Saturday, January 4, 2014

1870s/1890s+ Autograph Album of David W. Evans of the Utica, New York, area.


1870s/1880s+ autograph album of David W. Evans of the Utica, New York area.  The album was presented to him by a friend at Christmas in 1876.  



The album measures approximately 7-3/4" x 5" and contains the sentiments of 89 of David's relatives and friends.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

At least some of the signers had an affiliation with what was at the time called the New York State Lunatic Asylum at Utica, New York.  It's now called the Utica Psychiatric Center.

Theodore Deecke was a pathologist there.  He and his wife Clara signed pages in November 1877.




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

David W. Evans was born 7 July 1842 in New York, near Constableville, the son of Owen O. Evans and Jennett (Jones) Evans.  His family was Welsh.

About 1887, David married Jennie Morris, daughter of William R. and Eliza Morris.  I believe Jennie was a supervisor at the Asylum.  She is presumably the Jennie Morris who signed a page in David's album on April 3, 1881.



David and Jennie had at least two children, Frank Merritt Evans and Elizabeth J. Evans.  Each signed a page in David's album, Elizabeth twice.  Elizabeth signed pages on November 6, 1898 and February 19, 1900.  Frank signed his page on November 6, 1898.  In page order:





David W. Evans was a wagonmaker.  He died at a relatively young age on July 19, 1900.  Here is an obituary from Saturday Globe, thanks to the great work from FultonHistory.com:



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!

List of signers:  [Note: given names within specific surnames may not be in alphabetical order.]
  • Mr. Albert Arnst of Utica, New York, signed on April 3, 1881
  • Libbie Arnst of Utica, New York, signed on April 3, 1881
  • Riley Arnst of West Eaton, Madison County, New York
  • David Baker of Constableville, New York, signed on April 23, 1885
  • Mrs. Lydia C. Barry of Newport, New York, signed on May 2, 1878
  • William Bodenstein of Constableville, New York, signed on April 18, 1885
  • Nathaniel Brainard of Oriskany Falls, New York, signed on June 28, 1886.  He wrote 73 August 15, 1886, which was his 73rd birthday.
  • Hard to read but it appears to be Charles A. Byington, signed on April 23, 1885
  • John Byron of Constableville, New York
  • Appears to be the writing of an elderly person; name might be B. Carney, signed on April 7, 1886
  • C. J. Coe of Lowville, New York, signed on June 27, 1885; presumably Calvin J. Coe, whose son Ira R. Coe signed the right facing page.
  • Ira R. Coe of Lowville, New York, signed on June 27, 1885; presumably the C. J. Coe who signed the left facing page was his father Calvin J. Coe
  • Mrs. C. J. Coe of Lowville, New York, signed in June 1885.  Penciled note: "Died May 27, 1900".  She was Hannah (?) Coe, wife of signer Calvin J. Coe and mother of signer Ira R. Coe.
  • R. L. Conant of Constableville, New York, signed on March 9, 1886
  • Edward E. Conant of Constableville, Maine, signed on March 9, 1886
  • George B. Conant of Constableville, New York, signed on March 15, 1886
  • Ellen J. Davis of Plainfield, New York, signed on October 14, 1881
  • Theodore Deecke, signed at the New York State Lunatic Asylum at Utica, New York, on November 5, 1877.  He was the pathologist there.
  • Clara Deecke of Utica, New York, signed on November 6, 1877; her husband Theodore Deecke also signed a page.
  • Mrs. S. Earl of Herkimer, New York
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Edwards of Colinsville, Lewis County, New York, signed on March 18, 1886
  • Will Edwards of Collinsville, New York, signed on February 16, 1886
  • J. Bernie English of Constableville, New York, signed on May 26, 1885
  • Miss Alice English of Constableville, New York, signed on May 26, 1885
  • D. W. Evans, present by a friend, Christmas 1876; David W. Evans
  • Elizabeth J. Evans of Utica, New York, signed on November 6, 1898; "age 8 yr."; David W. Evans' daughter Elizabeth J. Evans, born 2 December 1889; died 1970.  She signed another page as well
  • Frank M. Evans of Utica, New York, signed on November, 6, 1898; David W. Evans' son Frank Merrill Evans, born 13 April 1888; died 1949.
  • C. C. Evans of Trenton, New Jersey, signed on April 3, 1887
  • Jennett M. Evans, niece of David W. Evans.  Daughter of David's brother Owen O. Evans and wife Mary (Evans) Evans
  • C. A. Gray of Herkimer, New York, signed on December 21, 1877
  • Mrs. E. Gray of Herkimer, New York, signed on December 21, 1877
  • John or Jonathan P. Gray
  • James A. Greene of Constableville, New York, signed on December 12, 1885.  Perhaps this James A. Greene: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=79494796
  • Bessie Grosvenor of Herkimer, New York, signed on December 21, 1877
  • Julia C. Grosvenor of Herkimer, New York, signed on February 14, 1878
  • Tom W. Grosvenor of Herkimer, New York, signed on January 1, 1878
  • Mrs. Mary E. Grosvenor of Herkimer, New York, signed on December 21, 1877
  • William H. Harter of Herkimer, New York, signed on December 29, 1877
  • William A. Hovey of West Turin, New York, signed on May 23, 1885
  • Owen T. Hughes of Leyden, New York, signed on September 15, 1887, "aged 37"
  • Jennie Jones of Madison County, New York, signed on February 12, 1883; her husband David W. Jones signed the right facing page.
  • David L. Jones of Madison County, New York, signed on February 12, 1883; his wife Jennie Jones signed the left facing page.
  • R. G. Jones of Constableville, New York, signed on February 26, 1886
  • E. M. Jones of Constableville, New York, signed on April 24, 1885
  • Thomas E. Jones, signed on March 13, 1886
  • John Killcullen, signed at Utica, New York, on May 27, 1885
  • E. A. King, signed on February 26, 1877
  • Rees H. Lewis, signed on March 9, 1886.  Obituary: http://herkimer.nygenweb.net/frankfort/frankfamilies/_Obituaries/Obit_ReesLewisSr.html
  • Ellis Lewis of West Turin, New York, signed on March 9, 1886
  • Mary B. Mills of Little Falls, New York, signed on March 15, 1878
  • Maggie Morris of Lockport, New York, signed on April 3, 1881
  • Ella Morris of Peru, Indiana, signed on September 4, 1899
  • Jennie Morris of Utica, New York, signed on April 3, 1881; presumably the Jennie Morris who would become the wife of David W. Evans
  • Eliza Morris, sister or sister-in-law of David W. Evans
  • Miss Della Morris of Peru, Indiana, signed on September 5, 1899.  Daughter of Griffith Alvin Morris and Eliza Jane (Engel) Morris.
  • W. J. Newton, signed at Utica, New York, on April 15, 1881
  • Mary E. Owens, signed at Utica, New York, on April 11, 1881
  • C. W. Palmer of Herkimer, New York, signed on April 25, 1878
  • Joseph Palmer of Herkimer, New York, signed on April 25, 1878
  • Mrs. Joseph Palmer of Herkimer, New York, signed on April 25, 1878
  • M. G. Palmer, signed at Herkimer, New York, in December 1877; middle initial could be J or ?
  • Mrs. Jennie B. Pomeroy of Newport, New York, signed on May 2, 1878
  • Miss L. E. Prentiss, signed on December 15, 1877
  • E. F. Roberts of Constableville, New York, signed on April 22, 1885
  • William Roberts of Constableville, New York, signed on March 18, 1886
  • Ellis R. Roberts of Constableville, New York, signed on March 18, 1886
  • David Roberts of Constableville, New York, signed on March 18, 1886
  • Richard Roberts of Constableville, New York, signed on March 18, 1886
  • Signed by wife and husband: Mrs. Ann Roberts of Constableville, New York, signed on March 18, 1886 and John R. Roberts of Constableville, New York, signed on March 18, 1886
  • M. Roberts, signed at Constableville, New York, in 1885
  • David E. Roberts, Atty., of Superior, Wisconsin, signed on April 28, 1886
  • William W. Roberts of Constableville, New York, signed on February 26, 1886.  He noted that he was age 66 on November 10, 1885
  • Edward Roberts of Granville, Washington County, New York, signed on August 15, 1887
  • Charles W. Roberts of Utica, New York, signed on "6/7/85"
  • Mary L. Roberts of Constableville, New York, signed in May 1885
  • Katie G. Rowlands of Constableville, New York, signed on March 15, 1886
  • James Shetler of Utica, New York, signed on November 10, 1898
  • Leon L. Short of Peterboro, New York, signed on January 2, 1899
  • Andrew Steinbrenner, Jr., of Constableville, New York, signed on April 22, 1885
  • Adolph G. Steinbrenner of Constableville, New York
  • Proctor Taylor of Pontiac, Illinois, signed on February 26, 1878
  • Sarah L. Taylor of Herkimer, New York, signed on February 26, 1878
  • Leonard Van Baasten, signed on October 27, 1881
  • William R. Wadsworth, age 82, of Constableville, New York, signed on October 17, 1887
  • Madison Webster of Leyden, New York, signed on April 23, 1885
  • LaFayette L. Weed of Hamilton, New York, signed on November 20, 1881
  • Evan G. Williams of Turin, New York, signed on August 25, 1887
  • James Wiltse of Constableville, New York, signed on April 24, 1885
  • Karol Wysocki of Utica, New York, signed on October 31, 1881; possibly the Charles Wysocki listed in the 1880 Census of Utica, as born in Poland about 1835
Utica, New York  [Constableville is to the north]


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