Saturday, October 12, 2013

1880s Autograph Album of Emma McWhinnie of Lincoln, Nebraska


1880s autograph album of Emma McWhinnie of Lincoln, Nebraska, presented to her on her birthday, May 11, 1883, by her mother, Louisa (McWhinnie) McWhinnie.



The album is approximately 7" x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of nearly 90 of Emma's relatives, schoolmates and friends, some of whom wrote on more than one page.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.



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

Elizabeth Emma McWhinnie was born 11 May 1874 at Ormstown, Quebec, the daughter of John McWhinnie and Louisa (McWhinnie) McWhinnie.  At some point, the family moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, where John was engaged in the clothing business.

John McWhinnie was born 27 January 1840 in Scotland.  I don't have the names of his parents.  Louisa (McWhinnie) McWhinnie was born in Canada, probably in Quebec, the daughter of Michael McWhinnie and Marie Delphine (Dubois) McWhinnie, who were born, I think, in County Down, Ireland, and Valleyfield, Quebec, respectively.

Emma's brother William John McWhinnie was also born before the move from Quebec to Nebraska.  Her brother, Edward James McWhinnie, and sister, Mary Louise McWhinnie were born in Nebraska.

Emma's sister Louise signed a page in the album on March 11, but she didn't mention a year.  She also signed a page with three other people: Dottie Stire; Marie Hebbard; and Lena Anderson.





On 30 March 1898 at Lincoln, Nebraska, Elizabeth Emma McWhinnie married William A. Coffin.  He was born in Iowa, on 28 June 1871, according his gravestone, shown on Find-a-Grave.   The couple had a daughter, Harriet, born about 1901.  I'm not sure if there were other children.  Harriet married Edmund Blinn Rogers; they had no children.

I purchased the album on eBay in 2007; it came with a two page sheet of provenance and family information written by the great grandson of the woman who married Edmund Blinn Rogers after Harriet died.  As the new wife was cleaning out the attic, this album came to light, and her great grandson asked if he could have it.  

William died in 1947, and Emma in 1950; they're buried in the Wyuka Cemetery at Lincoln, Nebraska, along with other McWhinnies, and Harriet and Edmund B. Rogers.

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

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

  • Edna P., signed November 4, 1885; sketched some fronds that look like weeping willows
  • Maud R. S., signed on July 6, 1884
  • Harry A., signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1888; "Christmas D.E.G.H. [or D.E.C.H.]"
  • Nellie, signed in 1884
  • Sonnie
  • Alfaretta B., signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 14, 1885; shared page with Della J.  Alfaretta signed a page at the back of the album as well, as Alpharetta B.B.B.B.
  • Della J., signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 14, 1885; shared page with Alfaretta B.
  • Marie, signed either at Lincoln, Nebraska, on February 22, 1891, at 1514 P Street or Denver, Colorado, where she was likely living in 1891.
  • Minn, signed at McCook, Nebraska
  • Nellie, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Lena Anderson, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 18, 1887; shared the page with Dottie Stire, Louise McWhinney and Marie Hebbard
  • Blanche Angel, signed at Illion, Kansas, on July 25, 1887; or Blanche Angel could be her given names.
  • Grant Angell, signed at Ilion, Kansas, on July 25, 1887.  He signed his name backwards.
  • Vinnie Beach of 1746 Q [or ?] Street, signed on October 11, 1884
  • Belle Beachly, signed on January 19, 1887
  • Grace Burr, Emma's schoolmate.  "My paper poor, My ink is Pale, My Pen came out of a chicken's tale"
  • Irene Byam, signed on November 17, 1885
  • Eda Carpender of Lincoln, Nebraska, signed on January 18, 1887; Emma's schoolmate.
  • Jennie M. Chipman of 1216 O Street, Lincoln, Nebraska
  • W. A. Coffin of Charles City, Iowa, signed on February 8, 1893.  The dates April 12, 1891 and May 10, 1892 were written along the edge
  • M. A. Courtright of Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Della O. Cox, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, in May 1885
  • Lee Crittenden of Lincoln, Nebraska, signed on January 19, 1887
  • Howard Crocker, signed at Sterling, Nebraska, on November 7, 1884 [not sure of last digit of the year]
  • Estelle Curtice, signed at January 18, 1886 at Lincoln, Nebraska
  • Stella Elliott, signed on January 14, 1887
  • Flora B. Elliott, signed in January 1885
  • Mamie Evans, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on June 16, 1884
  • Milton Frey of Lincoln, Nebraska, signed on December 10, [year  is hard to make out.]
  • Ida Friend
  • Alfred L. Fussey, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 7, 1887
  • Etta Gates, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 26, 1887; Emma's schoolmate
  • Lillie M. Gillespie, signed on October 9, 1885
  • George Goulding, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 18, 1886; on a page shared with signers George D. Wright and May Moore, the latter who also signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, but on February 9, 1887
  • Olive Graham, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on November 16, 1885
  • Sarah Graham, signed on June 13, 1884
  • Mabel E. Gregory of Crete, Nebraska
  • Dora Harley of Lincoln, Nebraska, signed on December 10, 1884
  • Ada G. Heaton, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on November 19, 1884
  • Bertha E. Hebard, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 7, 1885
  • Marie Hebbard, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 18, 1887; shared the page with Dottie Stire, Louise McWhinney and Lena Anderson
  • Maggie Hill, signed on May 12, 1884
  • May Hyland of Lincoln, Nebraska, signed on November 5, 1885; Emma's schoolmate
  • John Imhoff, signed on February 4, 1887; Emma's schoolmate.  At least I think his first name is John - it's the abbreviation Jno. or it's possibly Ono Imhoff - but there was a John Imhoff from Lincoln, Nebraska, of the right age
  • Hattie Ingersoll, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on February 29, 1888
  • Anna Johnson
  • Frank Kirkpatrick, signed at 221 South 13 Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, on November 16, 1884
  • Mae M. Lansing
  • Schuyler Long of Ilion, Kansas
  • Byrmina Long, signed at Ilion, Kansas on July 14th [no year written].  She married Gilfred Mock.
  • Gracie Long, possibly of the Long family of Ilion, Kansas
  • Aggie Masterman, signed on January 28, 1886; Emma's schoolmate, Agnes Masterman
  • Annie Mawe
  • W. B. McAshan of Lincoln, Nebraska, signed on October 11, 1885; possibly Walter B. McAshan.  His wife signed a page later on in the album.
  • Mrs. W. B. McAshan of Lincoln, Nebraska, signed on October 11, 1885.  Her husband signed a page earlier in the album.
  • Minnie McClay, signed on February 3, 1887
  • Lizzie McGlumphy, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 26, 1887
  • Clyde McWhinney, signed at 1218 M Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, on November 17, 1884
  • Emma McWhinnie of Lincoln, Nebraska; album owner.  Birthday present from her mother [who was Louisa (McWhinnie) McWhinnie.]
  • Louise, signed on March 11, [no year written]; Emma's sister Mary Louise McWhinnie, born 10 October 1879; died 15 July 1932
  • May A. Montrose, signed on February 8, 1886
  • May Moore, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on February 9, 1887, on a page shared with signers George D. Wright and George Goulding, the latter who also signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, but on January 18, 1886
  • Jennie Morgan of Lincoln, Nebraska, signed on February 8, 1886
  • Anita Muir, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on February 10, 1883; Emma's schoolmate
  • May Osborn, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on May 5, 1885; Emma's schoolmate
  • L. S. Perry, signed on November 21, 1886
  • F. Fern Petersen, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1888
  • Lucy Phillips of Lincoln, Nebraska, signed on December 9, 1884
  • Felix Regnier, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 19, 1887
  • M. E. Roberts, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 13, 1885
  • Sophie A. Roberts, signed at Omaha, Nebraska, on September 15, 1888
  • Agnes C. Sewell of Lincoln, Nebraska, signed on January 14, 1887
  • Charles G. Shull of Ilion, Kansas, signed on July 23, 1887
  • Anna L. Sidle
  • Nellie Smith of Lincoln, Nebraska, signed on January 18, 1887
  • Mrs. Jennie Stevens of Ilion, Kansas, in Rawlins County, signed on July 18, 1884; on a day when Emma, Alfaretta and Gracie came to visit N.W. Kansas
  • William Stevens of Ilion, Kansas, signed on July 18, 1887
  • Dottie Stire, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on January 26, 1886; Emma's schoolmate. She signed a page later on in the album with Louise McWhinnie, Marie Hebbard and Lena Anderson
  • Lulu Stire, signed on February 12, 1888
  • Mrs. J. H. Threw, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on November 6, 1885.  Her children, Paul and Virginia, signed the same page on April 24, 1886
  • Paul Threw, signed on April 24, 1886.  His mother and sister, Mrs. J. H. Threw and Virginia Threw, also signed on the page, on different dates.
  • Virginia Threw, signed on April 24, 1886.  Her mother and brother, Mrs. J. H. Threw and Paul Threw, also signed on the page, on different dates.
  • Sarah Upton, signed on February 15, 1888
  • Allie Wilson, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on September 10, 1885
  • S. C. Wilson of Lincoln, Nebraska, signed on 3/11/88
  • Alice A. Wilson, signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, on April 12, 1894.  "Halifax, Nova Scotia"
  • George D. Wright, signed on a page shared with signers George Goulding and May Moore, who signed at Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1886 and 1887 respectfully






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