Thursday, May 29, 2014

1884-1908 Autograph Album of Annie J. Ross of Boston, Massachusetts - member of Chautauqua Literary & Scientific Circle


1884-1908 autograph album that belonged to Annie J. Ross of Boston, Massachusetts.   Several signers indicated their membership in the Chautauqua Literary & Scientific Circle; presumably Annie was also a member.


The album is approximately 7" x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of 59 of Annie's relatives and friends.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post and contains relevant information.  A few of the pages include notes added later, presumably by Annie, indicating that the signer had died.


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

Annie J. Ross was born about March 1866 in New Jersey, the daughter of William and Helen M. (Hurd) Ross, who were born Norfolk, Virginia, and Wiscasset, Maine, respectively.  As shown by the 1870 Federal Census, the family of six was living at Charlestown, Massachusetts, where William was working as a "currier".

Annie's mother, Helen M. (Hurd) Ross, inscribed a page in the album.


Two of Annie's siblings signed pages in her album.  Helen Virginia Ross inscribed her page in Charlestown, Massachusetts.  Her future husband William J. Cloues signed the right facing page.



Annie's brother Clarence A. Ross of Charlestown, Massachusetts, signed a page on February 15, 1887.  He included an interesting reference: "Toronto - 17".


Up through the 1920 Census, it appears that Annie had not married.  Perhaps she never did.  In 1920, she was in living in a household with Caroline Caswell and Myra L. Higgins.  They dealt in fancy goods.   Incidentally, the album contains a page signed by Caroline M. Caswell of Malden, Massachusetts, on January 8, 1896.


Another signer who may have been in business with them later on was Nellie E. Cook.  She signed a page on September 7, 1899.


As noted above, several signers included the initials C. L. S. C., which stood for the Chautauqua Literary & Scientific Circle.  One of them was Lillia T. Wetherbee of Dorchester, Massachusetts, who inscribed her page on January 26, 1889.


Facing pages were signed by Rev. William Bartlett, pastor of the Lexington Baptist Church, and his wife.



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.

Surnames in the album

?     [3]
Baker
Bartlett     [2]
Blaisdell
Blandin
Boardman
Bosworth
Carter
Caswell     [2]
Chapman
Chase
Cheney
Chipman
Cloues
Coates
Cook
Cross
Currier
Darling
Dearborn
Ferguson
Fitch     [2]
Foy
Frost
Graves     [2]
Hall
Hamilton
Harris
Magwood
McDorrell
Merrill     [2]
Park
Perkins     [2]
Peterson
Ranton
Ross     [4]
Sanborn
Smith
Snow    [3]
Spinney
Storey
Tyler
Walker
Wetherbee
Whitney
Woodward
Zachary

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

?
  • A. D. D., signed on April 17, 1900
  • Densie, or Deusie, signed on July 30, 1900
  • M. A. C., signed on March 21, 1907
B
  • Lucy E. Baker of Southboro, Massachusetts, signed at Lake View on July 24, 1885.  "C.L.S.C. '87"  Chautauqua Literary & Scientific Circle.
  • Mrs. E. F. Bartlett of Lexington, Massachusetts. I believe that the signer on the right facing page was her husband Rev. William Bartlett, Pastor of the Lexington Baptist Church.
  • William Bartlett, Pastor of Lexington Baptist Church, signed at Lexington, Massachusetts, on August 25, 1884. His middle initial might be P. The signer on the left facing page, Mrs. E. F. Bartlett, might have been his wife.
  • M. Alice Blaisdell, signed on January 5, 1885. Later note: "Died Nov. 30, 1885"
  • Cora M. Blandin of Charlestown, Massachusetts; Paney, Class of '87, C.L.S.C., Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle.
  • W. H. Boardman, 139 High St., Charlestown, Massachusetts, signed on August 21, 1886
  • Lillie A. Bosworth of Charlestown, Massachusetts, signed on December 2, 1884
C
  • Florence L. Carter, signed at Watertown, Massachusetts, on July 30, 1887 and at Quincy, Massachusetts, on October 23, 1888
  • L. Edith Caswell, signed at Malden, Massachusetts, on August 22, 1900
  • Caroline M. Caswell, signed at Malden, Massachusetts, on January 8, 1896
  • Elizabeth Chapman, signed on August 11, 1900
  • Maud Chase, signed on July 24, 1887; shared the page with Alice G. Ranton; Cora L. Foy; Olive A. McDorrell; and Maud Chase
  • Ella F. Cheney, signed at Charlestown, Massachusetts, on September 21, 1890; shared the page with Emma A. Hamilton and Hattie M. Hall
  • Grace E. Chipman, signed at Roxbury [presumably Massachusetts], on December 1, 1900
  • William J. Cloues, signed at Charlestown, Massachusetts, on January 1, 1884
  • Sara E. Coates, signed at 11 Myrtle Street, Boston, Massachusetts, on April 28, 1899
  • Nellie E. Cook, signed on September 7, 1899
  • Anna C. Cross, signed at Salem, Massachusetts, on August 30, 1885
  • Susan J. Currier, signed on May 3, 1885
D
  • Emma Darling, signed on March 30, 1899
  • Mrs. E. M. Dearborn, signed on January 7, 1884
F
  • Emily A. Ferguson of Lexington, Massachusetts, signed on September 18, 1884
  • Lillian E. Fitch of Lexington, Massachusetts, signed on September 5, 1884
  • Alice Fitch of Lexington, Massachusetts, signed on September 5, 1884
  • Cora L. Foy, signed on May 4, 1889; shared the page with Alice G. Ranton; Olive A. McDorrell; Bessie Zachary; and Maud Chase
  • Salome A. Frost, signed on October 9, 1908
G
  • Sadie A. Graves, signed at Boston, Massachusetts, on April 1, 1884
  • Hattie A. Graves, signed at Charlestown, Massachusetts on April 1, 1884. Not sure of middle initial
H
  • Hattie M. Hall, signed at Charlestown, Massachusetts, on September 21, 1890; shared the page with Emma A. Hamilton and Ella F. Cheney
  • Emma A. Hamilton of Charlestown, Massachusetts, signed on August 17, 1890; shared the page with Ella F. Cheney and Hattie M. Hall
  • Lila I. Harris of Malden, Massachusetts, signed on November 8, 1903
M
  • Robert H. Magwood of Boston, Massachusetts, signed at Framingham, Massachusetts on January 27, 1889. "B.O.C. '89"
  • Olive A. McDorrell, signed on June 30, 1889; shared the page with Alice G. Ranton; Cora L. Foy; Bessie Zachary; and Maud Chase
  • Effie Adella Merrill, signed at Linden Cottage on August 2, 1908
  • Isadore E. Merrill, signed at Charlestown, Massachusetts, on June 28, 1886; mention C. L. S. C., Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
P
  • Ethel J. Park of Boston, Massachusetts, signed on March 12, 1884
  • Susie M. S. Perkins, signed on December 4, 1890. Later note: "Died Nov. 1891"
  • Lucy T. Perkins of Charlestown, Massachusetts, signed on March 22, 1885
  • Izora A. Peterson, signed on Sunday, February 12, 1899
R
  • Alice G. Ranton of Charlestown, Massachusetts; shared the page with Cora L. Foy; Olive A. McDorrell; Bessie Zachary; and Maud Chase
  • Annie J. Ross, 1884.   Album owner Annie J. Ross started compiling autographs in this album in 1884.
  • Helen Virginia Ross, signed at Charlestown, Massachusetts
  • Helen M. Ross
  • Clarence A. Ross of Charlestown, Massachusetts, signed on February 15, 1887. "Toronto - 17"
S
  • Ella J. Sanborn of Charlestown, Massachusetts, signed on July 26, 1886
  • Eugenia D. Smith, signed on February 28, 1884 at Charlestown, Massachusetts
  • H. W. Snow of Lexington, Massachusetts, signed on September 24, 1884. L.B.C.F
  • Annie F. Snow of Lexington, Massachusetts, signed on January 25, 1884
  • Hattie I. Snow, signed at Lexington, Massachusetts, on January 25, 1884
  • Isabel F. Spinney, signed on April 26, 1908
  • Carrie P. Storey of Charlestown, Massachusetts, signed on May 8, 1886
T
  • Margaret E. Tyler, #11 Myrtle Street, Boston, Massachusetts, signed on July 21, 1899
W
  • Sadie L. Walker, signed at Boston, Massachusetts, on December 28, 1896
  • Lillia T. Wetherbee of Dorchester, Massachusetts, signed on January 26, 1889. "Yours in bonds of "C.L.S.C."
  • Edson L. Whitney of Boston, Massachusetts, signed on January 11, 1889
  • Addie L. Woodward of Lexington, Massachusetts, signed on October 14, 1884
Z
  • Bessie Zachary, signed on December 2, 1888; shared the page with Alice G. Ranton; Cora L. Foy; Olive A. McDorrell; and Maud Chase

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