Tuesday, September 24, 2013

1880s Autograph Album of Conrad Andrew Herbert of Alvada, Ohio


1880s Autograph Album of Conrad Andrew Herbert, or Andrew Conrad Herbert, of Alvada, Ohio.



The album is dated December 25, 1884, and was likely a Christmas gift.  It's small, approximately 3-1/2" x 2-1/2" and contains 22 pages signed by Conrad himself, his relatives and friends, plus a few pages of doodles and several blank pages.

An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

Several of Conrad's siblings and cousins were among those who signed pages in his album.

His sister Katie (Herbert) Siegchrist signed a page on 28 December 1884.  She had married Lewis Siegchrist earlier that year in February.



Sister Ellen signed a page at Alvada, Ohio, on 31 May 1885.



It's possible this same sister signed another page as Ella M. on January 28, 1886 at Alvada, Ohio.  If you feel she was another sibling or a sister-in-law, please leave a comment.



Another signer, who called herself Conrad's sister Lucy A., signed on January 20, 1886.  Conrad's sister Lucy was born 20 January 1882 and wouldn't seem capable of such grownup handwriting.  Perhaps someone else wrote the message on Lucy's fourth birthday.  Incidentally, Conrad had a cousin named Lucy A. Herbert, who would have been old enough to write this message.



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

Conrad Andrew Herbert, or Andrew Conrad Herbert as his birth record shows, was born 18 August 1875 at Bigspring, Ohio, the son of Conrad and Savilla (Fruth) Herbert.  The birth record lists Conrad's mother's name as Sebelia Freite. Conrad's parents were German immigrants.

I don't believe that Conrad ever married.  He was single up to the time of the 1930 Census.  He died in 1931.

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

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


  • When you see a toad up a tree, pull his tail and think of me.  Comps of your friend, C. D. C. of Fostoria, Ohio
  • John or Jonathan, signed at Va Ohio on 28 November 1897.  Surname could begin with A.  "Remember Sunday Nov. 28th with best wishes of your Friend, Jno. ?"
  • Inscribed to Brother Coney, "When you get Old"... unfinished
  • Minnie Boley of Alvada, Ohio, signed Dec.29. 1884; Conrad's schoolmate
  • Edith Boley, signed Dec.29, 1884.  "Conrad, May your joys be as deep As the ocean and your Sorrows as light as its foam.  From your schoolmate, Edith Boley
  • Nathan Crawford, signed at Alvada, Ohio, on 29 Dec. 1884.  "Remember me in care"
  • Conrad A. Herbert of Alvada, Ohio, signed 25 December 1884; album owner
  • Jacob Herbert, Conrad's uncle - the page is written in German
  • Adelheid Herbert, wife of Jacob Herbert; the page is written in German.  Americanized, her name was Adeline (Schlemmer) Herbert.
  • Conrad's sister Ellen of Alvada, Ohio, signed Sunday, May 31, 1885   "Brother Conny, When this page you chance to look, think of me and close the book.  Your sister, Ellen
  • Adam R. Herbert of Alvada, Ohio, signed on 29 December 1884.  "Compliments of"
  • Cousin Lucy, signed at Alvada, Ohio, on Dec. 29, 1884.  She was Lucy Herbert.  "Cousin Conrad, Long may you live, Happy may you be, When you get Married, Come and see me, from your cousin Lucy"
  • Lucy A. Herbert, signed Jan. 20, 1886.  "Compliments of Your Sister, Lucy A.  Remember this date."  Conrad's sister Lucy was only about 5 years old by 1886; the handwriting seems that of an older person.  Conrad had a cousin named Lucy A. Herbert, born in 1871.  But this person specified "sister".
  • Ella M., signed 8 January 1886 at Alvada, Ohio.  She called herself Conrad's sister, perhaps Mary Ellen Herbert that some records show as Barbara  "To Conrad, Remember me is but A task, remember Me is all I ask.  From your Sister, Ella M."
  • Mary A. H., signed at Alvada, Ohio, on 31 December 1884.  Conrad's cousin.  "Compliments of your Cousin"  She was likely Mary Ann Herbert
  • F. or T. Kepfer or Keffer, signed 23 January 1888.  "Compliments of"
  • A. J. Morehart of Alvada, Seneca County, Ohio, signed 24 February 1892  "Friend Conrad, When you get old and cannot see, put on your specks and think of me. Complement by A. J. Morehart
  • Annie Schira, signed at Alvada, Ohio, on 29 December 1884.  "Conrad, Remember me when far away, Remember me when near.  Remember on your wedding day And send me a glass of beer"
  • Katie Schira, signed at Alvada, Ohio, on December 29, 1884.  "From memory's leaves, I fondly squeeze Three little words, Forget Me Not.  Your schoolmate, Katie Schira"
  • Lizzie Schlemmer of Macedon, Mercer County, Ohio; Conrad's cousin
  • Katie Siegchrist, signed 28 December 1884; Conrad's older sister Catherine (Conrad) who had married Lewis Siegchrist earlier in 1884. " Brother Conrad, These few lines to you are tender by a Friend Sincere and true hoping but to be remembered when I am far away from you. Your Sister, Katie Siegchrist"
  • Alma Smith of Alvada, Ohio, signed Dec. 29, 1884  "To Cooney, When you get Old and cannot see, Put on your spectacles and think of me."
Alvada, Ohio


Thanks for stopping by!



No comments:

Post a Comment