Tuesday, November 22, 2011

1880s Autograph Album of Mary A. Proctor of Harrison, Maine



The 1880s autograph album of Mary A. Proctor of Harrison, Maine, presented to her by her grandmother.

Both of Mary's grandmothers were alive in the 1880s: Lavina (Thompson) Proctor and Mary Hill (Lane) Hitchings.

Additionally, Mary Hill (Lane) Hitchings may have been a step grandmother, since I found conflicting birth records for Mary.



Mary A. Proctor was born 15 April 1874 at Salem, New Hampshire, the daughter of Horace Fernando Proctor and Theresa Albina (Hitchings) Proctor, born in Bridgton, Maine, and Malden, Massachusetts respectively.  

A monkey wrench is that I found a New Hampshire birth record for Mary A. Proctor with parents Horace and Flora Proctor.  However, Horace and Theresa were married in 1873, just about a year before Mary's birth. Is it possible that Theresa also called herself Flora?  Or was there a mistake on the birth record?

Theresa refers to herself as Mary's mother in the page below, but it's possible that they had a close relationship even though step mother and step daughter.


Horace Fernando Proctor was the son of Samuel C. Proctor, born in St. Stephen, New Brunswick on 30 August 1823, and Lavina (Thompson) Proctor, born in Maine 5 March 1828.

Theresa Albina Hitchings was born 30 July 1848 at Malden, Massachusetts, the daughter of William Hitchings, born at Malden, Massachusetts on 30 May 1808, and Mary Hill (Lane) Hitchings, born at Baring, Maine on 27 January 1822.

Mary A. Proctor's twin sister, Minnie S. Proctor, signed a page:


Mary's brother, John H. Proctor, also signed:


There's a page with the name of Miss Mamie Proctor.  I think this is Mary A. Proctor herself, as a subsequent page is inscribed to "Mamie" and signed by Aunt May L. Mills.





If you have any corrections, additions or insights regarding the family of Mary A. Proctor, please leave a comment or contact directly.

See the page of Mary A. Proctor at the Maine & Maritime Canada Genealogy network, where you can also see scans of Mary's 1880s Autograph Album.

List of signers, in alphabetical order:

E. M. Briggs, Harrison, Maine
Alice L. Chute, North Bridgton, Maine
Florence L. Chute, North Bridgton, Maine
Lizzie A. Doughty, Harrison, Maine
Cora B. Fogg, Harrison, Maine
Caddie M. Harmon, Harrison, Maine
Etta Harmon, Harrison, Maine
Gertrude Kneeland, Harrison, Maine
May L. Mills, Harrison, Maine
John H. Proctor, Harrison, Maine [Mary's brother]
Mamie Proctor, Harrison, Maine  [this may be a nickname for Mary herself]
Minnie S. Proctor, Harrison, Maine [Mary's twin sister]
Theresa A. Proctor [Mary's mother]
E. H. Purington, Harrison, Maine
Edith Roes, Bridgton, Maine
Lillian G. Segon, Bridgton, Maine
Nellie G. Trumble, Brighton, Maine [she spelled it Brighton, and there is a Brighton, Maine, but I also found Trumbles in Bridgton]
Evie Winn, Bridgton, Maine

A map of Harrison, Maine:


Thanks for stopping by!



2 comments:

  1. I would almost bet that Nellie G. Trumble is my great-grandmother, Nettie Griswold Trumble.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Here is the page where all of the pages are shown: http://downeastmainegenealogy.ning.com/page/1880s-era-autograph-album-of-mary-a-proctor-harrison-maine-area-s

    Scroll down through the pages for Nellie G. Trumble. I hope she's your great grandmother!

    ReplyDelete