Wednesday, February 19, 2014

1880s Autograph Album of Anna Fessenden Norris of Waltham, Massachusetts


1880s autograph album of Anna Fessenden Norris of Waltham, Massachusetts.


The album is approximately 6-1/4" x 4" and contains the sentiments of 65 of Anna's relatives and friends from Massachusetts and Maine.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.


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

Anna Fessenden Norris was born 3 October 1871 at Waltham, Massachusetts, the daughter of John Elbert Norris and Mary Ann (Viles) Norris, who were born at Dorchester, Massachusetts, and Weston, Massachusetts, respectively.

Neither of Anna's parents signed in the album; they may have signed in another.  However, two of Anna's mother's sisters signed pages in the album.  "Aunt Ella", who presumably was Ella Maria Viles, younger sister of Anna's mother Mary Ann (Viles) Norris, signed a page on February 27, 1882.  She would later, in 1887, marry Walter Fay Baker.


Another sister of Mary Ann (Viles) Norris and Ella Maria Viles signed a page.  She was Lizzie J. Viles, or, formally, Elizabeth Jones Viles, of Weston, Massachusetts, who also signed a page on February 27, 1882.


On 31 January 1889 at Waltham, Massachusetts, Anna Fessenden Norris married Edward Davis Bliss, son of David and Annie Hannah (Bryant) Bliss.  Edward was born 21 January 1868 at Waltham, Massachusetts.  He signed a page as Edward Bliss at Waltham, Massachusetts, on November 14, 1885.


According to the Censuses, the couple lived at Haverhill, Massachusetts, and Townsend, Massachusetts, and raised three children.

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

Surnames in the album  [Some appear multiple times.]
Andrews
Austin
Bamber
Banks
Barton
Bliss
Bruce
Chamberlin
Cutler
Drake
Durgin
Eaton
Felker
Floyd
Folsom
Frost
Hardy
Harrington
Hartwell
Hill
Hodgdon
Jackson
Jennison
Jones
Kendrick
Langley
Lewis
Lincoln
Mansfield
Mason
McCullough
Muzzey
Newhall
Norris
Phelps
Phinney
Pickering
Potter
Rowell
Ryan
Sargent
Schwartz
Sears
Starbuck
Stevens
Stickney
Thompson
Tobey
Viles
Warren
Whitcomb
Whitford
Whitney
Williams
Winkley
Wyman
York

Signers in the Album:  [Note: Given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]
  • Dura D. Andrews of Boston, Massachusetts, signed on February 9, 1886
  • Davis H. Austin of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on September 22, 1883.  He was born in 1869 at Peru, Maine, the son of William and Judith (York) Austin.
  • Celia Bamber
  • Maude E. Banks of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on April 21, 1882
  • Lillie E. Barton of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on February 16, 1882
  • Edward Bliss, signed at Waltham, Massachusetts, on November 14, 1885
  • Walter W. Bruce of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on November 30, 1884
  • May Chamberlin of Waltham, Massachusetts
  • Howard A. Cutler of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on January 16, 1885
  • B. W. Drake; presumably Bradford Winslow Drake, Sr., of Waltham, Massachusetts.  He may have been the principal at Anna's school.
  • Frank Durgin, signed at Weston, Massachusetts, on January 30, 1885
  • Albert M. Eaton of Weston, Massachusetts, signed on February 10, 1884
  • Ethel E. Felker, signed at Boston, Massachusetts, on September 8, 1884; in one corner: "B.H., B.C." in the other corner: "E.W."
  • Carrie Felker of Boston, Massachusetts, signed on September 9, 1884
  • Helen A. Floyd of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on February 23, 1882
  • Linnie W. Folsom of Boston, Massachusetts, signed on May 6, 1882
  • L. N. Frost of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on March 17, 1882
  • Susie B. Hardy, signed in 1882
  • Mary B. Harrington of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on March 30, 1884
  • Blanche Hartwell of Waltham,  Massachusetts, signed on January 9, 1884
  • Charles W. Hill of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on June 3, 1884
  • Derward W. Hill of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on January 9, 1884
  • Katie Inez Hodgdon of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on February 20, 1882; "Ever your little friend"
  • Willie E. Jackson of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on January 9, 1884
  • Nellie Jennison of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on June 29, 1883
  • Harry A. Jones of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on December 5, 1884
  • Geraldine Jones of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on January 31, 1883
  • Fred H. Kendrick of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on November 11, 1885
  • Belle Langley of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on March 28, 1884; Anna's schoolmate
  • Kit Lewis of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on July 10, 1886; mentions "Lily Point Grove", which is located along the Charles River between Waltham and Weston.
  • Guy M. Lincoln of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on September 11, 1885
  • Esther Mansfield of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on September 11, 1884
  • Blanche E. Mason of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on February 15, 1882
  • Lulu G. McCullough of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on February 16, 1882
  • E. P. Muzzey of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on September 11, 1884
  • Mabel Newhall of Chicago, Illinois, signed on March 26, 1882
  • Claudia Newhall, signed on March 27, 1882
  • Anna F. Norris; album owner.  She was Anna Fessenden Norris  of Waltham, Massachusetts
  • Jennie Phelps of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on April 2, 1884
  • Ernest G. Phinney of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on December 5, 1884
  • E. J. Pickering or C. J. Pickering; appears to be the writing of an elderly person.
  • Fannie Potter of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on "1884.4.2."
  • Melvin W. Rowell of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on December 29, 1884
  • Lizzie G. A. Ryan of Waltham, Massachusetts
  • Maud L. Sargent of Waltham, Massachusetts
  • Sadie Schwartz of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on February 17, 1882 [or 1883]
  • Minnie E. Sears of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on February 17, 1882; Anna's schoolmate
  • Ella L. Starbuck; "your little play-mate"
  • Fred L. Stevens of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on January 10, 1884
  • Jennie E. Stevens of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on January 10, 1884
  • Frank G. Stickney of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on September 11, 1884; mentions B.C. September 4, 1884
  • Ellen E. Thompson, signed at Waltham, Massachusetts, on September 11, 1884
  • M. Tobey; middle initial might be E. or C. or ?
  • George A. Viles of Weston, Massachusetts, signed on November 1, 1884
  • Maud L. Viles of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on September 6, 1884
  • Aunt Ella, signed on February 27, 1882.  Anna's mother, Mary Ann (Viles) Norris, had a younger sister named Ella Maria Viles, born 18 February 1864.  Ella Maria Viles would marry Walter Fay Baker in 1887.
  • Lizzie J. Viles of Weston, Massachusetts, signed on February 27, 1882.  Presumably Lizzie Jones Viles, a younger sister to Anna's mother Mary Ann (Viles) Norris.
  • Ida F. Warren of Weston, Massachusetts, signed on February 10, 1885; Anna's cousin
  • Anna C. Whitcomb, signed at Waltham, Massachusetts, in October 1882
  • Mary E. Whitford, signed on February 24, 1882
  • E. C. Whitney of Waltham, Massachusetts; possibly Edwin C. Whitney of Waltham
  • Ruth P. Williams of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on February 23, 1882
  • Rachel Williams of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on January 31, 1883
  • Evelyn M. Winkley of Waltham, Massachusetts; presumably Evelyn M. Winkley, daughter of George Washington Winkley and Annie E. (Baker) Winkley
  • Alice A. Wyman of Waltham, Massachusetts, signed on March 31, 1882
  • Etta M. York of Peru, Maine
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