Monday, May 20, 2013

1880s Autograph Album of Martha ? of the Middleton, Massachusetts area


1880s autograph album that belonged to a student, Martha, of the Middleton, Massachusetts area.  

No signers indicated a family relationship with Martha, to give a further clue to her identity.  There were several Marthas in the area at the approximate time.


The album is approximately 5-1/2" x 3-1/2" and contains the sentiments of 61 people, most of them Martha's schoolmates.  An alphabetical list of the surnames and an alphabetical list of the signers with their messages appears at the end of this post.

Teacher Phebe W. Tracy signed a page at Middleton, Massachusetts, on 18 April 1881.  It's possible that she presented the album to Martha.


Lizzie White of Middleton, Massachusetts, who signed a page at Salem, Massachusetts, on 22 April 1885, was one of the few signers who gave Martha's name.


Wallace E. Ray sketched a dove and flowers.


Grace Westcott of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed a page on 28 April 1882.  Her sentiment contains the name "Jennie", but Jennie might have been part of the original poem, though I couldn't find one online with that exact wording.  Could Martha have been Martha Jane?


M. Jennie Richardson of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed a page on 11 January 1884.  She mentioned A.C., which could have been another student's initials; or perhaps they stood for Andover College.  Her name is intriguing - could she have been Martha Jennie Richardson?  Could album owner Martha have signed this page herself later on in the album, a rare but not unheard of occurrence?


Ernest Peabody of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed a page on 28 February 1889.  He sketched a bird holding a ribbon with his name, address and date on it.


Abbie F. Nichols signed a page on 27 November 1885.  She painted a spray of flowers.


If you have a theory as to Martha's identity, or if you have information on any of the signers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.  Thanks!

Surnames - some appear multiple times
Adams
Batchelder
Berry
Boardman
Canney
Chase
Clancy 
Coombs
Couch Currier
Donovan
Downing
Doyle
Fuller
Gilbert
Gilford
Gilman
Goss
Harriman
Hood
Howard
Jones
McAuliffe
McGlauflin
McKeigue
Nichols
Paxley
Peabody
Perry
Putnam
Ray
Richardson
Russell
Shepard
Smith
Swinerton
Terrio
Tracy
Tufts
Tullock
Verry
Westcott
White
Wilbur
Wilkins

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


  • Martha, "Marthie", owner of the autograph album, perhaps presented to her by her teacher Phebe W. Tracy
  • E. F. W., signed on 14 May 1881  "In the commerce of language, use only coins of gold and silver. Your friend."
  • A. G. D.  "My little friend, we here have met, we don't intend to stay, to greener fields and Brighter skies we soon shall fade away."
  • Lizzie A. Adams of Topsfield, Massachusetts
  • Addie M. Batchelder, signed 18 December 1884.  "Sailing down the stream of life, In a little birch canoe, May you have a pleasant voyage With just room enough for two." Is the wish of your friend"  "Don't you like apples?"  "Remember our Wedding Tour"
  • Clarice F. Berry of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed 27 May 1881
  • Lizzie G. Boardman of Danvers, Massachusetts
  • ? Canney of Melrose, Massachusetts  "A rose is red, A violet is blue, Sugar sweet and So are you, So is those who write this,  when we meet we have a Kiss."  Possibly the same ? Canney who signed another page.
  • ? Canney of Melrose, Massachusetts, possibly the same person who signed another page.  "Remember ?J and keep in mind a nice young man is hard to find.  When you get one on a string, do not let him go for anything."
  • Adelaide Chase of Middleton, Massachusetts  "Your Little friend"
  • Susie W. Chase of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed in 1881  "your Loving friend"
  • George E. Chase, signed in 1881  "May you always be happy And Smiles greet you"
  • Annie M. Clancy of Danvers, Massachusetts  "Forget me not."
  • Annie L. Coombs of Melrose, Massachusetts, signed on 16 April 1886
  • Kittie P. Couch of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on 25 April 1883.  Perhaps Kittie Porter Couch who married Jasper Richards Pope in 1884
  • Lena G. Currier of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed on 22 February 1889
  • Lizzie A. Donovan, signed at Middleton, Massachusetts, on 25 January 1886  "Marthie: May you be blest in all your ways. With peace and quiet rest.  And spend the remainder of your days With the one that you love best, Is the wish of your friend"
  • Annie Downing of Rowley, Massachusetts
  • Maggie A. Doyle of Danvers, Massachusetts  "Friendship"
  • Mary A. Doyle of Danvers, Massachusetts  "Your Schoolmate"  In the corners: "faith", "hope" "and" "charity"
  • Genie C. Fuller of Topsfield, Massachusetts, signed on 17 October 1881
  • Fred L. Fuller of Topsfield, Massachusetts, signed on 2 January 1882  "Flowers may fade and riches may fly But friendship knows not when to die."
  • Lillie E. Gilbert of Middleton, Massachusetts  "In the golden wheel of friendship, Please regard me as one spoke."
  • Florence E. Gilford of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on 8 July 1883  "In your wreath of remembrance, Twine one bud for me."
  • Alice E. Gilford of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on 27 June 1883  "Remember your friend"
  • Nellie M. Gilman of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed on 28 April 1885  "Forget me not" "Don't forget Saturday night."
  • Mary E. Goss of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on 24 February 1882
  • Melintha Harriman, signed at Middleton, Massachusetts, on 19 December 1884  "Sincerely yours"
  • Lizzie F. Hood of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on 7 October 1882
  • Marion C. Howard of Lawrence, Massachusetts
  • Lillian R. Jones, signed at Middleton, Massachusetts, on 21 April 1881  In a corner" "Love" "May your virtues ever shine Like blossoms on a pumpkin vine.  Your Schoolmate
  • H. F. McAuliffe, signed at Danvers, Massachusetts, on 3 September 1882  "As we met here so May we meet in heaven.  Your friend"
  • Kate McAuliffe, signed "1883-9-3"
  • H. A. McGlauflin of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed on 28 November 1885
  • Agnes McKeigue of Danvers, Massachusetts  "Your school-mate"  In corners "love" and "hope"
  • Mary E. Nichols, signed 21 February 1882, "Your School-mate"  Written in the corners: "hope, love and friendship
  • Abbie F. Nichols, signed on 27 November 1885.  She painted a spray of flowers.
  • Katie E. Paxley of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on 21 February 1882
  • Ernest Peabody of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed 28 February 1889  "Your Friend"  Ernest sketched a bird with a scroll on which he wrote his name, the date and message
  • Rose M. Peabody of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed in October 1885.  "Remember me when washing dishes, Remember me and my good wishes, And if the water be too hot, Remember me and forget me not.  Your friend"  Along the left edge: "Most likely you know"
  • Mary F. Perry of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on 25 April 1883  "Sincerely your Friend"
  • Mattie A. Putnam of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed 4 May 1882  "May your life be full of love and happiness"   In one corner: "Love"
  • Wallace E. Ray; he sketched a dove and flowers
  • Thirza J. Richardson of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed on 1 May 1881  "Be good And you will be happy."
  • M. Jennie Richardson of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed on 11 January 1884  "A.C."  I wonder if this signer was Martha J. Richardson; if so, assuming this wasn't a case of the owner signing a page in the middle of her album - which does occasionally happen - this would seem to rule out Martha Richardson as the album owner.
  • Ezra O. Richardson of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed in May 1881
  • Maude C. Russell of Melrose, Massachusetts, signed on 31 October 1886
  • Frank A. Shepard of Danvers, Massachusetts
  • Annie Smith of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on 11 January 1884  "Your Schoolmate"  "H.W."
  • Julia Swinerton of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on 24 June 1882
  • Etta V. Terrio of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed on 21 April 1880   "Your schoolmate"  "Love me"
  • Phebe W. Tracy, signed at Middleton, Massachusetts, on 18 April 1881; the album owner's teacher
  • N. Emeline Tufts, signed on 26 April 1881  "My wish, to my fair young friend.  May good Angels ever guide thee, and strew bright flowers along your pathway through life."
  • Delia L. Tufts of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed on 25 April 1881
  • Cora W. Tufts of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed on 21 April [no year written]  "Your Loving Schoolmate"  "Love me"
  • Etta P. Tullock of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on 3 October 1882  "Very truly your friend"
  • Mabel Verry of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on 5 October 1882  "Your friend"
  • Grace Westcott of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on 28 April 1882.  "Sing the song sweetly, Jennie my dear, for music id dearer for you and for me."  This is the only instance of "Jennie", and it's possible it was part of the poem, not referring to the album owner, though I couldn't find the poem online.  Perhaps the album owner was Martha Jane?
  • Lizzie White of Middleton, Massachusetts, signed at Salem, Massachusetts, on 22 April 1885  "When the golden sun is setting and from care your mind is free, when of olden times you're thinking, sometimes, Martha, think of me.  Your friend"  "Hold on, there goes my hat"
  • Ella L. Wilbur of Fall River, Massachusetts, signed on 4 September 1886  "Very truly yours"
  • Maud L. Wilkins, signed at Middleton, Massachusetts, on 20 May 1881  "Let the purity of your life always be such as shall be approved by God and your own conscience.  Your friend and schoolmate"


Middleton, Massachusetts


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