 7, 1897
• Lulu May Rumsey, born at Honeoye Falls, New York, on July 19, 1899; died at Rochester, New York, on January 21, 1942

A paper scrap tucked in the Bible has much of the same information, with a few discrepancies.

Heading the page below:  "Minerva Horton, Her Book 185[?]"; the last digit is smeared.  Minerva's oldest child William was born about 1842, so she apparently did not have the Bible before her marriage, but a few years into it.  This page has the names: ? Horton; Sarah Horton; Lucy Horton; Alice Horton; Ella Horton; John Parlett; Samuel Parlett; Samuel Rumsey; Eddie Albrow.  Note:  Edgar Albro married Minerva's youngest daughter Eliza J. Horton.  I'm not sure how the Parlett fellows fit in.

Another page seems to be doodling, with the names of Minerva's daughter Eliza written twice; the name of Eliza's husband Edgar Albro written three times; the name of Lusey or Lucy Horton; and the surname Felps, possibly for Phelps.

Other items tucked in the album include two pressed flowers, the photograph of a house, with information on the reverse, and a scrap of cloth.

If you have information on the Horton and Rumsey families, please leave a comment or contact me directly.