Tuesday, April 2, 2013

1880s Autograph Album of Ernest P. Richmond of Augusta, New York


1880s autograph album that was presented to Ernest P. Richmond by his father Isaac Perry Richmond on Christmas Day in 1881.


Many of the signers were students at Knoxboro Union School at Knoxboro, New York.  One was a member of the Class of 1884 at Colgate Academy at Hamilton, New York.


The album is approximately 6-1/4" x 3-3/4" and contains pages of the sentiments of nearly 80 of Ernest's relatives, schoolmates and friends.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections and additions welcome!]

Ernest P. Richmond was born 10 October 1865 at Augusta, New York, the son of Isaac Perry Richmond and Adelaide V. (Powers) Richmond.  

About 1889, Ernest married Alice Mae "Allie" Tooke, daughter of Michael Tooke III and Sedate (Clark) Tooke.  Allice was born 2 August 1866 at Munnsville, New York.

On 16 January 1882, at Bouckville, New York, Allie signed a page in future husband Ernest's album.  Interestingly, Allie's page has another name written in pencil upside down, that of Ralph Leigh Richmond, the son she would have with Ernest, born on 13 April 1890.  Ralph's entry was made on 4 May 1890 at Augusta Strip, New York.  Perhaps Ernest or Allie penned the entry.  

Sadly, Ralph Leigh Richmond died on 2 March 1911 at Knoxboro, New York.



Several of Ernest's cousins signed pages in his album, including self-described "double cousin" George Gaylord, who signed his page at Knoxboro, New York, on 22 February 1885.


One signer identified himself as Ernest's schoolmate, E. Burleson, a member of the Class of 1884  at Colgate Academy, who signed on 28 December 1881.  He may have been a schoolmate at Knoxboro Union School or perhaps Ernest himself spent some time at Colgate Academy.



It's likely that the F. M. Schermerhorn who signed a page at Knoxboro Union School on 15 February 1882, was teacher Frances M. (Lyon) Schermerhorn. 



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

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


  • Ella, signed at ? on 5 January 1882
  • Belle, signed at Canton, New York, on 5 January 1882.  Possibly Belle Serviers
  • L. S. L., signed on 23 February 1886
  • Not sure if this is a real name or a fun name: A Bee, signed on "1883-2-4"  Could possibly be A. Bill or A. Bell
  • John Acker of Canastota, New York, signed on 1 December 1884
  • Nora L. Bates of Morrisville, New York, signed at Yates Academy on 29 December 1887 [or 1881]
  • Rush Bonney, signed at Knoxboro, New York, on 3 February [no year written].  Not sure of first name, but there was a Rush Bonney at Augusta, New York, born about 1845
  • Lena A. Brooks of Clinton, New York, in Oneida COunty, signed on "1882-9-18
  • E. Burleson, signed at Colgate Academy at Hamilton, New York, on 28 December 1881; Ernest's schoolmate
  • Ella J. Buskirk of Middleville, New York, signed on "10-7-85"
  • Nelson Clarke, signed at Strip [presumably Augusta Strip at Augusta, New York], U.S., on 6 February 1882" Second Division"
  • W. N. Cook, signed on 22 August 1882
  • Nellie M. Cook of Knoxboro, New York, signed on 22 August 1882
  • George A. Davies of Knoxboro, New York, signed on 27 February 1882
  • G. W. Davis of Knoxboro, New York, signed in March 1884
  • Lena Dickson of Troy, New York, signed at Knoxboro, New York, on 22 August 1882
  • Sara J. Dickson of Elm Grove, Troy, New York, signed on 26 August 1882
  • Lizzie Eldridge of West Winfield, New York, signed on 23 September 1883
  • Fannie Ensign of Little Falls, New York, signed on 24 September 1886
  • John M. Farmer of Munnsville, New York, signed on 3 June 1883
  • Maggie D. Ferguson of Little Falls, New York, signed at Knoxboro, New York, on 22 August 1882
  • Hattie Fish of Scriba, New York, in Oswego County, signed on New Years Day 1883
  • Frasie C. Fitch, signed at Knoxboro, New York, on "7-1-82"
  • R. Flint, signed at Knoxboro, New York, on 25 December 1881
  • C. B. Flint, signed at Knoxboro, New York, on 28 December 1881.  He worked his name into an intricate sketch of a bird and a square-rigged vessel
  • George Gaylord, signed at Knoxboro, New York, on 22 Feburary 1885; Ernest's "double cousin"
  • Anna M. Gordon of Strathroy, Canada, signed on 20 August 1885
  • Edith Haskins of Little Falls, New York, signed on 13 September 1883
  • Sarah Hewitt, signed on 22 February 1886.  "If we dive to the bottom of earth's pleasure, We bring up more gravel than pearls."
  • C. F. Hinman, signed on 8 April 1882
  • Anna M. Hinman, signed at Oriskany Falls, New York, on "4-8-82
  • M. E. Hinman of Oriskany Falls, New York, signed on 9 April 1882.  Likely Mortimer E. Hinman.
  • Carrie E. Hinman, signed on "4-9-82"
  • Anna Holmes of Little Falls, New York, signed on 4 January 1886
  • Adelbert Laird, signed on 23 February 1886
  • Kate E. Lawson of Augusta, New York, signed on 17 November 1883.  "No. 24, Third Division, K.U.S." [Knoxville Union School]
  • Lou G. Lawson, signed at Augusta, New York, on 17 November 1883.  Louisa G. Lawson.
  • Edwin A. Lewis of Madison, New York, signed on 18 August 1882; Ernest's cousin
  • Hellen Lloyd, signed at Knoxboro, New York, on 28 December 1881.  "No. 6, Second Division, Ever Remember the Fall Term 1881"
  • Charles D. Marble of Cleveland, New York
  • C. B. Marshall of Sunny Heights, New York, signed on 24 January 1886
  • F. W. Matthews of Rome, New York, signed on 6 February 1882.  "Third Division"
  • Mary E. Merkley of Storm Lake, Iowa, signed on 4 June 1883; Ernest's cousin.  "Numbers 6.24-26"
  • Fred A. Moore of Clinton, New York, signed on 3 August 1884
  • Addie Osborn of West Camden, New York, signed on 23 July 1886
  • Lydia Page of Little Falls, New York
  • Frank Palmer of Cleveland, New York, in Oswego County, signed of 16 September 1882
  • Jesse D. Perkins of Cleveland, New York, signed on 16 September 1882
  • S. A. Pexton of Vernon Centre, New York, signed at Knoxboro Union School on 29 December 1881
  • G. W. Philpot of Pratts Hollow, New York, signed on 30 July 1884
  • Kittie L. Pond, signed at West Hill, New York, on 3 May 1882; Ernest's cousin
  • Minnie A. Putnam of Syracuse, New York, signed on 24 July 1884
  • Hattie E. Reese of Little Falls, New York, signed on 24 September 1886
  • Ernest P. Richmond of Augusta, New York; album owner.  The album was a Christmas gift from his father, Isaac Perry Richmond
  • Cora L. Richmond of Knoxboro, New York, signed on 1 January 1882; Ernest's cousin.  [As many of us do at the turn of the year, she wrote 1881 and then struck over the last 1]
  • Ralph Leigh Richmond of Augusta Strip, New York, signed on 4 May 1890; shared a page with Allie Tooke of Bouckville, New York, who signed on 16 January 1882
  • R. C. Schermerhorn, signed at Knoxboro Union School, at Knoxboro, New York, on 6 February 1882.  Ryer Curry Schermerhorn; his wife Frances M. (Curry) Schermerhorn also signed a page.
  • F. M. Schermerhorn, signed at Knoxboro Union School on 15 February 1882.  Presumably Frances M. (Curry) Schermerhorn, wife of Ryer Curry Schermerhorn, and likely Ernest's teacher at Knoxboro Union School.  "Little of all we value here, Wakes on the morn of its hundredth year, Without both feeling and looking queer.  In fact, there's nothing that keeps its youth, So far as I know, but a tree and truth."  Her husband Ryer Curry Schermerhorn also signed a page.
  • Mary E. Sheridan of Albany, New York, signed on 10 November 1882
  • J. M. Sheridan of Clinton, New York, signed on 23 September 1883
  • George L. Smith of Syracuse, New York
  • H. C. Stowell of Solsville, New York, signed on 14 January 1882
  • Kate L. Sutton of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, signed on 30 September 1882
  • Edwin W. Taylor of Attica, New York, in Wyoming County, signed on 3 September 1889
  • Floyd Todd of Oneida, New York, sighed on 8 February 1891
  • Allie Tooke of Bouckville, New York, signed 16 January 1882.  She would later become Ernest's wife.  Allie shared a page with Ralph Leigh Richmond of Augusta Strip, New York, who signed on 4 May 1890
  • Lora B. Tooke of Bouckville, New York, signed on 20 October 1883
  • A. A. Tooke of Bouckville, New York, signed on 29 October 1883.  "One of the Harvesters"
  • A. C. Van Evera of Knoxboro, New York, signed on 29 December 1881.  "Third Division" "Sociable", "Crackers and Balonies".  Possibly Arthur Van Evera or his sister Alice Van Evera, both of whom had the middle initial C.
  • Hattie Walter signed at South Bay, New York, on 5 March 1885
  • Laura M. Watkins of Munnsville, New York, signed on 14 January 1883
  • Mary L. Webber, signed at Morrisville, New York, on 31 December [no year given]
  • Alice C. Webber, signed at Morrisville, New York, on 31 December 1881
  • G. C. Webber, signed at Morrisville, New York, on 7 January 1882
  • Charles B. Wells, signed in 1885
  • Cora Whitman of Vernon Centre, New York, signed on 6 February 1882
  • Sarah Williams, signed at Knoxboro, New York, on 20 February 1882.  She may have been Sarah A. Williams.
  • William C. Wood of Valley Mills, New York, signed on 7 February 1882 "First Division" initials in each corner, K. U. F. S., for Knoxboro Union Free School
Augusta, New York


Thanks for stopping by!


4 comments:

  1. Hello there I was wondering if this album is available for purchase? Thank you for your time Ian

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. the album is available. Email address under Inquiries at top right margin.

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  2. Yes, it is available. Check inquiries at top right margin for contact information.

    ReplyDelete