Sunday, October 21, 2012

1870s Autograph Album of Clara Mann of Fitchburg, Massachusetts


1870s autograph album that belonged to Miss Clara Mann of Fitchburg, Massachusetts.



The album is approximately 5-1/4" x 3" and contains the regards of about 58 relatives and friends.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections welcome]

Clara Jane Mann was born 22 September 1857 at Templeton, Massachusetts, daughter of Reuben and Caroline (Bosworth) Mann, who were born at Marlborough, New Hampshire, and Royalston, Massachusetts, respectively.

Her paternal grandparents were Reuben and Anna (Cass) Mann of New Hampshire.  Her maternal grandparents were Chilson and Chloe (Sibley) Bosworth of Royalston, Massachusetts.

It appears that none of Clara's immediate family signed pages in her album, but there were three people who identified themselves as Clara's cousin.

L. Jennie Houghton of Northbridge Centre, Massachusetts, signed a page in 1876.  She was Lilias Jane (Batchelder) Houghton, wife of Lewis T. Houghton  She signed two pages, one of them with Mahlon Houghton.





Cousin Lovina M. Rhoades of Windham [Vermont, I believe] signed a page in 1877.  She was the daughter of Aaron A. and his wife Susan (Mann) Rhoades, who was a sister to Clara's father Reuben Mann.



Cousin M. J. Persons signed a page in 1875.  I believe she was Mary Jane Persons, daughter of Henry Persons and wife Lovina (Mann) Persons, who was a sister to Clara's father Reuben Mann.



On 25 December 1879 at Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Clara married William Hutchenson Sylvester, son of Stephen and Eliza Ann (Wetherbee) Sylvester.  He was born about August 1854 in New Hampshire.

Interestingly, there's a W. H. Hutchinson who signed a page in Clara's album.  This person was then residing at Logan Grove, Nebraska.  If this is William Hutchenson Sylvester, I would love to know the circumstances of his sojourn west.  Several other people in the album gave their address as Nebraska.



If you have corrections, clarifications and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the signers below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

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


  • George ? of Cedar Falls, Iowa.  Surname looks to be Farnham or Tarnham or Taunton or Tarnlam
  • Ella W. Aldrich of East Douglas, Massachusetts, signed at Northbridge Center, Massachusetts, 1877
  • Frank H. Batcheller of Northbridge, Massachusetts
  • Fred M. Billings of Wild Bat Gulch, Nebraska
  • Mrs. Fred Billings; friend
  • Ella K. Boss of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1876; mentions F.H.S., which might be Fitchburg High School
  • E. Belle Brewster of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1876
  • Carrie G. Brewster of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1876
  • Alta M. Brimblecome, signed at Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1878; friend
  • Hattie B. Casavant of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1876
  • Josie Casavant of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1879.  Her middle initial could be L or S
  • Miss Eva E. Chase of Leominster, Massachusetts, 1876
  • W. Crain of Logan Grove, Nebraska, 1882; middle initial could be F or T
  • Laura L. Crain of Logan Grove, Nebraska, 1882
  • J. W. Dunn of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1875
  • E. A. Dunn of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1875
  • D. A. Fuller of Paterson, New Jersey
  • T. B. Garner of Iowa, 1880.  Can't quite make out the name of the town: possibly Frenchford or French Ford
  • M. H., signed at Hartford, Connecticut, 1861.  This may be the M. Houghton who signed other pages.  The date could refer to the Civil War reference and not to the date of signing
  • George F. Harris of Northbridge Centre, Massachusetts, 1877
  • Thomas D. Harris of Northbridge Centre, Massachusetts, 1877
  • Walter A. Hartwell, 31 January 1876.  Includes a note at bottom that he was married on 28 Dec 1876, but doesn't include his bride's name
  • Angie B. Hawley
  • L. Jennie Houghton of Northbridge Centre, Massachusetts, 1876; signed two pages, including an elaborately decorated one; Clara's cousin.
  • M. Houghton of Northbridge Centre, Massachusetts; either M. Houghton signed two pages or there were two different M. Houghtons
  • Mahlon and Jennie Houghton shared a page with elaborate decoration, signed at Northbridge, Massachusetts in 1876.  
  • Gertie L. Jenkins of Logan Grove, Nebraska, 1880
  • Clara Mann of Fitchburg, Massachusetts; album owner
  • Lottie E. Moody of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1878
  • Sadie B. Mullen of Hopkinton, Iowa, 1882
  • Emma S. Ordway of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 10 Apr 1876.  Clara or someone wrote her marriage date and married name at a later date.  Emma married Albert Augustus Haskell just a few days later.  It's hard to make out the date in the album; could be 11 Apr or 16 Apr.  But the Massachusetts marriage record shows 15 Apr 1876
  • F. A. Ordway, 1876.  Can't quite make out the town; could be Newton
  • W. M. Ordway of North Tunbridge, Vermont, 1876
  • Susan E. Peck of Northbridge, Massachusetts, 1876
  • M. J. Persons, 1875; Clara's cousin, Mary J. Persons, I assume.  Her mother, Lovina Mann, was a sister to Clara's father Reuben Mann.  Lovina married Henry Persons.
  • Zenno S. Phelps of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1877. 
  • Mrs. Z. S. Phelps of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1877
  • Nellie M. Putnam, 1876
  • Miss Louvina M. Rhoades of Windham, 1877; Clara's cousin.  I think the Windham is in New Hampshire.  Louvina's mother Susan (Mann) Rhoades, wife of Aaron A. Rhoades, was a sister to Clara's father Reuben Mann
  • Jennie Rice of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1877.  Her middle initial could be L or S
  • Abbie S. Rixford of Northbridge Center, Massachusetts, 1876
  • W. K. Stanley of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1876
  • Charles Stevens of Fort Laramie, Wyoming Territory, Co. D, 4th Regiment, US Infantry, 1877
  • W. H. Sylvester of Logan Grove, Nebraska.  This could have been William Hutchenson Sylvester, Clara's future husband
  • Mary E. Sylvester of Boston, Massachusetts
  • C. F. Thacher of Northbridge Center, Massachusetts, signed at Purgatory in 1876
  • Dall Times; not sure of this name
  • Dollie G. Wares of Ashby, Massachusetts, 1878
  • Arthur A. Wellington of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1875
  • Hattie M. West of Ponca, Nebraska, 1880
  • Will Wetherbee of Ashburnham, Massachusetts, 1875
  • Edward M. Whitney of 33 Snow Street, Fitchburg, Massachusetts
  • C. S. Wilkins, 1880
  • Helen A. Wiswell of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1876
  • Aggie Wiswell of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1876; friend.  Her first initial is either L or S
  • Flora Wolcott; friend.  Not sure of middle initial; looks like an A with a very long tail
  • Emma A. Wright, signed at Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1878
  • Mary E. Young of Hartford, Connecticut, 1876
Fitchburg, Massachusetts


Thanks for stopping by!


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