Monday, April 7, 2014

1880s Autograph Album of Hattie Celestia Sawyer of Peru, Vermont


1880s autograph album of Hattie Celestia Sawyer of Peru, Vermont.  The album was presented to Hattie for making the most improvement in writing during the summer term of 1882 by teacher M. A. Colburn.


The album is approximately 5-1/2" x 3-1/4" and contains the sentiments of over 60 of Hattie's relatives, friends and schoolmates.

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

Hattie Celestia Sawyer was born 27 January 1868 at Peru, Vermont, the daughter of Sarel Allen Sawyer and Susan Jane (Conable or Connable) Sawyer, who were born at Peru, Vermont, and Bernardston, Massachusetts, respectively.

Hattie's mother Susan signed a page at Peru, Vermont, on June 5, 1884.


Hattie's sister Jennie S. Sawyer of Peru, Vermont, signed a page on February 9, 1884.


Many other Sawyer and Conable/Connable relatives also signed pages in the album; refer to the list of signers below, which mentions relationships, if they were expressed.  Read more about the Conable/Connable/Cunnabell family here.

On 5 November 1890, at Peru, Vermont, Hattie Celestia Sawyer married Sylvester Malcolm Blodgett or Sylvester Malcomb Blodgett.  He was born at Weston, Vermont, on May 3, 1859, the son of William J. and Sarah (King) Blodgett.  I believe the S. M. Blodgett who signed a page in Hattie's album was her future husband.


After their marriage, Sylvester's brother Ora B. Blodgett signed a page at Peru, Vermont, on September 9, 1892.


Hattie and Sylvester had at least two children:
  1. Lena Elsie Blodgett, born 3 October 1891 at Townshend, Vermont
  2. Harlan Edgar Blodgett, born 26 August 1893 at Weston, Vermont; married Ruth Winifred Walker
Sadly, Hattie Celestia (Sawyer) Blodgett died 1 October 1895 at Weston, Vermont.  The 1900 Federal Census shows her children Lena and Harlan living with Hattie's parents at Peru, Vermont; Sylvester was living and working as a servant in the Austin household at Weston, Vermont.  He would die before his time, too, on January 20, 1909. 

An intriguing page was signed by H. J. Laselle of Weston, Vermont, on March 19, 1890, who referred to himself as Hattie's "Boss".  Was she teaching or working in some other capacity at Weston?


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!

Surnames in the album

?    [3]
Adams
Bagg
Bardwell
Bemis
Blodgett    [2]
Bryant
Burrows
Byard
Colburn
Conable
Conlon
Connable    [2]
Cross
Dutton
Farnum
Fuller    [2]
Hosley    [3]
Hunt
Jones
Lakin    [2]
Landfear
Laselle
Lincoln
Lyon    [3]
Martyn
Merkley
Morrill    [2]
Partridge    [2]
Perini    [2]
Phillips
Richardson
Roby
Rugg
Rush
Sawyer    [4]
Smith    [2]
Thomas
Thompson
Watson    [2]
West    [4]
Whitney    [3]

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

?
  • Too faint to read
  • Ida, signed on March 8, 1885
  • ? Has initials that appear to be F. G.W. and P. U. V., signed on November 23, 1886
A
  • Carrie E. Adams of Peru, Vermont, signed on January 3, 1883
B
  • Susie Bagg of Bernardston, Massachusetts, signed at Peru, Vermont, on August 12, 1892; Hattie's cousin, daughter of Henry A. Bagg and wife Mary Ann (Conable) Bagg, who was a sister to Hattie's mother Susan Jane (Conable) Sawyer.
  • W. Y. Bardwell or U. Y. Bardwell
  • Flora T. Bemis of Cambridgeport, Massachusetts, signed at Townshend [presumably Vermont], on October 28, 1891
  • Ora B. Blodgett of Weston, Vermont, signed at Peru, Vermont, on September 9, 1892. He was the brother of Sylvester Malcolm Blodgett who would become Hattie Celestia Sawyer's husband.
  • S. M. Blodgett of Weston, Vermont; presumably Sylvester Malcolm Blodgett, who would marry Hattie Celestia Sawyer on November 5, 1890 at Peru, Vermont.
  • Loren C. Bryant, signed on November 17, 1887
  • M. E. Burrows, signed at Peru, Vermont, on October 9, 1888; not sure of surname
  • Jennie M. Byard of Peru, Vermont, signed on November 3, 1884
C
  • M. A. Colburn, teacher who presented the album to Hattie Celestia Sawyer, for improvement in writing, in 1882
  • Meda B. Conable of Bernardston, Massachusetts; signed at Peru, Vermont, on August 22, 1885. Aunt by marriage of Hattie Celestia Sawyer, Almeda Betsey (Coon) Conable was married to Dwight Norris Conable, brother of Hattie's mother, Susan Jane (Conable) Sawyer.
  • Lizzie Conlon, signed at Peru, Vermont, on March 20, 1884
  • M. Connable of Xenia, Ohio; presumably Matthew Connable, whose wife Fanny signed the right facing page. He was the first cousin, once removed, of album owner Hattie Celestia Sawyer.
  • Mrs. Fanny M. Connable of Xenia, Ohio; signed at Peru, Vermont, on August 22, 1884; it was presumably her husband who signed the left facing page as M. Connable of Xenia, Ohio.
  • Fannie H. Cross of Peru, Vermont, signed on August 19, 1886; Hattie's cousin. Her parents were Thomas and Hannah J. (Sawyer) Cross, who was a sister to Hattie's father Sarel Allen Sawyer.
D
  • Stephen H. Dutton of Windham, Vermont, signed at Peru, Vermont, on December 25, 1883
F
  • Belle M. Farnum of Peru, Vermont, signed on January 23, 1885
  • Mrs. U. S. Fuller, signed at Peru, Vermont, on October 27, 1885
  • Montie J. B. Fuller of Peru, Vermont, signed on October 25, 1885
H
  • Carrie E. Hosley of Gill, Massachusetts, signed on September 1, 1884. Her mother, Abbie B. (Conable) Hosley, was a sister to Hattie Celestia Sawyer's mother Susan Jane (Conable) Sawyer.
  • Hattie E. Hosley of Gill, Massachusetts, signed on September 1, 1884. Her mother, Abbie Bontacue (Conable) Hosley, was a sister to Hattie Celestia Sawyer's mother Susan Jane (Conable) Sawyer.
  • Abbie Hosley, signed at Gill, Massachusetts, on September 2, 1884. She was Abbie Bontacue Conable, sister of Susan Jane (Conable) Sawyer, Hattie Celestia Sawyer's mother.
  • Willie H. Hunt of Peru, Vermont
J
  • Richard F. Jones, signed at Peru, Vermont, on December 8, 1882, in the Winter School of 1883
L
  • Effie L. Lakin of Peru, Vermont, signed on June 26, 1883
  • Julia A. Lakin of Peru, Vermont
  • Jennie L. Landfear, signed at Landgrove, Vermont, on May 20, 1883
  • H. J. Laselle of Weston, Vermont, signed on March 19, 1890; "your Boss"
  • Nettie L. Lincoln, signed at Peru, Vermont, on December 19, 1885
  • Bertie M. Lyon, signed at Peru, Vermont, on November 23, 1884
  • Eugene M. Lyon of Peru, Vermont, signed on November 23, 1884
  • Mary Lyon, signed at Peru, Vermont, on November 14, 1884
M
  • Jennie C. Martyn of Canton, New York, signed at Peru, Vermont, on August 25, 1884
  • Delia T. Merkley, signed at Peru, Vermont, on July 9, 1887
  • Elmie M. Morrill of Canterbury, New Hampshire, signed on October 1, 1884. She was Elmie Mahala Morrill, daughter of Charles Franklinn Morrill and Ann (Sawyer) Morrill. Ann was a sister to Sarel Sawyer, father of Hattie Celestia Sawyer. Elmie signed two pages in the album.
  • Annie T. Morrill of Canterbury, New Hampshire, signed at Peru, Vermont. Hattie Celestia Sawyer's cousin. Annie Thomas Morrill was the daughter of Charles Franklin Morrill and Ann (Sawyer) Morrill, who was a brother to Hattie's father Sarel Sawyer.
P
  • H. E. Partridge of Weston, Vermont, signed on March 20, 1892. He was Herbert Eugene Partridge, who shared the page with his wife Cora May (Priest) Partridge.
  • Cora M. Patridge of Weston, Vermont, signed on March 20, 1892; she was Cora May (Priest) Partridge, who shared the page with her husband Herbert Eugene Patridge
  • Signed by Fortunato and Eugenia Perini, at TirolloTrento, Austria
  • Martha Phillips of Peru, Vermont, signed on April 4, 1889
R
  • C. M. Richardson, signed on Peru, Vermont, on August 31, 1887; perhaps Charles M. Richardson
  • James F. Roby of Springfield, Vermont, signed on November 2, 1885
  • E. L. Rugg of Peru, Vermont, signed on November 15, 1882
  • Mary Rush of Peru, Vermont, signed on August 4, 1886
S
  • Hattie Celestia Sawyer, album owner; presented the album for making the most improvement in writing, summer 1882, by teacher M. A. Colburn.
  • Jane C. Sawyer, signed at Peru, Vermont, on June 5, 1884; Hattie's mother
  • Jennie S. Sawyer of Peru, Vermont, signed on February 9, 1884; Hattie's sister
  • John H. Sawyer of Auburn, California, signed on July 24, 1887; presumably the older brother of Hattie Celestia Sawyer's father Sarel Allen Sawyer.
  • John P. Smith of Peru, Vermont, signed on January 10, 1888; Winter of 1888
  • George Smith of Peru, Vermont, signed there on July 10, 1887
T
  • Joseph Conable Thomas, signed at Peru, Vermont, on July 9, 1887.  http://books.google.com/books?id=LOEpAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA3-PA128&lpg=RA3-PA128&dq=%22Joseph+Conable+Thomas%22&source=bl&ots=FVM-UIIouJ&sig=dXHDT8Ph2bhD5aQFpSxhI9l4yLg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=9aNCU_ucPIzKsQSV9oHwDA&ved=0CFAQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=%22Joseph%20Conable%20Thomas%22&f=false His papers: http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/168220366?versionId=183388599
  • Fayette H. Thompson of North Clarendon, Vermont, signed on August 3, 1886
W
  • I. C. Watson of West Westminster, Vermont, signed on July 24, 1887
  • F. W. Watson of Townshend, Vermont, signed on June 1, 1888
  • Walter H. West of Peru, Vermont; shared the page, signed on January 24, 1880, with Delmer W. West
  • Delmer W. West of Peru, Vermont; shared the page, signed on January 24, 1880, with Walter H. West
  • Wallace W. West of Peru, Vermont, signed on January 27, 1878 or 1888 (strikethrough)
  • Alice D. West of Peru, Vermont, signed on February 4, 1883; presumably Alice B. (Wait) West, wife of signer William Wallace West.
  • Mrs. C. W. Whitney, signed at Peru, Vermont, on April 27, 1884
  • Georgie B. Whitney, signed on March 21, 1884
  • N. Earl Whitney of Peru, Vermont, signed on October 28 [no year written]


Thanks for stopping by!

3 comments:

  1. This is fantastic. I've been searching for information about this family, and here is her book. Where did you come by this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Purchased thru eBay in 2007. (A reminder to family researchers to set up Google and eBay alerts with surname and locale)

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    2. Is there any way you can post a picture of John Harris Sawyer's signature? He is my great-great-grandfather. Are you related to this family? Do you have any other info about them?

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