Friday, November 21, 2014

1882-1898 Autograph Album of Ida Meyers of Tonawanda, New York


1882-1898 autograph album presented to Ida Christine Meyers by her brother George Carl Meyers at Christmas in 1882 at Tonawanda, New York.

George inscribed several pages.  On one of them, third from bottom below, Ida wrote a message to her future well wishers.





The album measures approximately 7" x 4-1/4" and contains the sentiments of possibly as many as 40 of Ida's relatives, friends and schoolmates, but I suspect that several of the signers wrote multiple pages.  An alphabetical surname list and an 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!]

This was a tricky one, because I believe that two of the people with the surname Martin who called Ida their sister were actually Ida's cousins.  It appears that she may have been brought up by a paternal aunt after her parents' deaths, or at least after the death of her mother in 1871.

I believe the owner was Ida Christine Meyers, who was born December 25, 1866 at Titusville, Pennsylvania, the daughter of John, or Johann, and Rosina Katharina (Reister) Meyers.  John was an immigrant from Germany, and Rosina was the daughter of German immigrants who moved to Buffalo, New York, where she was born.

Fittingly, Ida had a brother, George Carl Meyers.  Ida's father, John Meyers, had a sister Elizabeth, who married German immigrant Charles G. Martin.  Several of their children inscribed pages in Ida's album, some calling themselves her cousin and at least two her sister.

Louise Martin of Tonawanda, New York, inscribed a page to her "sister".


Someone who signed with initials that appear to be W. S. ? called himself Ida's brother.  The last initial could be an M, which could stand for Meyers or Martin.


Cousins who identified themselves as such:

  • Henry Martin of Tonawanda, New York
  • William Martin of Tonawanda, New York - possibly the same "cousin" William Martin and William Martin and William M. who signed multiple pages
  • Juliana Baerle of Tonawanda, New York
Additionally Ida's niece Virginia Martin inscribed a page.


About November 1889, Ida married Frederick August Zuckmaier, who was born March 10, 1866 at Tonawanda, New York, the son of Franz and Selma (Schumann) Zuckmaier.  The couple raised a son, Franklin Gustuv Zuckmaier, and a daughter, Selma Rosina Zuckmaier, at Tonawanda, New York.  Ida died in 1963; her husband had predeceased her in 1953.

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]
Baehre
Behnke  [2]
Diedrich
Feederle  [5]
Fruehauf  [2]
Knoell
Loge
Lounsbury  [2]
M?
Martin  [15 - though one or more signers may have signed multiple pages]
Meyers  [2]
Reibe  [2]
Snyder
Stuerman
Wulf
York  [2]
Young

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

  • "Hudle Pudle", signed on December 26, 1891
  • Frank H., signed on December 19, 1898
  • Written in German
B
  • Juliana Baehre of Tonawanda, New York, signed on December 1, 1884; Ida's cousin
  • William Behnke, signed on March 15, 1882; Ida's schoolmate
  • Minna Behnke, signed on March 15, 1882
D
  • Frederich Diedrich of Tonawanda, New York
F
  • Richard Feederle of Tonawanda, New York, signed in 1891
  • Richard Feederle, signed at Tonawanda, New York, in November 1891
  • Rich Feederle, signed at Tonawanda, New York, i November 1891
  • Richard Feederle, signed at Tonawanda, New York, in November 1891
  • Richard Feederle, signed at Tonawanda, New York in November 1891
  • Miss Anna Fruehauf; shared the page with M. W. Snyder and C. Lillie Fruehauf
  • C. Lillie Fruehauf; shared the page with M. W. Snyder and Miss Anna Fruehauf
K
  • Charles Knoell of St. Johnsbury, Vermont; shared the page with William Martin
L
  • Louis Loge, signed on August 4, 188?
  • William K. Lounsbury, signed on April 2, 1882
  • Ada M. Lounsbury of Tonawanda, New York, signed on March 26, 1882
M
  • W. S. M.; not sure of initials; called himself Ida's brother
  • Henry Martin of Tonawanda, New York
  • Henry Martin of Tonawanda, New York, signed in 1884; Ida's cousin
  • Carry Martin
  • William Martin of Tonawanda, New York, signed on December 25, 1891
  • William Martin of Tonawanda, New York, signed on December 25, 1891; Ida's cousin
  • Willie Martin of City [presumably Tonawanda, New York]; shared the page with Phillip Young
  • William Martin of Tonawanda, New York, signed on December 19, 1891
  • William Martin of Seat No. 31, Arithmetic; shared the page with Charles Knoell
  • Charles J. Martin
  • Louise Martin of Tonawanda, New York; Ida's sister
  • Virginia Martin; "your niece"
  • W. Martin, signed on December 28, 1887; Ida's cousin
  • William M., signed on December 14, 1886; Ida's cousin
  • William Martin, signed on December 24, 1889
  • William Martin of Tonawanda, New York, signed in April 1892
  • Ida Meyers of Tonawanda, New York; album owner
  • George Meyers of Tonawanda, New York; he presented the album to his sister Ida on December 25, 1882; he inscribed a page in the middle of the album
R
  • Christean Reibe, signed at Tonawanda, New York, on March 25, 1883
  • Minnie Riebe
S
  • M. W. Snyder of Erie County, New York; shared the page with Anna Fruehauf and C. Lillie Fruehauf.  M. W. Synder's name was stamped multiple times on the inside front cover and first end paper.
  • A. Struerman
W
  • Fred Wulf, signed at Tonawanda, New York, on August 10, 1882
Y
  • York
  • Felax York of City [presumably Tonawanda, New York]; he inscribed two pages
  • Phillip Young of Eden Valley, New York; shared the page with Willie Martin
Tonawanda, New York


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