1860-1880 Autograph Album of Alice M. Seeley, "Allie", of Brockport and Clarkson, New York

1860-1880 autograph album that belonged to Alice M. Seeley, "Allie", of Brockport and Clarkson, New York.

All but one of the inscriptions were made in the 1860s, with one made at Brockport, New York in 1880, when the album apparently came to light again.  In case that inscriber, whose name I can't decipher, was especially significant, you can see an image of the page near the end of this post.

Many inscriptions, individual and on group pages, were contributed by schoolmates at

• Buffalo Female Academy at Buffalo, New York
• Curtis Seminary for Girls at Rochester, New York, which later became known as Livingston Park Seminary
• Livingston Park Seminary at Rochester, New York; called Livingston Place Seminary by a few inscribers

The album was given to Allie by her mother, who may have been Maria S. (Upson) Seeley Clark, on December 18, 1860.

The album is a large one, measuring approximately 9-3/4" by 8-1/4" and contains the sentiments of nearly sixty of Allie's relatives, friends and schoolmates.  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.

Entitled "Pensez a Moi", the album was published by Leavitt & Allen of New York City.  It contains six engravings, one of which, a smaller one, is featured on the title page, below.

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

Alice M. Seeley, "Allie", was born about December 19, 1848, or December 19, 1849 at, I think, Brockport, New York.  Hopefully a reader can provide her birth record and confirmation of her parents, who I think were Maria S. (Upson) Seeley, or Mariah S. (Upson) Seeley and William B. Seeley, who died in 1849.   A found a few references that gave the surname as Seelye.

Allie herself contributed to one of the several group pages.  Contributing their names to a page entitled "Graduating Class of 1868", possibly referencing Buffalo Female Academy, were:

• Sarah T. Weller of Buffalo, New York, inscribed on May 16, 1868
• Allie M. Seeley, inscribed on June 25, 1868; album owner
• Clara T. Healy of Gowanda, New York, who also inscribed an individual page
• Allie E. Mersereau of Portville, New York; she was Emily Almira Mersereau
• Annabell Cook, inscribed in March 1868; she may have been the Annabell who inscribed an individual page
• Mary F. Smith of La Salle, New York
• Annie Palmer of Buffalo, New York

The 1860 Federal Census of Clarkson, New York, shows Maria(h) and Allie living in the household of Maria's subsequent husband Dr. Horace Clark, and his two daughters with first wife Sophronia (Randall) Clark.

According to an online source, Allie married twice, but I can't substantiate either marriage, though I did find a couple whom I believe to be Allie and her second husband William Pitt Colvin on the 1900 Census of Elmira, New York.  According to that source, Allie's husbands:

1. Willard Kimball Goodrich (about 1846-1879), married about 1872
2. William Pitt Colvin (1848-1923), married about 1883

One page in the album was inscribed at Brockport, New York, on November 23, 1880 by someone whose name I can't make out, but this date would have been after Allie's first husband died and before she remarried.

 

I believe that Alice M. Seeley, "Allie", died in 1911 at Elmira, New York.  If you have corrections, clarifications and/or additions to the information above, please leave a comment or contact me directly.

Surnames in the Album

? [9]	C	C. ?	H	Haight
Armstrong		Carpenter		Hammond	P	Palmer
B. ?		Chester [2]		Harrison		Pitkin
Bigelow		Clark [2]		Healy	R	Ross
Boardman		Cook		Howard [2]		Royce
Bouliau		Cox	L	Lester	S	Sabine
Brewer		Crocker	M	Marks		Scranton
Bridgeman	D	Dunbar		Martin		Seeley
Burbank	F	F. ?		Mersereau		Smith
Butler		Farnham		Minot	T	Thompson
		Felt		Morse		Todd
			N	Noyes	V	Vail
					W	Weller

Inscribers in the Album - given names within a specific surname might not be in alphabetical order

• "Cats and bones"
• Signed by ? [looks like Ahem", and dated twice: December 29, 1866 and February 2, 1868
• Floy, inscribed at Rochester, New York, on March 28, 1867
• Annabell; possibly Annabell Cook, a classmate of Alice M. Seeley
• "Ponce", inscribed at Buffalo Female Academy
• "baby S."
• Hattie, inscribed on October 9, 1866
• Mushy (not sure of name), inscribed on February 9, 1868; Alice's schoolmate at Buffalo Female Academy
• H ?, inscribed at Brockport, New York, on November 23, 1880

A

• Kate B. Armstrong, inscribed at Buffalo, New York at the Buffalo Female Academy; Alice's schoolmate

B

• M. A. B., inscribed on June 5, 1868
• Louise E. Bigelow, inscribed at Curtis Seminary, Rochester, New York
• M. Allie Boardman of Rome, New York; on a group page, possibly also members of the "Cottage Girls of 1868" as the facing group page was entitled; with added names Clemence Bouliau; Florence M. Howard; Katharine Lester or Chester; Volusia A. Haight; and Clara T. Healy
• Clemence Bouliau; on a group page, possibly also members of the "Cottage Girls of 1868" as the facing group page was entitled; with added names Florence M. Howard; Katharine Lester or Chester; Volusia A. Haight; M. Allie Boardman; and Clara T. Healy
• Fannie Brewer, inscribed at the Buffalo Female Academy on February 9, 1868; she also contributed to a page entitled "Cottage Girls of 1868 with added names of Eva Butler; Emily Pitkin; and Nellie H. Chester
• Minnie A. Bridgeman, inscribed on April 18, 1865 at Livingston Park Seminary
• A. E. Burbank of Rochester, New York, inscribed in February 1867
• Eva Butler, inscribed at Buffalo Female Seminary at Buffalo, New York, on April 29, 1868; she also contributed to a page entitled "Cottage Girls of 1868 with added names of Emily Pitkin; Nellie H. Chester; and Fannie Brewer

C

• Mattie C., or Hattie C., of Lockport, New York, inscribed on September 4, 1866
• Mattie E. Carpenter
• Nellie Chester, inscribed on April 29, 1868 at Evergreen Cottage; she also contributed to a page entitled "Cottage Girls of 1868 with added names of Eva Butler; Emily Pitkin; and Fannie Brewer
• Katharine Chester, or Katherine Lester, inscribed on April 29, 1868; on a group page, possibly also members of the "Cottage Girls of 1868" as the facing group page was entitled; with added names Clemence Bouliau; Florence M. Howard; Volusia A. Haight; M. Allie Boardman; and Clara T. Healy
• Maria S. (Upson) Seeley Clark, or Mariah" S. (Upson) Seeley Clark, mother of album owner Alice M. Seeley; it was presumably Maria(h) who gifted the album to Allie on her birthday, December 18, 1860.
• M. T. Clark, "Your Buffalo Friend", inscribed in 1868
• Annabell Cook, inscribed on March 1868; she may have been the Annabell who inscribed an individual page; on a group page entitled "Graduating Class of 1868", with added names Sarah T. Weller; Allie M. Seeley (album owner Alice M. Seeley); Clara T. Healy; Emily Almira Mersereau; Mary F. Smith and Annie Palmer
• Jennie E. Cox, inscribed at Curtis Seminary at Rochester, New York
• Charlotte P. Crocker, inscribed at Livingston Place Seminary at Rochester, New York, on November 2, 1865 (not sure of last digit)

D

• Helen Dunbar, inscribed at Curtis Seminary, Rochester, New York, on March 27, 1864

F

• Fannie F. of Lockport, New York, inscribed at Livingston Place Seminary at Rochester, New York, on May 22, 1866
• John T. Farnham, of Gray's Sharpshooters, 108th New York S.V., inscribed at Brockport. New York, in October 1862
• Mary C. Felt of Earlville, New York, inscribed at Curtis Seminary at Rochester, New York, on April 3, 1866

H

• Volusia A. Haight; on a group page, possibly also members of the "Cottage Girls of 1868" as the facing group page was entitled; with added names Clemence Bouliau; Florence M. Howard; Katharine Lester or Chester; M. Allie Boardman; and Clara T. Healy
• Henry C. Hammond, 1st Sergeant, Company C, 22 New York Cavalry
• Minnie J. Harrison
• Clara T. Healy of Gowanda, New York; she also contributed to a group page entitled "Graduating Class of 1868", with added names Sarah T. Weller; Allie M. Seeley (album owner Alice M. Seeley); Emily Almira Mersereau; Annabell Cook; Mary F. Smith and Annie Palmer
• Orell C. Howard, inscribed at Rochester, New York
• Florence M. Howard of Wellsville, New York; on a group page, possibly also members of the "Cottage Girls of 1868" as the facing group page was entitled; with added names Clemence Bouliau; Katharine Lester or Chester; Volusia A. Haight; M. Allie Boardman; and Clara T. Healy

L

• Katharine Lester or Katharine Chester, inscribed on April 29, 1868; on a group page, possibly also members of the "Cottage Girls of 1868" as the facing group page was entitled; with added names Clemence Bouliau; Florence M. Howard; Volusia A. Haight; M. Allie Boardman; and Clara T. Healy

M

• Abbie A. Marks of Lockport, New York, inscribed at Livingston Place Seminary at Rochester, New York, on May 22, 1866
• Josie Martin, inscribed at Livingston Park Seminary, at Rochester, New York, on May 5, 1865
• Allie E. Mersereau of Portville, New York' Emily Almira Mersereau, "Allie"; on a group page entitled "Graduating Class of 1868", with added names Sarah T. Weller; Allie M. Seeley (album owner Alice M. Seeley); Clara T. Healy; Annabell Cook; Mary F. Smith and Annie Palmer
• Anna Minot
• Ella M. Morse, inscribed at Miss Eaton's Seminary at Rochester, New York, on March 27, 1867

N

• Mary E. Noyes, inscribed at No. 9 South Washington St., March 27, 1867

P

• Annie Palmer of Buffalo, New York; on a group page entitled "Graduating Class of 1868", with added names Sarah T. Weller; Allie M. Seeley (album owner Alice M. Seeley); Clara T. Healy; Emily Almira Mersereau; Annabell Cook; and Mary F. Smith
• Emily Pitkin of Lancaster, New York; on a page entitled "Cottage Girls of 1868 with added names of Eva Butler; Nellie H. Chester; and Fannie Brewer

R

• Frankie E. Ross of Penfield, New York, inscribed at Rochester Seminary on March 27, 1867; Alice's schoolmate
• Sophia W. Royce of Albion, New York, inscribed at Miss Eaton's Seminary at Rochester, New York.  Sophia Wells (Royce) Williams became a noted artist and writer.

S

• Cora L. Sabine, inscribed at Rochester, New York, on May 5, 1866
• Bertha Scranton, inscribed at Livingston Park Seminary at Rochester, New York, in September 1863
• Alice M. Seeley, "Allie", album owner.  The album was presented to her on her birthday by her mother, December 18, 1860.  Her mother was Maria S. (Upson) Seeley Clark.  Allie also inscribed a group page entitled "Graduating Class of 1868" with added names Sarah T. Weller; Clara T. Healy; Emily Almira Mersereau; Annabell Cook; Mary F. Smith and Annie Palmer
• Mary F. Smith of LaSalle, New York; on a group page entitled "Graduating Class of 1868", with added names Sarah T. Weller; Allie M. Seeley (album owner Alice M. Seeley); Clara T. Healy; Emily Almira Mersereau; Annabell Cook; and Annie Palmer

T

• Nellie M. Thompson, inscribed at Lockport, New York, on August 23, 1866
• Franklin Todd, inscribed at Greece, New York, on April 2, 1866

V

• L. W. Vail, inscribed at Lockport, New York, on August 13, 1866.  Presumably Lewis W. Vail

W

• Sarah T. Weller of Buffalo, New York, inscribed on May 16, 1868; on a group page entitled "Graduating Class of 1868", with added names Allie M. Seeley (album owner Alice M. Seeley); Clara T. Healy; Emily Almira Mersereau; Annabell Cook; Mary F. Smith and Annie Palmer