Autograph of John D. Fraser of Pictou, Nova Scotia in autograph book of Bertha Clements, Waldo Center, Maine

In the autograph book of Bertha Clements of Waldo Center, Maine is the page, above, signed by John D. Fraser of Pictou, Nova Scotia.  Most of the autographs were signed in the late 1880s to the early 1890s.

Here are images of the front of Bertha's autograph book and the page where she signed her own name.

To see images of many of the other pages in Bertha's autograph book and for a brief look at her genealogy, see a previous post on Bertha Clements.  


You'll note that John D. Fraser is perhaps the only signer out of the state of Maine, other than her brother-in-law who had moved to Iowa.  Most of the signers were in Waldo or neighboring towns.  
  
The signers: [Click on the names in bold for a post featuring their autograph pages and genealogy.]

Bertha Clements signed her first name on the inside cover and her name and address on the first page
"Mother", who was Maria F. (Mixer) Clement of Waldo
Robert Clements, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Frank Blood, friend, 1887
Percy W. Clements, Waldo, Maine
Belle M. Clements, Bertha's sister
Florence A. Roberts, friend, 1891
Burton A. Curtis, friend, 1887
Melvin George Rolerson, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Laura J. Blood, East Knox, Maine
Isaac G. Sanborn, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Georgia, Bertha's friend
Lydia Clements, Bertha's cousin, 1891
Ethel Foss, Brooks, Maine, 1889
Phebe Paul, Waldo, Maine, 1889
? Clements, Bertha's cousin, Waldo, 1891
Bertha, Bertha's friend, 1887
C. E. Whitcomb, friend
Edna Reynolds, Waldo, Maine 1891
John D. Fraser, Pictou, Nova Scotia
Angie M. Sanborn, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Carrie S. Nickerson, Waldo, Maine, 1888
Jabie Clement (?), Bertha's cousin, 1889
Castanous Merrill Smalley, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Isaac Sheldon, Waldo, Maine, 1887
Ida Whitcomb, schoolmate, Waldo, Maine, 1889
Esther Clements, Bertha's sister, Waldo, Maine, 1887
Lela, Bertha's friend, Waldo, Maine, 1887
A. M. Patterson, Bertha's brother - I assume brother-in-law, Whiting Iowa, 1887
Effie Dell Rolerson, friend, Waldo, Maine, 1889
Ida Rolerson, friend, 1887
Lulu R. Cammett (?), Waldo, Maine
Delbert Joel Rolerson, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Ella F. Whitcomb, Waldo, 1890
Verie, Bertha's schoolmate, 1887
George H. Clements, Bertha's schoolmate, Waldo, Maine, 1890
Ellen M. Camett (?), Bertha's cousin, Waldo, Maine, 1889
Ernest L. Curtis, Bertha's friend, 1890
Irvin L. Curtis, Waldo, Maine
Everett Clements, Waldo, Maine
Rachel, Bertha's schoolmate, 1887
Berie Melcher (?), Waldo, Maine
Mary D. Smith, Waldo, Maine
Grace, friend, 1887


I'm finding that there are numerous Fraser family lines in the Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada, area.   Rather than going out on a limb, I'm hoping that someone who has researched the Fraser family will remember  a connection to the Waldo County area of Maine.  It's possible that John sailed into Searsport or Belfast or that a family member in Pictou had Maine relatives.


There's a plausible prospect in a John D. Fraser, born about 1874, the son of Hugh and Mary Jane Fraser, because he was nearly the same age as Bertha Clements, but there may be others.   Even if he were the correct John D. Fraser, researching his genealogy is no mean feat, owing to the fact that I found multiple Hugh Frasers online, with contradictions in his parents and spouses.


Some of the Pictou Frasers go back to the year 1773 when the Ship Hector brought 189 Scottish Highlanders to Nova Scotia.  They were seeking to escape harsh conditions under British rule, which had been instituted after the Highlanders lost the Battle of Culloden in 1746.  Unfortunately, they found that conditions in the New World could be equally as harsh, if not more so at times.


Here's an interesting website with the history of the Pictou area, including the Hector:  The Hector Story.


Below are Individual maps of Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada and Waldo, Maine.  People back then thought nothing of sailing back and forth between the Fundy areas of Nova Scotia and Washington County, Maine, but I'm guessing that someone traveling from Pictou to Maine would first travel overland to Truro, Nova Scotia, board a vessel and sail the length of Fundy south to Belfast, Searsport or Winterport, which are the closest ports to Waldo.



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Map of Waldo, Maine:



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If you have any insights to add to the information presented above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.


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1891 Autograph of Castanous Smalley of Waldo, Maine, in Autograph Book of Bertha Clements, Waldo Center, Maine

In the autograph book of Bertha Clements of Waldo Center, Maine is the page, above, signed by Castanous Smalley of Waldo, Maine, on 24 September 1891.   


Here are images of the front of Bertha's autograph book and the page where she signed her own name.

For a complete list of the people who signed the autograph book, images of many of the pages and a brief genealogy on the book's owner, see a previous post on Bertha Clements.


From online research, hopefully correct:


Castanous Merrill Smalley was born 17 August 1878 in Maine, the son of Castanous M. Smalley and his wife Mary S. (Redman) Smalley.  His paternal grandparents were Isaac and Mary (Farnum) Smalley.  His maternal grandparent were Francis and Rebecca (Murch) Redman.  


Castanous Merrill Smalley married Blanche S. Pierce, born about 1885 in Maine, the daughter of Stephen and Ada Pierce of Belfast, Maine.   Castanous and Blanche had at least two children, a daughter Ruth and a son Castanous, and lived in Belfast and later on in Hallowell and in Auburn, both in Maine.   Castanous was a salesman.


If you have any corrections, additions or insights regarding the information presented above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  


The signers: [Click on the names in bold for a post featuring their autograph pages and genealogy.]

Bertha Clements signed her first name on the inside cover and her name and address on the first page
"Mother", who was Maria F. (Mixer) Clement of Waldo
Robert Clements, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Frank Blood, friend, 1887
Percy W. Clements, Waldo, Maine
Belle M. Clements, Bertha's sister
Florence A. Roberts, friend, 1891
Burton A. Curtis, friend, 1887
Melvin George Rolerson, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Laura J. Blood, East Knox, Maine
Isaac G. Sanborn, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Georgia, Bertha's friend
Lydia Clements, Bertha's cousin, 1891
Ethel Foss, Brooks, Maine, 1889
Phebe Paul, Waldo, Maine, 1889
? Clements, Bertha's cousin, Waldo, 1891
Bertha, Bertha's friend, 1887
C. E. Whitcomb, friend
Edna Reynolds, Waldo, Maine 1891
John D. Fraser, Pictou, Nova Scotia
Angie M. Sanborn, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Carrie S. Nickerson, Waldo, Maine, 1888
Jabie Clement (?), Bertha's cousin, 1889
Castanous Merrill Smalley, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Isaac Sheldon, Waldo, Maine, 1887
Ida Whitcomb, schoolmate, Waldo, Maine, 1889
Esther Clements, Bertha's sister, Waldo, Maine, 1887
Lela, Bertha's friend, Waldo, Maine, 1887
A. M. Patterson, Bertha's brother - I assume brother-in-law, Whiting Iowa, 1887
Effie Dell Rolerson, friend, Waldo, Maine, 1889
Ida Rolerson, friend, 1887
Lulu R. Cammett (?), Waldo, Maine
Delbert Joel Rolerson, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Ella F. Whitcomb, Waldo, 1890
Verie, Bertha's schoolmate, 1887
George H. Clements, Bertha's schoolmate, Waldo, Maine, 1890
Ellen M. Camett (?), Bertha's cousin, Waldo, Maine, 1889
Ernest L. Curtis, Bertha's friend, 1890
Irvin L. Curtis, Waldo, Maine
Everett Clements, Waldo, Maine
Rachel, Bertha's schoolmate, 1887
Berie Melcher (?), Waldo, Maine
Mary D. Smith, Waldo, Maine
Grace, friend, 1887


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Late 1880s Autographs of Siblings Ida, Melvin, Effie Dell and Delbert Rolerson of Waldo, Maine

In the autograph book of Bertha Clements of Waldo Center, Maine are pages signed by the four Rolerson siblings in Waldo, Maine: Ida M. (Rolerson) Wight, Melvin George Rolerson, Effie Dell Rolerson and Delbert Joel Rolerson.

For a complete list of the people who signed the autograph book, images of many of the pages and a brief genealogy on the book's owner, see a previous post on Bertha Clements

I believe the parents of the four siblings were Benjamin F. Rolerson and his wife Sophronia, based on the 1880 Census, though I found a marriage record for Delbert where he named his parents as James and Sophronia.

Even if their father was Benjamin F. Rolerson, it looks as though there were two Benjamin F. Rolersons in the area, so I'm hoping a reader will come forward to clear up the mystery.  At least one of them was a Civil War veteran.

Ida M. Rolerson was born 5 August 1871.  I found a reference online where her mother was listed as Sophronia.  Ida married Burton S. Wight, son of Samuel and Eliza Mansfield (Ware) Wright; they lived in Lynn, Massachusetts and had at least one daughter.

Melvin George Rolerson was born 17 June 1876 in Maine.  I'm not sure he married.  Interestingly, he was enumerated in California in the 1900 Census where he was a servant in Tulare, San Joaquin County.  By the time of the 1910 Census, he was back in Maine, living with brother Delbert's family in Belfast, Maine and working as a farmer.  He was still living with his brother at the time of the 1920 Census, but I lost track of him after that.

Effie Dell Rolerson was born about 1878 in Maine.   I found her in the 1900 Census of Rutland, Massachusetts, working as a servant in the household of Daniel Demond.  I didn't find her in the Maine Marriages online database; perhaps she never married or she married in another state.  I found an obituary online, for Mrs. Betsy R. (Clements) Keller, wife of Gilbert D. Keller, which includes the fact that a large bouquet of white roses was sent by Mrs. Ida M. Wight and Miss Effie D. Rolerson of Lynn, Massachusetts.  I believe Betsey Keller died in October of 1900, so perhaps Effie left Rutland, Massachusetts for Lynn shortly after the Census enumeration.

Delbert Joel Rolerson was born 9 January 1880 in Maine.  He married Harriet D. Hartshorn on 5 June 1901.  They lived in Belfast, Maine and raised, I believe, three children.  Delbert was a farmer.

If you have any corrections, additions or insights regarding the information presented above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

The signers: [Click on the names in bold for a post featuring their autograph pages and genealogy.]

Bertha Clements signed her first name on the inside cover and her name and address on the first page
"Mother", who was Maria F. (Mixer) Clement of Waldo
Robert Clements, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Frank Blood, friend, 1887
Percy W. Clements, Waldo, Maine
Belle M. Clements, Bertha's sister
Florence A. Roberts, friend, 1891
Burton A. Curtis, friend, 1887
Melvin George Rolerson, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Laura J. Blood, East Knox, Maine
Isaac G. Sanborn, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Georgia, Bertha's friend
Lydia Clements, Bertha's cousin, 1891
Ethel Foss, Brooks, Maine, 1889
Phebe Paul, Waldo, Maine, 1889
? Clements, Bertha's cousin, Waldo, 1891
Bertha, Bertha's friend, 1887
C. E. Whitcomb, friend
Edna Reynolds, Waldo, Maine 1891
John D. Fraser, Pictou, Nova Scotia
Angie M. Sanborn, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Carrie S. Nickerson, Waldo, Maine, 1888
Jabie Clement (?), Bertha's cousin, 1889
Castanous Merrill Smalley, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Isaac Sheldon, Waldo, Maine, 1887
Ida Whitcomb, schoolmate, Waldo, Maine, 1889
Esther Clements, Bertha's sister, Waldo, Maine, 1887
Lela, Bertha's friend, Waldo, Maine, 1887
A. M. Patterson, Bertha's brother - I assume brother-in-law, Whiting Iowa, 1887
Effie Dell Rolerson, friend, Waldo, Maine, 1889
Ida Rolerson, friend, 1887
Lulu R. Cammett (?), Waldo, Maine
Delbert Joel Rolerson, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Ella F. Whitcomb, Waldo, 1890
Verie, Bertha's schoolmate, 1887
George H. Clements, Bertha's schoolmate, Waldo, Maine, 1890
Ellen M. Camett (?), Bertha's cousin, Waldo, Maine, 1889
Ernest L. Curtis, Bertha's friend, 1890
Irvin L. Curtis, Waldo, Maine
Everett Clements, Waldo, Maine
Rachel, Bertha's schoolmate, 1887
Berie Melcher (?), Waldo, Maine
Mary D. Smith, Waldo, Maine
Grace, friend, 1887


Below are images of the front of Bertha Clements' autograph book and the page she signed herself:

A map of Waldo, Maine:


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Page of Phebe Paul in Autograph Book of Bertha Clements, Waldo, Maine

This is the page that Phebe Paul of Waldo, Maine, signed in the autograph book of Bertha Clements of Waldo Center, Maine.  The autograph is dated June 28, 1889.


To see a post with images of many of the pages and with family history information on the autograph book's owner, click Bertha Clements.


Phebe Paul was born 22 November 1870 in Maine, the daughter of Richard Rush Paul and his wife Patience B. (Stephenson) Paul, both born in mid-coastal Maine.  Phebe's paternal grandparents were Samuel and Charity (Mansfield) Paul.  Her maternal grandparents were Jerome and Phoebe B. (Sanborn) Stephenson.


I found Phebe in the Censuses from 1880 and 1900-1930.  She was still going by the name Phebe Paul in 1930.


If you have any corrections, additions or insights regarding the information presented above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  


The signers: [Click on the names in bold for a post featuring their autograph pages and genealogy.]

Bertha Clements signed her first name on the inside cover and her name and address on the first page
"Mother", who was Maria F. (Mixer) Clement of Waldo
Robert Clements, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Frank Blood, friend, 1887
Percy W. Clements, Waldo, Maine
Belle M. Clements, Bertha's sister
Florence A. Roberts, friend, 1891
Burton A. Curtis, friend, 1887
Melvin George Rolerson, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Laura J. Blood, East Knox, Maine
Isaac G. Sanborn, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Georgia, Bertha's friend
Lydia Clements, Bertha's cousin, 1891
Ethel Foss, Brooks, Maine, 1889
Phebe Paul, Waldo, Maine, 1889
? Clements, Bertha's cousin, Waldo, 1891
Bertha, Bertha's friend, 1887
C. E. Whitcomb, friend
Edna Reynolds, Waldo, Maine 1891
John D. Fraser, Pictou, Nova Scotia
Angie M. Sanborn, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Carrie S. Nickerson, Waldo, Maine, 1888
Jabie Clement (?), Bertha's cousin, 1889
Castanous Merrill Smalley, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Isaac Sheldon, Waldo, Maine, 1887
Ida Whitcomb, schoolmate, Waldo, Maine, 1889
Esther Clements, Bertha's sister, Waldo, Maine, 1887
Lela, Bertha's friend, Waldo, Maine, 1887
A. M. Patterson, Bertha's brother - I assume brother-in-law, Whiting Iowa, 1887
Effie Dell Rolerson, friend, Waldo, Maine, 1889
Ida Rolerson, friend, 1887
Lulu R. Cammett (?), Waldo, Maine
Delbert Joel Rolerson, Waldo, Maine, 1891
Ella F. Whitcomb, Waldo, 1890
Verie, Bertha's schoolmate, 1887
George H. Clements, Bertha's schoolmate, Waldo, Maine, 1890
Ellen M. Camett (?), Bertha's cousin, Waldo, Maine, 1889
Ernest L. Curtis, Bertha's friend, 1890
Irvin L. Curtis, Waldo, Maine
Everett Clements, Waldo, Maine
Rachel, Bertha's schoolmate, 1887
Berie Melcher (?), Waldo, Maine
Mary D. Smith, Waldo, Maine
Grace, friend, 1887


Below, a scan of the front of the autograph book:

Below, a scan of the page that Bertha Clements signed herself:

Here is the page adjacent to the page Phebe signed:  It's signed by Bertha's cousin who also lived in Waldo, Maine.  I can't quite decipher the first name, but the surname is Clements.

A map of Waldo, Maine:



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1880s/1890s Autograph Album of Bertha Clements of Waldo Center, Maine

1880s/1890s autograph album of Bertha Clements of Waldo Center, Maine.  It's in rather fragile condition but the binding is still holding.

Scroll all the way through this post to see images of the pages.

The album measures approximately 5" by 3" and contains the sentiments of 43 of Bertha's relatives, friends and schoolmates.  An alphabetical list of the inscribers appears at the end of this post.

Surnames in the Album

	? [6]	M	Melcher	S	Sanborn [2]
B	Blood [2]	N	Nickerson		Sheldon
C	Cammett [2]	P	Patterson		Smalley
	Clements [11]		Paul		Smith
	Curtis [3]	R	Reynolds	W	Whitcomb [3]
F	Foss		Roberts
	Fraser		Rolerson [4]

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

Bertha Clements was born about April 1875 in Waldo, Maine, the daughter of Andrew Jackson Clements and his wife Maria F. (Mixer) Clements, both Maine natives.   Andrew Jackson Clements had died before the enumeration of the 1880 Census.  Maria F. (Mixer) Clements died 6 June 1909.

Bertha married George O. Clark on 14 March 1903.  Sadly, Bertha died 28 September 1907, nearly two years before her mother's death.

If you have any corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the inscribers, please leave a comment for the benefit of other researchers.

Alphabetical List of the Inscribers in the Album

• Georgia
• Bertha (not Bertha Clements herself); inscribed in 1887
• Lela of Waldo, Maine; inscribed in 1887
• Verie; Bertha's schoolmate; inscribed in 1887
• Rachel; Bertha's schoolmate; inscribed in 1887
• Grace; inscribed in 1887
• Frank Blood; inscribed in 1887
• Laura J. Blood of East Knox, Maine
• Lulu R. Cammett of Waldo, Maine
• Ellen M. Cammett of Waldo, Maine; Bertha's cousin; inscribed in 1889
• Bertha Clements, album owner, of Waldo Center, Maine
• Maria F. (Mixer) Clements of Waldo, Maine
• Robert Clements of Waldo, Maine; inscribed in 1891
• Percy W. Clements of Waldo, Maine
• Belle M. Clements, Bertha's sister
• Lydia Clements, Bertha's cousin; inscribed in 1891
• ? Clements of Waldo, Maine; Bertha's cousin; inscribed in 1891
• Jabie Clements, Bertha's cousin; inscribed in 1889
• Esther Clements of Waldo, Maine; Bertha's sister; inscribed in 1887
• George H. Clements of Waldo, Maine; Bertha's schoolmate; inscribed in 1890
• Everett Clements of Waldo, Maine
• Burton A. Curtis; inscribed in 1887
• Ernest L. Curtis; inscribed in 1890
• Irvin L. Curtis of Waldo, Maine
• Ethel Foss of Brooks, Maine; inscribed in 1889
• John D. Fraser of Pictou, Nova Scotia
• Berie Melcher of Waldo, Maine
• Carrie S. Nickerson of Waldo, Maine; inscribed in 1888
• A. M. Patterson of Whiting, Iowa; Bertha's brother-in-law; inscribed in 1887
• Phebe Paul of Waldo, Maine; inscribed in 1889
• Edna Reynolds of Waldo, Maine; inscribed in 1891
• Florence A. Roberts; inscribed in 1891
• Melvin George Rolerson of Waldo, Maine; inscribed in 1891
• Effie Dell Rolerson of Waldo, Maine; inscribed in 1889
• Ida Rolerson; inscribed in 1887
• Delbert Joel Rolerson of Waldo, Maine; inscribed in 1891
• Isaac G. Sanborn of Waldo, Maine; inscribed in 1891
• Angie M. Sanborn of Waldo, Maine; inscribed in 1891
• Isaac Sheldon of Waldo, Maine; inscribed in 1887
• Castanous Merrill Smalley of Waldo, Maine; inscribed in 1891
• Mary D. Smith of Waldo, Maine
• C. W. Whitcomb
• Ida Whitcomb of Waldo, Maine; Bertha's schoolmate; inscribed in 1889
• Ella F. Whitcomb of Waldo, Maine; inscribed in 1890

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