Friday, January 24, 2014

1876-1914 Autograph Album of the Merrill Family of Danvers and Danversport, Massachusetts


Autograph album that served two generations of the Merrill/Sawyer family of Danvers and Danversport, Massachusetts.

The few few pages of the album are missing, including the title page and any ownership page that might have identified the original owner, who was likely either Joseph Merrill or his future wife Mary Frances Sawyer, "Fannie".  There's a page with faint handwriting that appears to have been signed by Joseph Merrill in 1876, which would seem to point to Fannie as the original owner.

Later on, the album was taken over by Joseph and Fannie's children, most of whom signed in the album and had some of their friends sign.  The family by then was living at 10 River Street, Danvers, apparently in the Danversport section, as some of the children indicated.

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

Joseph Merrill and Mary Frances Sawyer, "Fannie", were married 22 December 1880 at Danvers, Massachusetts.  Joseph's parents were George G. and Eliza (Thibodeau) Merrill.  Fannie's parents were William H. and Mary (Grey) Sawyer.

 All of the children of Joseph and Fannie signed pages in the album, some numerous times.  The children:

  1. Joseph Henry Merrill, born 12 November 1881 at Danvers, Massachusetts; became an entomologist according to his Massachusetts Mason record.  His future wife, Lillian Briggs, signed a page in the album. He signed the album at Danversport, Massachusetts, on November 30, 1897.

2.  Charles O. Merrill, born 8 September 1883 at Danvers, Massachusetts; m. Amy Maria Peal.  He signed a page on November 30, 1897 and indicated he was at H.H.S.  


3.  William Gardner Merrill, born 5 August 1885 at Danvers, Massachusetts; married Lucy Milton.   The Willie Merrill who signed a page may have been William Gardner Merrill.


4.  Frederick Sawyer Merrill, born 20 February 1889 at Danvers, Massachusetts; married Winifred Dahl.  Fred signed several pages; the top of the two shown below when he was 9, about 1908, and the other on July 10, 1912.  He was away from Danvers, somewhere where the temperature was 102 degrees F.



5.  John Edward Merrill, born 2 November 1890 at Danvers, Massachusetts; married Alice M. Colmer.  John signed a page when he was 7 years old.


6.  Marjorie Grey Merrill, born 7 November 1892 at Danvers, Massachusetts; married Henry Augustus King.  Marjorie signed several pages in the album.  She signed this page, below, in 1906 when she was 13 years old.


7.  Martha Felton Merrill, born 2 October 1895 at Danvers, Massachusetts; worked for a bank.  She signed several pages and seemed to be the person collecting autographs in the album's second life.  My favorite of her pages is this one.  I think it was Martha who wrote her name and those of three of her siblings.



8.  George Harold Merrill, who went by his middle name, born 13 January 1897 at Danvers, Massachusetts; married Marion Alberta Wharff.  He signed a page on December 2, 1908.


Two of the pages signed in the later era have cute illustrations.  One appears to show Florence L. Kelley, or perhaps it was that Florence drew the little girl and signed her name to it.




James Lewis Hawes drew two sketches of the same person, perhaps his teacher.

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 a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]
Sorry about the duplicate names, but some of the children signed at different ages, and I wanted to show that.

  • "B"  [earlier era, I believe]
A
  • Carrie Austin of Salem, Massachusetts, signed on December 1, 1880  [earlier era]
B
  • Lillian Briggs  
C
  • Mary E. Colman or Colmer of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed at H.H.S.  [earlier era]
F
  • Grace F. Felt of Cambridgeport, Massachusetts  [earlier era]
G
  • George H. Glover of Salem, Massachusetts, signed in 1881  [earlier era]
  • Fred E. Gray of Chicago, Illinois, 229 South Morgan St. [earlier era]
  • J. Prentice Gray of Cambridgeport, Massachusetts [earlier era]
  • Josiah Gray of Chicago, Illinois [earlier era]
H
  • James Lewis Hawes; sketches, perhaps of his teacher  [earlier era]
K
  • Dorothy Kelley, "1892-1906, Age 13 years"  [later era]
  • Florence L. Kelley of River Street, Danvers, Massachusetts; she signed one page, and there's a sketch of her on another
  • Dorothy Kimball [later era]
  • Nancy King, 1932, Age 6
M
  • Mattie K. Marshall, signed at Salem, Massachusetts, on January 9, 1881  [earlier era]
  • G. W. McCullough.  Presumably Rev. George Washington McCullough, whose wife Anna Newman (Mason) McCullough also signed a page in the album.  From an 1873 publication from the Newton Theological Seminary: George Washington McCullough, b. Baltimore, Md., 1845. Col. C; C. T. S., 1870-71; N. T. I. 1871-73; ord. Danversport, June 20, 1873; p. Danversport, 1873-76; Edgartown, 1876-77; East Gloucester, 1877-80; Baltimore, Md., 1880-86; Washington, D. C, July 1886-92; w. c. Anacostia, 1892-94; Tenleytown, 1896—; ad. Wisconsin Ave..  Tenleytown, D. C. [earlier era]
  • A. N. Mc C., your loving teacher.  Presumably Anna Newman (Mason) McCullough, wife of George Washington McCullough, who also signed a page in the album. [earlier era]
  • Martha Felton Merrill, later album owner, 10 River Street, Danvers, Massachusetts; "The dearest child on earth".  Signed several pages [later era]
  • Marjorie Grey Merrill, "1892-1906, Age 13 yrs." [later era]
  • Joseph [surname too faint, but possibly Merrill] of Danversport, Massachusetts, signed on May 7, 1876  Perhaps the Joseph Merrill who married Mary Frances Sawyer, indicating that this album might have belonged originally to Mary Frances.  [earlier era]
  • "Your loving son", Charles O. Merrill of Danversport, Massachusetts, signed on November 30, 1897, H.H.S.  Most of the handwriting on the page is very faint. [later era]
  • Joseph H. Merrill of Danversport, Massachusetts, signed on November 30, 1897.  "Your Oldest and Best" "Sub Middle Class H.H.S." [later era]
  • Willie Merrill [later era]
  • Marjorie Grey Merrill, age 19 [later era]
  • Fred S. Merrill, signed on July 10, 1912.  He indicated he was far away and that the temperature there was 102 degrees F. [later era]
  • Fred S. Merrill of Danversport, Massachusetts, "Age 9 years" [later era]
  • John E. Merrill of Danversport, Massachusetts, "Age 7 years" [later era]
  • Fred S. Merrill of Danversport, Massachusetts, "10 year old (1899) [later era]
  • Charles Merrill of Danversport, Massachusetts, signed on May 30, 1899.  H.H.S [later era]
  • Master Harold Merrill of 10 River Street, Danversport, Massachusetts, signed December 2, 1908.  He wrote his birth date in the lower right corner: Jan. 13, 1897 [later era]
  • Miss Martha Merrill of Danversport, Massachusetts, signed on December 2, 1908.  "Age 13 years".  She gave her birth date in the lower right corner: October 2, 1895 [later era]
  • Harold Merrill of Danversport, Massachusetts; "Age 13 years old" [later era]
  • Harold Merrill of Danversport, Massachusetts, "Age 13 years old" [later era]
  • Marjorie Merrill of Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on December 2, 1908  "One of the flock" [later era]
  • Martha Felton Merrill, signed on May 3, 1911; "15 years" [later era]
  • Martha Merrill, signed on August 15, 1912; "16 yrs" [later era]
  • L. E. Murray of Salem, Massachusetts, signed on September 19, 1880 [earlier era]
O
  • Miss Helena O'Neil of 2 High Street, Danvers, Massachusetts, signed on April 20, 1914 [later era]
  • Helena Pogkneescious Henlice O'Neil, signed on May 3, 1911; perhaps Helena O'Neil, being funny. [later era]
  • Helena Ursula O'Neil of Danversport, Massachusetts, signed on May 3, 1911.  "12 years" [later era]
R
  • Daniel Richards  [earlier era]
S
  • Fannie M. Sawyer of Danvers Port, Massachusetts [earlier era]
  • Fred L. Shepard of Salem, Massachusetts, signed on September 19, 1880 [earlier era]
  • Carmen St. Pierre, 6 River St., Danvers, Massachusetts, "Age 12"  [later era]
  • Henry P. Sullivan, signed at Danvers, Massachusetts, on June 10, 1909; mentions that he was Joseph's Merrill's neighbor and that he was a member of Sullivan's Cadet Band of Danvers  [later era]
  • Miss Eleanor Sweeney of 11-1/2 Farrar Street, Lynn, Massachusetts, c/o Mrs. G. Hill  [later era]
T
  • L. F. Tibbetts of Salem, Massachusetts, signed at H.H.S. [earlier era]
W
  • F. W. Williamson of Salem, Massachusetts, signed on December 1, 1880  [earlier era]
  • Ella W. Woodman, signed at Salem, Massachusetts, in August 1881 [earlier era]
  • Alice L. Woodman, signed at Salem, Massachusetts, in 1881 [earlier era]
Danversport, Massachusetts



Thanks for stopping by!


3 comments:

  1. I believe this might have a connection to my family. I am a Sawyer descendant and my great grand uncle was Frank Merrill Sawyer. Have you come across that name at all. He was born 1852 d. 1901. I have yet to make the exact connection.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Joseph Merrill II (1856-1947) was my great grandfather. His son John Edward Merrill(Sr.) was my grandfather, the father of my father John Edward Merrill,Jr. My brother John Edward Merrill III is still alive.
    I have an interest in any other such tangible items (as this autograph book)connected to this generation of Merrills or before.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Joseph Merrill II (1856-1947) was my great grandfather. His son John Edward Merrill(Sr.) was my grandfather, the father of my father John Edward Merrill,Jr. My brother John Edward Merrill III is still alive.
    I have an interest in any other such tangible items (as this autograph book)connected to this generation of Merrills or before.

    ReplyDelete