1860+ Autograph Album of John M. Wernham of New York, New Jersey and Illinois

1860+ autograph album of John M. Wernham, who was born in New York, lived in New Jersey and later moved to McHenry County, Illinois, with his parents and siblings.  The wellwishers hail from all three states.

The album is approximately 8" x 5-1/2" and contains the sentiments of 35 of John's relatives and friends.  An alphabetical surname list and alphabetical list of the signers, together with any personal information they offered, appear at the end of this post.

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

John M. Wernham was born August 30, 1842 in New York City, I believe, the son of James Wernham and Margaret (Mackenzie) Wernham, who was born in New York or New Jersey.  In some sources, James is shown as an English immigrant; in others, he was shown as born in New York.  The confusion may have resulted from the fact that, according to one source, his father had the same name.

Three of John's siblings inscribed pages in the album.  Mary, or Marie, signed a page as Marie.  She would later marry William Abbott, a Massachusetts native, and they would make their home at Marengo, Illinois.  She may have met him in Illinois.

Sister Martha Elizabeth Wernham, "Mattie", signed a page while she was a student at the State Normal School at Trenton, New Jersey.  Two other people, presumably fellow students, also signed the page: Ine Rosbotham and Annie C. Williams.  Mattie would later marry Charles William Ingersoll, who also signed a page in the album.

 Sister Sarah M. Wernham, "Sadie", also signed a page with two other people: Emma M. Williams and Julia A. Williams.  Sadie gave her address as 79 Hudson Street, Jersey City, New Jersey.  Sadly, Sadie would die on April 1, 1863 in Illinois.

At some point after 1860 the Wernham family moved to McHenry County, Illinois, in the area of Riley and Marengo.  Another sibling, Spencer Cone Wernham was a noted physician in Illinois, as was his son James I. Wernham, possibly named for his paternal grandfather.

Four signers named Mackenzie inscribed pages in the album: John, Sr; John; Robert; and William.  It's tempting to think that John Mackenzie Sr. might have been Margaret's father and John, Robert and William her brothers, but I haven't as yet found evidence of that.

On May 3, 1864, John M. Wernham enlisted in Company F of the 141st Illinois Regiment.  He died just a few months later at Columbus, Kentucky, on September 21, 1864, whether from disease or battle wounds, I don't know.  I also don't know if he's actually buried with his parents and sister Sadie, as their shared stone at the City Cemetery at Marengo, Illinois, implies.

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

?	G	R
"M" of Jersey City	Guthrie	Rosbotham [2]
A	H	S
Adams	Halteman	Skinner
B	I	Springsteen
Bennett	Ingersoll	T
Blanchard	J	Telfer
Bogart	Janeway [2]	Turner
C	L	V
Collins	Lyon [2]	Veness
D	M	W
Day	Mackenzie [4]	Wernham [2]
Downer	McClelland	Williams [3]
E		Williamson
England

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

?

• M, signed at Jersey City, New Jersey, on April 4, 1860

A

• Aurora Adams of Marengo, Illinois

B

• Sidney Rushmore Bennett of 80 South Street, New York, signed on April 10, 1860
• Delia Blanchard of Marengo, Illinois
• James Bogart of New York

C

• James T. B. Collins of Jersey City, New Jersey, signed on April 11, 1860

D

• George M. Day of Brooklyn, presumably New York
• D. R. Downer of New York, signed on April 11, 1860

E

• Charles W. England of Newark, New Jersey

G

• Master E. P. Guthrie of U.S. Steamer Bibb, at Charleston, South Carolina

H

• D. Emory Halteman of Marengo, Illinois; presumably David Emory Halteman.  

I

• Charles W. Ingersoll of Marengo, Illinois; future husband of John's sister Martha Elizabeth Wernham

J

• Frank L. Janeway, signed at Jersey City, New Jersey, on April 6, 1860
• Thomas L. Janeway of Jersey City, New Jersey, signed on April 10, 1860

L

• A. J. Lyon of New York. Possibly Albert J. Lyon, whose wife Mary J. Lyon signed the right facing page.
• Mary J. Lyon of New York. Possibly the Mary J. Lyon who was married to Albert J. Lyon; an A. J. Lyon signed the left facing page.

M

• Robert A. Mackenzie, signed at New York, April 5, 1860
• William Mackenzie of New York
• John Mackenzie, Jr. of New York
• John Mackenzie of New York
• Beckie T. McClelland of Jersey City, New Jersey, signed on April 21, 1860; not sure of middle initial

R

• Beckie Rosbotham of Jersey City, New Jersey
• Ine Rosbotham of Jersey City, New Jersey; not sure of given name.  Shared the page with Mattie E. Wernham and Annie C. Williams

S

• John Skinner, Sr. of Brooklyn, New York; not sure of surname
• Isaac H. Springsteen of Jersey City, New Jersey

T

• Matthew Telfer of Hudson City, New Jersey
• Lizzie O. Turner of Jersey City, New Jersey

V

• James Veness of Rockton, Illinois, Winnebago County

W

• John M. Wernham, album owner
• Sadie M. Wernham of 79 Hudson Street, Jersey City, New Jersey; John's sister Sarah Wernham, who would die on April 1, 1863.  Shared the page with Emma M. Williams and Julia A. Williams
• "Your Sister Marie; Marie or Mary Wernham, born about 1840. About 1863 she would marry William Abbott, a Massachusetts native. They would live at Marengo, Illinois.
• Mattie E. Wernham at State Normal School at Trenton, New Jersey; John's sister Martha Elizabeth Wernham, who would marry signer Charles William Ingersoll.  Shared the page with Ine Rosbotham and Annie C. Williams 
• Emma M. Williams of Marengo, Illinois.  Shared the page with Sadie M. Wernham and Julia A. Williams
• Julia A. Williams of Marengo, Illinois.  Shared the page with Sadie M. Williams and Emma M. Williams
• Annie C. Williams of Bond Street, Brooklyn, New York.  Shared the page with Ine Rosbotham and Mattie E. Wernham
• John Williamson of Mt. Morris, Illinois

Jersey City, New Jersey to Marengo, Illinois

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