Sunday, April 8, 2012

1900s-1910s Autograph Album of Alma M. Hubbard of Maine, student at Nasson Institute


Autograph album presented at Christmas 1908 by Mrs. Lapham to Alma M. Hubbard.  The album is approximately 6-1/2" x 4-1/4" and contains 23 inscribed pages of relatives, friends and students at the then recently opened Nasson Institute at Springvale, Maine.


Alma M. Hubbard was born 29 August 1898 at Rumford Falls, Maine, daughter of Fred Augustus Hubbard and Mabel M. (Norman) Hubbard, born at Palmyra, Maine, and Chatham, New Brunswick, respectively.

I'm assuming that she attended Nasson Institute around 1916.

Alma's name was Alma M. Hubbard when she died in 1981, according to her Maine death record and the Social Security record.  Whether she ever married or not, I don't know.

In the 1920 Census Alma was boarding at Wrentham, Massachusetts and working as a grade school teacher at a state hospital.  I haven't found her in the 1930 Census yet.  I found an online resource of the genealogy of Alma's paternal grandmother, Rhoda Jane (Berry) Hubbard, which indicated that Alma resided at Nova Scotia at some point.  Perhaps she was there in 1930. 

Alma's grandmother signed two pages in her album.  The handwriting looks somewhat  similar so both pages may have been signed by Alma's paternal grandmother, Rhoda Jane (Berry) Hubbard, but I can't be sure.  First, the page that shows a residence of Danville, Maine, which is where Charles H. and Rhode Jane (Berry) Hubbard lived:


The other page signed by Grandma:


Aunt Annie of Augusta, Maine, signed a page in 1910:


Erma Freeman signed a page in 1917:


Friend Hazel of Rumford, Maine, signed a page in 1909:


Hilda Lapham of Rumford, Maine, signed a page in 1909.  There's a pencilled entry of "Woods".  Hilda Lapham married Walter C. Woods of Somerville, Massachusetts in 1915.  Perhaps it was Hilda's mother who gifted the album to Alma.


Friend S. M. C. of West Peru, Maine, signed a page in 1909:


Ruth L. Ostrom of Rumford, Maine, signed a page in 1912:


A page of multiple signatures, consisting of:

  • Myrle Thomas, Hulls Cove, Maine
  • Doris Hinckley of Hulls Cove, Maine
  • Amy L. White of Taunton, Massachusetts
  • D. Genevieve Cornell of Littleton, Massachusetts
  • O. Dorothy Leonard of Raynham Center, Massachusetts; could also be A. Dorothy Leonard



A page of multiple signatures, consisting of:

  • Mary F. Morris of Lowell, Massachusetts
  • Ruth A. Gray of Burlington, Vermont
  • Phyllis Blagden of Sanford, Maine
  • Mildred G. Wheet of Westbrook, Maine


A page of multiple signatures, consisting of:

  • Blanche H. Smith of Saco, Maine
  • S. Marguerite McGurk of Malden, Massachusetts
  • Mary Loring of North Andover, Massachusetts
  • Nellie Bangs of Freedom, Maine


A page of multiple signatures, consisting of:
  • Sarah Matilda Lowell of Calais, Maine - see an image of the Bible presented to Sarah's grandfather George Albert Lowell by his mother in 1849
  • Margaret B. MacDonald of Lowell, Massachusetts
  • Marion E. Willis of Lawrence, Massachusetts


Blanche signed a page in 1912:


Bernette Stair signed a page in 1918:


E. M. Freeman of Rumford, Maine, signed a page in 1909:


V. T. W. of Rumford, Maine, signed a page in 1909:


A page of multiple signatures from the Lapham family:

  • Hazel Lapham
  • Iola F. Lapham
  • Hilda G Lapham
  • C. W. Lapham
  • Mrs. C. W. Lapham
  • Atherton Lapham
  • Winfield Lapham
  • Wilsford Lapham


Iola or Lola of Augusta, Maine, signed a page in 1910:


Aunt Sadie of Danville, Maine, signed a page in 1911:


Clarence Farnham of Rumford, Maine, signed a page in 1916:


A friend:


Back cover and spine:


If you have any corrections or insights regarding any of the information provided here, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Rumford, Maine


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Danville, Maine:


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Springvale, Maine, home of Nasson Institute


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Thanks for stopping by!


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