Monday, December 31, 2012

1870s/1880s Autograph Album of Charlotte Melissia Gibson of Hillsboro, New Hampshire


1870s/1880s autograph album of Charlotte Melissia Gibson of Hillsboro, New Hampshire.



The album is approximately 5" x 3" and contains 47 pages signed by Charlotte 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!]

Charlotte Melissia Gibson was born about about March 1863 at Hillsboro, New Hampshire, the daughter, according to her marriage and death records, of Samuel O. and Ellen (Brown) Gibson.  However, Samuel and Ellen were not married until 3 May 1868.

Ellen (Brown) Gibson had previously been married to Charles A. McQuesten.  Assuming my research is correct, they were divorced, as Charles A. McQuesten lived until 1892, but I could have the wrong Mr. McQuesten.

I haven't worked out yet if Charlotte Melissia Gibson was the daughter of Ellen (Brown) and Charles A. McQuesten, and subsequently adopted by Samuel O. Gibson, or the daughter of Samuel O. Gibson and a previous wife, or the daughter of Ellen and another man, or the daughter of other people as yet unknown.   If you can solve this mystery, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

The parents of Samuel O. Gibson were Samuel and Silvesta (George) Gibson.  The parents of Ellen (Brown) McQuesten Gibson were William and Mary (Atwood) Brown.

On 6 June 1882, Charlotte Melissia Gibson married Leonard Paige White, son of Lawson and Caroline (Gould) White.

They had at least two children, Morris G. White and Charles A. White.  Charlotte's son Charles A. White makes me wonder if he was named after Charles A. McQuesten.  Leonard worked at lumbering and farming.  Leonard died in 1939 and Charlotte in 1943.

If you have corrections to the information above or additional information, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Leonard signed at least one of the pages in Charlotte's album on 15 March 1877.  He may have signed another page as L. P. White on 16 March 1877.





Leonard's sister, Mary S. White of Antrim, New Hampshire signed a page in Charlotte's album.



Leonard's sister, Ellen F. (White) Lovering of Hillsborough, New Hampshire, signed a page.



Two people with the surname Brown signed pages in 1877.  Perhaps they were related to Ellen (Brown) McQuesten Gibson.  Anna E. Brown and Lilla Brown signed pages in 1877.






Three siblings, Walter C. Gibson, Katie L. Gibson and Lottie M. Gibson, signed pages in 1876.  They were the children of Charles and Emily C. (Barnes) Gibson of Hillsboro, New Hampshire.  







Charlotte's teacher, L. S. Patten, signed a page.  She may have been Laura S. Patten.



Below are images of pages signed by people whose names I can't quite make out.  Hopefully a reader will have an eagle eye or recognize a possibility from family research.

The signer below appears to be Charlie G. Barter, but I'm not sure of the middle initial or the surname.  Charlie signed his or her page at Washington, New Hampshire.



H. S. Dick signed the page, shown below, at Bethlehem, New Hampshire.  Again, I'm not sure of his middle initial and surname.



The name on the page below appears to be Sophia McAdams of Hillsboro, New Hampshire, but I'm not sure of her surname.



The page below has me befuddled.



Alphabetical list of signers: [Note: Given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]


  • Nell, Charlotte's friend.  The date of 21 July 1881 may have been the date of signing or may have been a date Nell wanted Charlotte to remember: "Remember the treat"
  • Charlie Barter, signed at Washington, New Hampshire.  Not sure of surname and can't read middle initial - might be J
  • Cora M. Blanchard of Hillsboro Lower Village, New Hampshire, signed 25 December 1877
  • Cora, last name not used; possibly the Cora M. Blanchard who signed the previous page
  • Anna E. Brown, signed 7 April 1877
  • Lilla Brown, signed on 7 April 1877
  • Ellen M. Bumford of Bradford, New Hampshire
  • Mrs. Nettie M. Carter of Antrim, New Hampshire, signed at Riverside Farm on 5 March 1891
  • Ismay M. Carter of Riverside Farm, New Hampshire, signed 2 March 1891
  • Nancie M. Chase of Contoocook, New Hampshire, signed 18 February 1880
  • Alice M. Collins of Hillsboro, New Hampshire, signed on 19 January 1877
  • Lizzie F. Crooker, signed at Hillsboro, New Hampshire on 22 June 1877
  • Lucy M. Crooker of Hillsboro, New Hampshire, signed 22 June 1877
  • Hattie G. Crooker, signed at Hillsboro, New Hampshire, on 22 June 1877
  • Hattie Dutton of Melrose, Massachusetts, signed at Hillsboro, New Hampshire, on 20 June, 1877
  • Mary E. Farrah
  • Jennie M. Farrah of Hillsboro Bridge, New Hampshire, signed on 7 June 1881
  • Charlotte M. Gibson of Hillsboro, New Hampshire; album owner
  • Walter C. Gibson; sister of signers, Lottie M. Gibson and Kate L. Gibson; their parents were Charles and Emily C. (Barnes) Gibson of Hillsboro, New Hampshire
  • Kate L. Gibson, signed 26 December 1876.  Sister of signers Walter C. Gibson and Lottie M. Gibson.  Their parents were Charles and Emily C. (Barnes) Gibson of Hillsboro, New Hampshire
  • Lottie M. Gibson, signed 26 December 1876, sister of Walter C. Gibson and Kate L. Gibson.  Their parents were Charles and Emily C. (Barnes) Gibson of Hillsboro, New Hampshire
  • Carrie I. Grace of Hillsboro Bridge, New Hampshire, signed in April 1882
  • Lettie Hale of North Sanbornton, New Hampshire
  • Julia A. Hall of Bradford, New Hampshire
  • Rette J. Hoyt of Hillsboro, New Hampshire.  Possibly Oretta J. (Dick) Hoyt, wife of Moses Hoyt
  • Bertie Loveren of Hillsboro Bridge, New Hampshire, signed on 13 November 1887
  • Ellen F. Lovering of Hillsborough, New Hampshire
  • D. S. Marshall, signed on 28 November 1877
  • Sophia McAdams of Hillsboro, New Hampshire
  • Mary M. Nelson of Hillsboro Bridge, New Hampshire, signed 26 January 1880
  • Nell T. Ordway of Hillsborough, New Hampshire; (she turned the page upside down to write)
  • Minerva M. Patten of Henniker, New Hampshire
  • L. S. Patten, Charlotte's teacher.  Perhaps Laura S. Patten?
  • Jennie Prichard, 22 July 1881
  • Nancy A. Smith of Hillsboro, New Hampshire
  • Clara M. Spaulding, signed 28 December 1876
  • Maggie Sullivan, signed at Hillsboro Bridge on 15 January 1880
  • Mamie Sullivan of Hillsboro Bridge, New Hampshire, signed on 19 January 1880
  • George H. Travis of Hillsboro, New Hampshire
  • Charlie T. Travis, signed at Hillsboro, New Hampshire, on 21 January 1877
  • Mary Whitaker of Hillsborough, New Hampshire; middle initial could be U or V
  • Mary S. White of Antrim, New Hampshire
  • L. P. White, signed 16 March 1877.  This may have been Leonard P. White, whom Charlotte M. Gibson married on 6 June 1882 at Antrim, New Hampshire.  Leonard P. White signed another page.
  • Leonard P. White of Antrim, New Hmapshire, signed on 15 March, 1877.  He would become the husband of Charlotte M. Gibson at Antrim on 6 June 1882.  He may have signed another page, as L. P. White.
  • Edgar M. Wilkins
  • Sarah Wilkins
  • E. Yatten of Hillsboro Bridge, New Hampshire, signed 1 October 1880
Hillsboro, New Hampshire


Thanks for stopping by!


2 comments:

  1. Is this book still available to purchase or can I get a copy of it? Miss Cotton would be a distant relative. I have been tracing all Seiders descendants and this would be very helpful to provide a better picture of her life and her parents. Henry Cotton married Emeline Seiders who was the daughter of Daniel and Nancy (Dunbar) Seiders. Emeline's brother, Daniel, is my 3x great grandfather who married Nancy Baker Cressey.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, the album is still available. Contact info is under Inquiries in the right margin near the top.

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