Monday, October 8, 2012

1880s-1917 Autograph Album of Flossie B. Pratt of Winn, Maine



Autograph album of Flossie B. Pratt of Winn, Maine, with autographs from the 1880s and a few from the 1910s.  

There's a section on Winn, Maine, in the History of Penobscot County, Maine, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, 1882



The album is approximately 5-1/4" x 3-1/4" and contains 39 pages signed by Flossie herself, her relatives and friends.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.





From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections welcome]

Flossie, whose birth name was Flora Belle Pratt, was born about November 1870, daughter of Civil War veteran Hiram Percy Pratt and Betsey (Chesley) Pratt.

Flossie's father signed his name vertically on a page signed by Mrs. S. E. Davis in 1886.

Flossie's paternal grandparents were Elbridge O. and Sophronia (Reed) Pratt.  Her maternal grandparents were Alvah and Susan W. (Hamilton) Chesley.  

Flossie's maternal grandmother Susan (Hamilton) Chesley signed a page in 1885.

Several signers indicated a family relationship with Flossie.  

Aunt Maria signed a page in 1885.  She may have been Maria (Chesley) Kyle, who married Jackson D. Kyle.  I believe Maria was the only full sibling of Flossie's mother, from Susan W. (Hamilton) Kyle Chesley's second marriage to Alvah Chesley.

If she was Maria (Chesley) Kyle, then it was her daughter Josie E. Kyle who signed a page on the same date in 1885.  Josie indicated she was Flossie's cousin.

Flossie's cousins Millie and Fayette Davis of Winn, Maine, signed a pages.  Millie dated hers 1886.  They were the daughters of Susan E. (Kyle) Davis and husband Philip Davis.  Susan E. (Kyle) Davis was Flossie's mother's half-sister, from Susan W. (Hamilton) Kyle Chesley's first marriage to John Osman Kyle, who died in 1844.



Flossie's cousin W. H. Hamilton signed a page in 1915.

One page listed a group of people whose surnames indicated they were Flossie's relatives.  I'm assuming they signed the page on a special day, such as Flossie's birthday or a holiday get-together.

Flossie was living at Winn, Maine as late as the 1940 Census and still using her birth name.  I found one reference to her death in 1948, but I can't corroborate.  

If you have corrections and/or clarifications to the information above or insights into the families mentioned or into any of the signers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Complete list of signers in alphabetical order [The given names within a specific surname may not be in alpha order.]


  • Aunt Maria, 1885.  She may have been Maria (Chesley) Kyle, full sister to Flossie's mother Betsey, and mother to another signer, Josie E. Kyle.  They signed pages on the same day.
  • Anonymous of Winn, Maine, 1885
  • Amy Bartlett of Winn, Maine, 1885
  • Maggie M. Brown of Oakfield, Maine; signed at Dyer Brook, Maine in 1885
  • Edna W. Chadbourne, 1917
  • Susan W. Chesley, 1885; Flossie's maternal grandmother Susan W. (Hamilton) Chesley, wife of Alvah Chesley
  • Mrs. S. J. Clukey; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Mr. Sam Clukey; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Mrs. Myra A. Coombs, signed at Winn, Maine, in 1886; friend
  • Lottie Coombs, signed at Winn, Maine in 1886; friend
  • Phemie E. Coombs, 1885; Flossie's schoolmate
  • Mrs. S. E. Davis, 1886.  Flossier's father Hiram P. Pratt signed his name sideways on this page.
  • Fay Davis of Winn, Maine; Flossie's cousin
  • Millie Davis, 1886; Flossie's cousin
  • N. G. Davis, 1886; not sure of first initial
  • Mary E. Estes
  • Wilson M. Gordon of Winn, Maine, 1886
  • Mamie E. Gordon of Winn, Maine, 1886
  • John J. Hallett of Chester, Maine, 1885
  • W. H. Hamilton, 1915; Flossie's cousin
  • Stanley A. Hume of Dumfries, Scotland, 1916
  • G. Willard Johnson of Winn, Maine, 1885
  • George H. Johnson of Winn, Maine, 1886
  • Charles F. Kyle; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Mrs. J. D. Kyle; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • John L. Kyle; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Jessie M. Kyle; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Harry Kyle; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Fred Kyle; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Clara Kyle; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Josie E. Kyle, 1885; Flossie's cousin
  • Henry McCormack; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Mrs. Henry McCormack; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • W. H. Mulholland, 1915
  • William H. Mulholland
  • Flossie Pratt of Winn, Maine; album owner Flora Belle Pratt, "Flossie"; wrote on two pages
  • William Randall of Dyer Brook, Maine or Winn, Maine, 1885
  • Marion E. Reed; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Lottie Reed; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Doris E. Reed; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Mrs. A. B. Reed; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Vaughn Reed; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Almon B. Reed; name written on a page of many names in different handwriting, perhaps attendees at an event
  • Mary E. Scott, 1884; friend
  • Nora H. Spencer, signed at Winn, Maine in 1885
  • Mila Stratton, 1885; Flossie's schoolmate
  • Abbie A. Wakefield, 1917
  • Vesta Wakefield and Daniel Wakefield of Ripley, Maine, 1917
  • Gertie E. Wyman of Winn,Maine, 1885
  • M. B. Wyman of Chester, Maine, 1885; sketch of bird
  • Wilbur B. Wyman of Chester, Maine, 1885
  • Frank Wyman of Winn, Maine, 1885
  • Gracie Young, 1886


Winn, Maine


Thanks for stopping by!

2 comments:

  1. I can remember Flossie Pratt as she was confined to a wheelchair and her brother, Miles Pratt, who she lived with would take for a ride with his tractor.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great brother! Thank you for taking the time to add this wonderful memory of Flossie.

    ReplyDelete