1890s Autograph Album of Helen Brooks of Schodack, New York

1890s autograph album of Helen Brooks of Schodack, New York.  She may have been Ellen C. Brooks.  Several of her siblings and other relatives inscribed pages in the album.

The album measures approximately 6-3/4" by 4-1/2" and contains the sentiments of 44 of Helen's relatives, friends and schoolmates.  An alphabetical surname list and an alphabetical list of the inscribers, together with any personal information they offered, appear at the end of this post.

On a bittersweet page a note was added, presumably by Helen herself, to indicate that the inscriber, Fannie Barringer of South Schodack, had died.  Fannie inscribed her page on September 15, 1891.  The note indicates that she died on May 21, 1893.

From brief online research, hopefully correct, and hopefully with the correct person as the album owner [corrections and additions requested]

Helen Brooks was born June 24, 1879 at Schodack, New York, the daughter of Jacob H. Brooks and Laura M. (Collins) Brooks.

Helen's father, Jacob H. Brooks, the son of Abraham and Elizabeth (Hogeboom) Brooks, may have had a first marriage to Rosa Craigin, daughter of Andrew F. and Margaret (Cleary) Craigin; they possibly had two children together.  Rosa died April 30, 1871.  Hopefully a reader will weigh in with definitive information.

On November 2, 1872, Jacob married Laura M. Collins, daughter of Joseph and Mary B. (Worth) Collins.  I believe Jacob and Laura had seven children together, but, again, I'd be interested in hearing from a reader.  Several people from the Collins family inscribed pages in Helen's album.

Helen's sister Suke of East Schodack, New York, inscribed a page on June 24, 1893.

Helen's brother Charles J. Brooks inscribed a page on May 15, 1892.

Helen's brother Junius Fallon Brooks inscribed a page.

Helen's brother Burton Brooks of South Schodack, New York, inscribed a page.

Helen's sister Abbie Amelia Brooks inscribed a page on February 19, 1892.

Helen's sister Mary E. Brooks, "Mamie", inscribed a page in July 1891.

Many other inscribers indicated a family relationship with Helen, as you can see from the list of inscribers below.  Among them were Helen's great aunt Abbie M. White of Muitzesville, New York, and great uncle George B. Worth.

Before 1910, Helen married Fred Higgins, son of David and Sophia Higgins.  Fred was born about October 1881 in New York.  I believe Helen and Fred had at least three children.  Fred died in 1958, but I haven't found a death record for Helen.

If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the inscribers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Surnames in the Album

A	Ackerman [3]	E	Edwards	K	Kingman [3]	T	Tobias
B	Barringer		Evans [2]		Kingston		Townsend
	Brooks [9]	F	Featherley	L	Leavenworth [2]		Tremble
C	C ?	G	Goewey ?		Lobdell [3]	W	White
	Collins [5]	H	Hall	S	Simms ?		Wilcox
	Coons [2]		Ham				Worth
			Huss

List of Inscribers - given names within a specific surname might not be in alphabetical order

A

• Letta R. Ackerman of Nassau, inscribed on August 12, 1891; Helen's cousin
• Martha A. Ackerman of Nassau, New York, inscribed on August 12, 1891; Helen's cousin
• Lansing I. Ackerman, inscribed on November 20, 1892

B

• Fannie Barringer, inscribed at South Schodack, New York, on September 15, 1891; Helen's schoolmate. Sadly, someone, presumably Helen, added a note: "My schoolmate died May 21, 1893"
• Helen Brooks of Schodack, New York; album owner.  
• Suke, inscribed at East Schodack, New York, on June 24 1893; Helen's sister
• Charles J. Brooks, inscribed on May 15, 1892. Helen's brother
• Junius Brooks; Helen's brother Junius Fallon Brooks
• Eva R. Brooks of Poughkeepsie, New York; Helen's niece
• Burton Brooks of South Schodack, New York; Helen's brother Burton Jacob Brooks
• Abbie A. Brooks of New York, inscribed on February 19, 1892; Helen's sister Abigail Amelia Brooks
• Mamie E. Brooks, inscribed in July 1891; Helen's sister Mary E. Brooks
• Eva R. Brooks of Poughkeepsie, New York, inscribed on November 19, 1894; Helen's niece

C

• K. E. C., inscribed at August 3, [no year written] at Castleton, New York
• Carrie E. Collins of Muitzeskill, New York, inscribed on November 26, 1893; Helen's aunt. She was Caroline E. Collins, a sister to Helen's mother Laura M. (Collins) Brooks
• Gussie Collins, inscribed on February 19, 1892 at Nassau, New York
• Kittie I. Collins of Nassau, New York, inscribed on February 21, 1892
• Anna Collins of New York, inscribed on February 21, 1892
• Maggie M. Collins, inscribed on February 19, 1892
• Charles W. Coons, inscribed at South Schodack, New York
• Mrs. L. G. Coons, inscribed at South Schodack, New York, on June 15, 1891. Not sure of surname

E

• Jennie Edwards, inscribed on March 1, 1895
• Mrs. George Evans of Albany, New York; called herself Helen's sister
• George W. Evans of Green Island, New York, inscribed on March 15, 1893 [spelled Iseland]

F

• Edith M. Featherley, inscribed on October 6, 1893

G

• Bertha C. Goewey of East Schodack, New York, inscribed on October 6, 1893. Not sure of surname

H

• E. W. Hall of Hudson, New York, inscribed on February 2, 1892
• Estella Ham of Nassau, New York, inscribed on September 15, 1891
• Annie Huss of Muitzeskill, New York, inscribed on February 17, 1882

K

• Alice V. Kingman
• Urania M. Kingman
• Hattie K. Kingman, inscribed on July 11, 1891; Helen's schoolmate
• E. A. H. of Kingston, New York, inscribed on April 18, 1894

L

• Elias W. Leavenworth of North Chatham, New York, inscribed on March 26, 1893
• Maude M. Leavenworth, inscribed on March 27, 1893
• Albertha Lobdell, inscribed in 1894
• Celia Lobdell of Nassau, New York, inscribed on February 26, 1894
• Florence Lobdell of Nassau, New York, inscribed on February 28, 1894

S

• Etta C. Simms; inscribed on November 18, 1893. Not sure of surname

T

• Mrs. George Tobias of Mellenville, New York; Helen's cousin
• Miss Lottie Townsend, inscribed at West Berne, New York, on July 9, 1892 [or 1893]
• ? Hattie Tremble of Stephentown, New York, inscribed on August 3, 1891

W

• Abbie M. White of Muitzeskill, New York, inscribed on February 2, 1892; Helen's Great Aunt
• Effie Wilcox of Albany, New York, inscribed on July 6 [no year written]; not sure of surname
• G. B. Worth, inscribed on May 10, 1892. Helen's great uncle George B. Worth, brother of Helen's maternal grandmother Mary B. (Worth) Collins