Wednesday, February 4, 2015

1850s Autograph Album of Rowena E. Warfield of Potter, New York, with Added Notes of Her Daughter


1850s autograph album that belonged to Rowena E. Warfield of Potter, New York, future wife of Civil War Dr. James Augustus Bennett, who served in the U.S. Army in the 1850s in the Southwest, with many adventures and misadventures; as a surgeon in the Civil War; and as a practicing physician at Prattsburgh, New York.  Read more about Dr. Bennett here.

Their daughter Elizabeth Warfield Bennett added explanatory notes to numerous pages, such as the page Rowena inscribed at the beginning of the album, below, and left a loose note inside the album explaining its origin and noting that she was then 89 years old.


Many of the autographs were acquired at Franklin Academy at Prattsburgh, New York, where Rowena was a student in the early 1850s.

The album measures approximately 7-3/4" x 6" and contains the sentiments of over 70 of Rowena's relatives, friends and schoolmates at Franklin Academy at Prattsburg, New York in Yates County.  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.

The album was published by J. C. Riker of New York and contains six engravings, such as the frontispiece, "Forest Worship" below.  It was drawn by Peter F. Rothermel and engraved by John Sartain.


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

Rowena E. Warfield was born January 9, 1833 at Prattsburgh, New York, the daughter of Lindsey and Elizabeth (Lamoreaux) Warfield, who were born in Maryland and New York respectively.  On September 19, 1860, Rowena married Dr. James Augustus Bennett, who inscribed a page in her album and added his Civil War service as a surgeon with the 13th New York Heavy Artillery.  Daughter Elizabeth added more information.


In addition to Elizabeth Warfield Bennett, Rowena had a daughter Eva, who died young.  Rowena died in 1889; by the time of the 1900 Census, Dr. Bennett was living with his daughter Elizabeth and her husband Ira L. Smith at Prattsburgh, New York.  Dr. Bennett in 1909; read his obituary here.

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

? [23]CFJRT
AC ? [4]ForestJ ?RandolphTaylor
A ? [2]DGJacksonRead [2]V
BD ?GallettKSValkenburgh
B ?DiamentGleasonK ?S ?W
BabcockDoubledayGreeneLSmithWaldo [3]
BeamontDrewHLewisSpragueWarfield [2]
BellowsDudleyHawleyMSturdevantWheeler [2]
BennettEHobart [2]MarselleWhite
BennittE ?HopkinsMcCarrick
Burroughs

Signers in the Album    [Note: Given names within a specific surname might not be in alphabetical order.]
  • 2-page dedication by M.D.L., or M.D.G., inscribed on July 10, 1852
  • Writing too faint to decipher; consists of some numbers, including a distinct "43"
  • Lucy, signed at Prattsburgh, New York, on February 20, 1854
  • Julie, signed at Galesburgh, Illinois, on February 4, 1858
  • Scott of Hornellsville, New York, signed at Franklin Academy on July 7, 1852
  • Part of the handwriting, including any name or residence, is rubbed out.
  • Charles
  • Cleo, signed at Franklin Academy on July 13, 1852
  • Richard, signed on Christmas Eve in 1853; perhaps Rowena's older brother.
  • Very faint; possibly inscribed by Charlie.
  • Chloe, Rowena's cousin
  • Laura, signed at Prattsburgh, New York, on July 12, 1852
  • Mate of Yatesville, signed at September 2, 1853
  • Ginnie. Later note: "J. W. Francis"
  • C. W. H. or C. W. ?, signed on March 26, 1856
  • "Your City Friend", signed on November 27, 1855
  • "Em"
  • Walter
  • Abbie, signed at Prattsburgh, New York, on March 22, 1853
  • Chloe
  • Hattie, signed at Franklin Academy on March 21, 1853
  • Jules or Jule or ?
  • ?; name rubbed out.
A
  • Samantha A. ?, signed at Prattsburgh, New York, on July 12, 1852. Surname initial possibly F.
  • 2-page sentiment by H. E. A., signed at Prattsburgh, New York, on February 16, 1854
B
  • Ruth A. V. V. B., signed at Prattsburgh, New York, on July 12, 1852
  • I. S. Babcock, Jr., signed at Prattsburgh, New York, on March 12, 1853
  • James B. Beamont, signed at Franklin Academy in July 1852
  • Mary J. Bellows, signed at Franklin Academy on July 7, 1852
  • James A. Bennett, M.D., Surg. 13 N.Y.H. Artillary 1865; signed at Geneseo, New York. Rowena's future husband. Note: "Married by a Friend of Family - By J. Broadhead Wentworth, member of Genesee Conf. 1852. "Christine Gunsolus - was also a brides-maid) My Mother at Rushville - Yates Co., New York, in 1860, September 19"
  • Sue Bennitt, signed at Franklin Academy on July 8, 1852. Later note: "Della Wilson's Aunt 1852"
  • S. Amelia Burroughs, signed at "Old Franklin", March 14, 1854
C
  • S. B. C., signed on July 10, 1852
  • ? Lewis C. of Savona, New York, signed at Franklin Academy
  • Helen M. C. of Wheeler, signed on July 12, 1852
  • E.V.C.
D
  • J. D., signed at Potter, New York, on December 10, 1852
  • J. N. Diament, signed at Franklin Academy on July 15, 1852
  • J. M. Doubleday or I. M. Doubleday, signed at Prattsburgh, New York, on July 13, 1852. Possibly Jerome M. Doubleday, who would die in the Civil War at Harpers Ferry [in what would become, in 1863, the state of West Virginia]
  • Benjamin F. Drew of Urbana, signed at Franklin Academy on July 13, 1852
  • G. Dudley of Bath, New York, signed at Franklin Academy on July 10, 1852. Perhaps Gilford Dudley of Bath, New York
E
  • N. B. E. or H. B. E. or ?
F
  • Frank Forest, signed on November 22, 1855
G
  • Marth Gallett  [From information supplied in a reader comment below: The Marth Gallett is probably my 1st cousin 3x removed, Martha Elizabeth Gallett (1834-1897), the daughter of John A. and Elizabeth Briggs Gallett, of Jerusalem, Yates, NY. She was listed as a teacher in the 1855 NY State Census, so possibly attended Franklin Academy. She married Daniel Wells in 1859 and moved to Columbia Co. WI."
  • Hattie Gleason
  • Jennie Greene, signed on January 14, 1859
H
  • M. Walter Hawley of Hornellsville, New York, signed at Frankln Academy, on July 7, 1852
  • 2-page sentiment by Charles W. Hobart, inscribed at Yatesville at Potter, New York
  • L. Annette Hobart, signed at Yatesville, New York, on September 13, 1853 [not sure of last digit because of a strikeover]
  • Mattie Hopkins of Branchport, New York, signed at Franklin Academy at Prattsburgh, New York, on July 10 [no state written]
J
  • Minnie J. J., signed at Warsaw in September 1858
  • A. A. Jackson, signed on September 7, 1858; not sure of initials.  Shared the page with ? Randolph
K
  • H. W. K.; not sure of first initial.
L
  • Howard Lewis
M
  • 2-page sentiment of John Marselle, signed at Hammondsport, New York; Rowena's schoolmate at Franklin Academy. Middle initial possibly S.
  • J. L. McCarrick, signed at Prattsburgh, New York, on March 7, 1853. Note: "John McCarrick was quite in love with My Mother, 1854, March 7". The top 3/4 of the page is missing.
R
  • ? Randolph of Milo, New York, signed at Franklin Academy on March 13, 1853; shared the page with A. A. Jackson
  • Phebe M. Read of Hammondsport, New York, signed at Franklin Academy in 1852
  • Rozilla Read of Hammondsport, New York, signed at Franklin Academy in 1852
S
  • Jennie S., signed at Old Franklin, on February 20, 1853
  • Nancy D. Smith, signed at Prattsburgh, New York on July 8, 1852
  • I. Sprague of Milo Center, New York, signed at Franklin Academy on March 23, 1853
  • R. A. Sturdevant, signed at Franklin Academy on March 13, 1853. Perhaps Robert Austin Sturdevant (1836-1891) of Prattsburgh, New York.
T
  • 2-page sentiment by S. C. Taylor of Penn Yan, signed at Franklin Academy at Prattsburgh, New York on March 2, 1853.
V
  • G. S. Valkenburgh
W
  • Marthe Waldo, or Martha Waldo. Presumably the Martha Waldo (1833-1863) who lived at Prattsburgh, New York.
  • J. D. Waldo, signed at Prattsburgh, New York, on July 9, 1852.  Perhaps John Davenport Waldo.
  • G. E. Waldo, signed at Prattsburgh, New York, on March 20, 1853; not sure of first initial.  Perhaps George Edward Waldo, who died in the Civil War in Tennessee.
  • Miss Rowena E. Warfield; album owner. Later notes by Rowena's child, possibly Elizabeth W. Bennett: "Rowena E. W. Bennett, My mother, 1852. E. W. B. 1863-" 1947/1952"
  • Charlie, signed in 1857. E.W.B.'s later note: "My Uncle Charles, 1853--. Mother's brother [Chas] C. H. Warfield, Prattsburgh, New York". Charles Henry Warfield (1828-1865)
  • Melinda Wheeler
  • Deal M. Wheeler, signed at Prattsburgh, New York, on March 15, 1854. Later note: "Delia Wheeler - was one of my Mother's Brides-Maid; Home at Wheeler in the big house on corner" (To Wheeler's) September 19, 186x [strikeover]" Delia M. Wheeler.
  • Leo White or L? White, signed at Franklin Academy at Hammondsport, New York, on March 7 [no year written]; Rowena's schoolmate.
Potter, New York; and Prattsburgh, New York


Thanks for stopping by!

1 comment:

  1. The Marth Gallett is probably my 1st cousin 3x removed, Martha Elizabeth Gallett (1834-1897), the daughter of John A. and Elizabeth Briggs Gallett, of Jerusalem, Yates, NY. She was listed as a teacher in the 1855 NY State Census, so possibly attended Franklin Academy. She married Daniel Wells in 1859 and moved to Columbia Co. WI.

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