Wednesday, October 17, 2012

1880s/1890s Autograph Album of Rose Mudgett of Belfast, Maine, and West Brooksville, Maine


1880s/1890s autograph album that belonged to a Rose, with schoolmates in both Belfast, Maine, and West Brooksville, Maine.   She was most likely Rose Mudgett. 

The album is approximately 7" x 4" and contains over 70 pages signed by friends, schoolmates and possible relatives.  An alphabetical list of the signers, including several signers named Mudgett, appears at the end of this post.

Though there were no pages signed by people who identified themselves as Rose's relatives, to give me clues to her identity, there are three names on the inside front cover, which correspond to the names of the sons that Rose (Mudgett) Avery and her husband Herman would have in the early 1900s.


On two of her sons' birth records, her birth name was listed as Rose H. Mudgett.

Interestingly, a Miss Rose H. Mudgett of Belfast, Maine, signed a page in 1889.  The page wasn't at or near the front of the album, though, which is strange.

In case it's a clue to a reader, George I. Mudgett and his wife of Belfast, Maine, signed facing pages in 1889.  They were George Irving Mudgett and Geneva Jenkins (Mahoney) Mudgett.



Judging from the dates on which several of Rose's schoolmates in Belfast, Maine, and West Brooksville, Maine, signed their pages, it appears that Rose moved from Belfast to West Brooksville in 1893.  For example:

Schoolmate Miss Mattie J. Fleming of Belfast, Maine, signed a page on 28 November 1892.


Schoolmate Edith W. Stevens of West Brooksville, Maine, signed a page on 29 December 1893.


In the 1900 Census of Prospect, Maine, a Rose Mudgett was living in the household of her aunt and uncle, George and Rosella (Mudgett) Grindle.  Rosella's elderly parents, Warren and Mary Mudgett were living with them.  Since the name Rose was often used in this family, I'm hesitant to say that this Rose was the owner of the album.  However, our Rose's future husband lived at Prospect, Maine.

Rose Mudgett became the wife of Herman Avery of Prospect, Maine, on 16 September 1903.   They lived at Brewer, Maine, for a while, where two of their sons were born.  The 1910 Census found them at Skowhegan, Maine, with their three sons, Ray, Dexter and infant Byron.  They also lived for a time at Baileyville, Maine.  Sometime around 1935 they moved back to Brewer, Maine.  

Herman was a machinist, and the places where the family lived all had paper mills, so his career no doubt contributed to their moves.

If you have corrections and/or insights into the Mudgett and Avery families or into any of the signers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Complete list of signers, in alphabetical order [Given names within a specific surname may not be in alpha order.]
  • Emily Boice Adams of St. Louis, Missouri, signed at West Brooksville, Maine
  • Mary S. Adams of St. Louis, Missouri; signed at West Brooksville, Maine, 1893
  • Laura Ashby of Fort Fairfield, Maine, signed at Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Bertha Bird of Belfast, Maine, 1892.  Middle initial could be I or J
  • Flora E. Blake of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Bertha M. Blake of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Hattie G. Blake of West Brooksville, Maine; could also be Mattie G. Blake
  • Alice Blodgett of West Brooksville, Maine
  • Clarence D. Campbell of West Brooksville, Maine, 1893; friend
  • Eddie Campbell of West Brooksville, Maine, 1893
  • Mamie Carter of Belfast, Maine, 1892; friend and schoolmate
  • Birdie I. Carter, 1889
  • Carrie E. Chester of Brooksville, Maine
  • Roxie B. Coombs of Belfast, Maine
  • Alvra M. Cunningham of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Grace Darlling, 1891; on a page also signed by Laura Hatch, Lucy Wasson and Lucy J. Jones
  • Gracie E. Farnham of West Brooksville, Maine, 1893
  • Winfred B. Farnham of West Brooksville, Maine, 1893.  His message is written on a hand drawn scroll, as is the face page of signer Frank Lord.
  • Lillian Fernald of Belfast, Maine, 
  • Miss Mattie J. Fleming of Belfast, Maine, 1892; friend and schoolmate
  • Grace Gentner of Belfast, Maine, 1893; friend
  • Olga L. Gray of West Brooksville, Maine, 1893
  • Florence Greene of West Brooksville, Maine, 1893; friend and schoolmate
  • Alice Greene, 1893; schoolmate
  • Arthur W. Greene of West Brooksville, Maine, 1894
  • Arthur W. Grindle of West Brooksville, Maine, 1894
  • Percie H. Grindle of Prospect Ferry, Maine, signed at West Brooksville, Maine in 1891
  • E. W. Grindle of Prospect Ferry, Maine
  • Cleora R. Haney of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Laura Hatch, 1891; on a page also signed by Grace Darling, Lucy Wasson and Lucy J. Jones
  • Helen L. Hawkinsm of Waldo, Maine, 1890; friend
  • Margaret N. Hazeltine of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Henry B. Heagan of Prospect, Maine, 1889
  • Caddie Jones of West Brooksville, Maine, 1893; schoolmate
  • Lucy J. Jones, 1891; on a page also signed by Laura Hatch, Grace Darling and Lucy Wasson
  • Eva J. Jones of West Brooksville, Maine, 1893; friend
  • Bessie Jones of West Brooksville, Maine, 1893; friend and schoolmate
  • Margaret L. Keene of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Mari W. Kingsbury of Belfast, Maine
  • Carrie F. Kingsbury of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Josie M. Knight of Boston, Massachusetts, 1892; friend
  • Lillie B. Leonard of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Minnie H. Lord of West Brooksville, Maine, 1893
  • Cora E. Lord, 1893; friend
  • Nina T. Lord of West Brooksville, Maine 1893; friend and schoolmate
  • Osborne Lord of West Brooksville, Maine, 1893
  • Frank Lord, 1893.  His message is written on a hand drawn scroll, as is the facing page of signer Wilfred B. Farnham
  • Ada A. Marriner of Belfast, Maine
  • Carrie M. Matthews, signed at Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Julia McDonald of Belfast, Maine, 1889.  Not sure of middle initial, but could be E.
  • Everett P. Mohoney of Belfast, Maine, 1891; friend
  • Rose Mudgett, born at Belfast, Maine; she apparently moved to West Brooksville, Maine - album owner
  • George I. Mudgett of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Mrs. George I. Mudgett of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Miss Rose H. Mudgett of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Leonard O. Packard of Rockland, Maine, 1893
  • May S. Parker of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Edith E. Pettengill of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Mary E. Pierce, 1889
  • Louise W. Richards of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Clara E.Ridley of Prospect, Maine, 1892
  • Mary F. Robbins of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Lizzie E. Roberts of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Blanckie E. Rockwell of Belfast, Maine, 1889.  Blanche E. Rockwell ?
  • Edith W. Stevens of West Brooksville, Maine, 1893; friend and schoolmate
  • Louisa Stevens of West Brooksville, Maine, 1893
  • Helen P. Stover, 1893; friend
  • Alice M. Stover of West Brooksville, Maine, 1893; schoolmate
  • Marie Tapley, 1893
  • Mabel Tapley of Vinalhaven, Maine, or signed there in 1893; schoolmate
  • Olden D. Tapley of West Brooksville, Maine
  • Lizzie D. Trimm of Belfast, Maine
  • Ethel Varnum
  • Ada B. Warren of Belfast, Maine, 1889; friend
  • Lucy Wasson, 1891; on a page also signed by Laura Hatch, Grace Darling and Lucy J. Jones
  • Marion Wells of Belfast, Maine
  • Juliett A. Wiggin of Belfast, Maine, 1889
  • Maud Wood, 1892; friend




6 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Could Rose Mudgett have been related to Hattie Mudgett, who was born in Waldo, Maine on March 14, 1842? I am doing some research on Hattie Mudgett's daughter, Clara Blandick, and I am trying to find some information on that family.

    Sorry about the other deleted posts! I kept finding typos!

    ReplyDelete
  4. If it helps, I found that your Harriet's parents were Lewis P. and Isabella Mudgett. From digging around, I found an entry from the Georgetown Historical Society on Isabella, that she was Isabella Carter (Stinson) Mudgett, daughter of William Stinson and Mary (Carter) Stinson, per: http://www.georgetownhistoricalsociety.org/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I3579&tree=tree1
    Lewis was the son of Abraham and Sarah (Grant) Mudgett. Much of this info can be found on FamilySearch.org (free) or by entering names in search. Please contact me if you need more info, and I would love to see your finished project!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Signer Alvra Cunningham is my Great Grandmother! Wow!! Thanks so much. Donna Cator (catorfamily.com)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for commenting, Donna! I'll contact you through your website, which I'm enjoying immensely.

    ReplyDelete