Monday, February 24, 2014

1880s Autograph Album of Annie Benner Beidler or Biedler of Milford, Pennsylvania & Philadelphia


1880s autograph album of Annie Benner Beidler of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area.

The person who sold me this album nearly a decade ago said it had belonged to her husband's grandmother, Annie Benner Biedler, and I found records with both spellings.  But signers in the album indicated Beidler.

Annie inscribed a page at the beginning of the album to the future signers.


The album is approximately 4-1/4" x 3" and contains the sentiments of over 50 of Annie's relatives, friends and Sunday School teacher.

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

Annie Benner Beidler was born 12 December 1867 in Pennsylvania, the daughter of James and Sophia S. (Benner) Beidler.   Annie's sister Lizzie Beidler signed pages on January 10, 1881 and February 17, 1884.



About 25 December 1886 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Annie Benner Beidler married Horace B. Schanely, son of Edward and Catharine B. (Bauman) Schanely/Schonly.  Horace was born 24 October 1861 at Douglas Township, Pennsylvania.  Annie and Horace had, I believe, five sons and a daughter.

One of the sons, Howard Beidler Schanely, signed a page in his mother's album on May 13, 1912, the only autograph in the album out of the 1880s era.


Amanda L. Benner of Perkasie, Pennsylvania, signed a page on July 12, 1881, and indicated she was Annie's cousin.  Amanda was the daughter of Mary and Abram or Abraham S. Benner, who was the younger brother of Annie's mother Sophia S. (Benner) Beidler.

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!


One page, signed by E. B., on June 18, 1881, had a Victorian scrap of a figure holding up a portrait.


Annie's Sunday School teacher, Jennie Roberts, signed a page.


There were ten signers named Shelly; refer to the list below.

Surnames in the album   [Some signed multiple times; 7 signers did not indicate a surname.]

Achey
Addison
Bealer
Beidler
Benner
Bleam
Boyd
Diehl
Earnly
Fryer
Hartman
Heft
Heist
Laudenslager
Lewis
Mohr
Moyer
Ortt
Roberts
Roth
Schanely
Sell
Shelly
Spangler
Stauffer
Weinberger
Wieand

Signers in the album   [Note: Given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]

  • S. K. L., signed on March 13, 1882
  • E. B., signed on June 18, 1881; cute sketch of a person holding up a picture frame with a picture, perhaps, of the signer
  • S. A. W., signed on September 26, 1881
  • Emmie L. B. [not sure of B.]; Annie's cousin
  • W. B., signed on July 18, 1884; Annie's cousin
  • C. O., signed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 14, 1881
  • H. B. S., signed on July 29, 1885
A
  • Hannah S. Achey
  • C. R. Addison, signed on November 6, 1881
B
  • Emma K. Bealer, signed on October, 5, 1881
  • D. Beidler, signed on July 11, 1881
  • Lizzie, signed pages on January 10, 1881 and February 17, 1884; Annie's sister Lizzie. 
  • Annie Benner Beidler, album owner.  The page she wrote to prospective signers in her album.
  • Amanda L. Benner of Perkasie, Pennsylvania, signed on July 14, 1881; Annie's cousin
  • Allen E. Bleam, signed on June 28, 1882
  • Maggie Boyd, signed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 14, 1881
D
  • Clara Diehl, signed on September 10, 1882
  • Ellen N. Diehl, signed at Spinnerstown [presumably Pennsylvania]
E
  • Ellen Earnly, signed on October 16, 1881
F
  • Estella Fryer, signed at Hightstown [presumably New Jersey], on July 5, 1881
H
  • Frank H. Hartman of Milford Square, Pennsylvania, signed on November 11, 1883
  • Camilla Hartman of Milford Square, Pennsylvania, signed on August 29, 1883 [not sure of last digit]
  • E. M. Heft, signed on October 29, 1881
  • Mary W. Heist, signed on April 16, 1882
L
  • P. K. Laudenslager, signed on March 13, 1882
  • A. S. Lewis, signed on August 27, 1883
M
  • James P. Mohr, signed on July 3, 1881
  • Sarah R. Mohr of Milford [presumably New Jersey], signed on June 15, 1883
  • J. Wilson Mohr, signed on July 3, 1881
  • Aaron S. Moyer, signed on November 2, 1881
O
  • Eva E. Ortt
  • Ella E. Ortt, signed on September 23, 1881
R
  • Jennie Roberts, Annie's Sunday School Teacher
  • Annie Roth, signed on April 23, 1882
  • Emma Roth, signed on April 23, 1882; middle initial might be L or S
S
  • Howard Schanely, signed on May 13, 1912; Annie's son
  • Hannah L. Sell, signed on April 25, 1882
  • A. B. Shelly, signed at Milford, on July 28, 1882
  • Lizzie S. Shelly
  • Joseph W. Shelly of Milford Square, Pennsylvania, signed on July 26, 1882
  • Very faint, but appears to be E. J. Shelly, signed in October ?
  • O. W. Shelly, signed on July 24, 1882
  • Catherine B. Shelly, signed on July 11, 1882
  • Addie Shelly, signed on July 28, 1882
  • Lydia S. Shelly, signed on March 26, 1882
  • Amanda S. Shelly, signed on March 30, 1882
  • M. W. Shelly, signed on July 25, 1882
  • Joe Spangler, signed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 14, 1881
  • U. S. Stauffer, signed at Quakertown, Pennsylvania, on May 28, 1882
W
  • John G. Weinberger
  • Ella S. Weinberger, signed on September 26, 1881
  • Jennie Wieand, signed on March 14, 1882; presumably Jane Wieand, daughter of Samuel and Anna Wieand.
Milford, Pennsylvania


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