1870s Autograph Album of Charles E. Clark of Wells, Maine

1870s autograph album of Charles E. Clark of Wells, Maine.

The album is approximately 6-3/4" x 4" and contains the sentiments of 102 of Charles' relatives, friends and schoolmates at Franklin Academy at Dover, New Hampshire.  An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.

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

Charles E. Clark was born about June 1859 at Wells, Maine, the son of Andrew Cole Clark and his second wife Rhoda (Staples) Clark.  Andrew Cole Clark signed a page as  Andrew Cole Clark on April 4, 1875.  Rhoda (Staples) Clark signed on the same day, but in a different part of the album.

Andrew Cole Clark's first wife was Esther Fidelia (Chapman), with whom Andrew had son George Albert Clark who became a physician at Portland, Maine.  George signed a page in his half-brother Charles' album, as G. A. Clark, M.D., at Wells, Maine, on June 18, 1877.

From 1913 Obituary Record of the Graduates of Bowdoin College and the Medical College of Maine:

 Following the tradition of naming a daughter from a man's subsequent marriage after a deceased previous wife, Andrew Cole Clark and Rhoda (Chapman) Clark named their daughter Fidelia J. Clark.  She signed a page in Charles' album as Delia on April 3, 1875.

On 21 February 1883 at Waltham, Massachusetts, Charles E. Clark married Alice S. Blackstone, daughter of William Collins Blackstone and Miranda (Fox) Blackstone.  Charles and Alice farmed at Wells, Maine; they had at least one child, a son Frank, born about 1885.

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.  Thanks!

A few of the pages had a notation penciled in later that indicated the signer was dead.  Among them was the page signed by Nellie O. Bragdon of Wells, Maine, who signed a page on September 16, 1878.

One signer, A. Lizzie Hubbard of Boston, Massachusetts, signed a page on August 7 "Centennial", so presumably 1876 and pasted on a little photograph.

Another signer was L. A. Hilling, who I assume to have been Lizzie A. Hilling, the daughter of painter John Hilling, whose family lived at Wells, Maine, during the time the inscriptions in the album were acquired.  He painted images of the Old South Church of Bath, Maine, one before a devastating fire, or at least before it was apparent, one during and another when the fire was farther along.

List of the album's signers:  [Given names within a specific surname may not be in alphabetical order.]

• Abbie
• J. Shapley Allen of Gonic, New Hampshire, signed on November 1, 1877.  Gonic is a suburb of Rochester, New Hampshire
• Fred M. Ambrose of Byfield, Massachusetts, signed at Wells, Maine, on December 19, 1877
• Cora A. Andrews of Wells Depot, Maine
• Ella Baker of Biddeford, Maine, signed on August 18, 1876.  Penciled notation: "Dead"
• First name hard to read, but I think it's Ethan C. Baker of Biddeford, Maine
• Mrs. Hannah Bond of Lewiston, Maine, signed on August 14 [no date written]
• Tennie H. Bond of Lewiston, Maine, signed at No. 2 Riverside Street, on August 14, 1876.  Not sure of first name.
• Ada M. Bowman, signed at Franklin Academy on October 31, 1877
• Nellie O. Bragdon of Wells, Maine, signed on September 16, 1878.  Pencilled note: "dead"
• A. Charles Bragdon of Wells,  Maine, signed on February 14, 1878
• Herbert D. Caverly of Dover, New Hampshire, signed at Franklin Academy on April 4, 1877
• Ida A. Chesley of Barnstead, New Hampshire
• Charles E. Clark of Wells, Maine; album owner
• Delia, signed April 3, 1875; Charles' sister Fidelia J. Clark
• Rhoda S. Clark, signed on April 4, 1875; Charles' mother Rhoda (Staples) Clark, daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Littlefie
• A. C. Clark, signed on April 4, 1875.  Andrew C. Clark, Charles' father.
• M. Addie Clark of Wells, Maine, signed on October 25, 1875
• Nellie Clark of Wells Depot, Maine, signed on April 30, 1878
• G. A. Clark, M.D., signed at Wells, Maine, on June 18, 1877; Charles half brother Dr. George Albert Clark, who practiced medicine at Portland, Maine
• Elmer J. Cole of Newton Centre, Massachusetts, signed on February 1, 1878
• O. A. Cole of Newton Centre, Massachusetts, signed on August 13, 1875
• Herman F. Decatur of Dover, New Hampshire, signed on April 4, 1877
• Mrs. M. J. Dill of Deering, Stroudwater, Maine [now Portland, Maine], signed on August 14, 1876.  Possibly Mary Jane (Hatch) Dill, wife of Cyprus L. Dill.
• Frank E. Doe of Durham, New Hampshire, signed on April 6, 1877
• John T. Donovan of Alton Bay, New Hampshire, signed on April  3, 1877
• DeWitt C. Durgin, signed at Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, on October 4, 1876
• Cora Eaton; shared a page with Mabel Moore; signed March 29, 1881
• Rachel V. Ford of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, signed on February 5, 1878.  Rachel V. (Seymour) Ford, wife of Hiram H. Ford.
• Hattie M. Frazier of Dover, New Hampshire, signed at Franklin Academy
• K. E. Furber of Dover, New Hampshire, signed on May 23, 1877
• Eddie L. Furber of Wolfeborough, New Hampshire, signed on September 30, 1876
• Eliza R. Furber of [?] Cottage, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, signed on September 26, 1876
• Nettie S. Getchell of Wells Depot, Maine, signed on May 1, 1878
• M. Annette Goodwin of "The World", signed on February 7, 1878
• Jennie Hatch of Wells Depot, Maine, signed on April 28, 1878
• Walter G. Hatch
• Eddie J. Hatch of Wells Depot, Maine
• Lydia J. Hatch of Wells Depot, Maine, signed on May 15, 1875
• H. Fannie Hatch of Wells, Maine, signed on April 17, 1875
• Ella J. Hatch of Wells Depot, Maine, signed on April 28, 1875
• Susie F. Hill, signed on November 30, 1876
• L. A. Hilling of Wells, Maine, signed on September 5, 1877.  Presumably Lizzie A. Hilling, daughter of artist John Hilling and Nancy J. (Hayes) Hilling.  The family moved from Wells, Maine, to Bath, Maine.  In 1902 at Boston, Massachusetts, Lizzie married George E. Smith, who was born at Somersworth, New Hampshire.
• H. W. Hobbs of Wells, Maine, signed on October 26, 1877
• A. Lizzie Hubbard of Boston, Massachusetts, signed on August 7, "Centennial", so presumably 1876.  She pasted a small photograph of herself on the page and signed the initials B.H.D [not sure of D], perhaps a school.
• Fred Hurd of Dover, New Hampshire, signed on "77-4-10"
• George I. Jenness of Dover, New Hampshire, signed on APril 4, 1877; Charles' schoolmate
• Almie J. Kelsey of Nottingham, New Hampshire, signed on October 31, 1877.  Possibly Alma J. Kelsey
• Lewis E. Keyes, Jr.
• E. Adelaide Libby of Wells, Maine, signed on October 23, 1875
• Charles Lindsey, Jr. of Wells, Maine, signed on April 29, 1878
• Henry O. Littlefield of Wells Village, Maine, signed on October 25, 1875
• George Littlefield of Wells, Maine; middle initial possibly W
• A. H. Littlefield of Wells, Maine, signed in November 1876; initials could be H. H.
• Thatcher E. Littlefield of Wells Depot, Maine
• Arthur H. Littlefield of Wells, Maine, signed on November 23, 1876
• Ethel A. Littlefield of Wells, Maine, signed on October 10, 1878
• Emma Lord of Wells, Maine
• Joseph H. Lord of Wells Depot, Maine, signed on May 5, 1878
• Annie W. Lord of Biddeford, Maine, signed at Wells, Maine, on August 8, 1877
• Alice F. McClary, "the Vermonter", signed on August 27, 1877.  Presumably Alice Flora McClary, born about 1857 at Peacham, Vermont, daughter of Ira L. and Mary (Staples) McClary; future wife of Sidney A. Stevens
• Jasper R. McDaniel of Durham, New Hampshire, signed on September 17, 1877
• Vienna I. McDaniel of Durham, New Hampshire, signed on September 20, 1877.  Vienna Ione McDaniel
• S. J. McDuffie, signed at Dover, New Hampshire, on April 5 [no year written]
• Edward C. Miller of Kennebunkport, Maine
• Mabel Moore; shared a page with Cora Eaton; signed March 29, 1881
• Fannie M. Newell of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, signed on October 20, 1876
• James R. Newell of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, signed on October 29, 1876.  He spelled it Wolfboro'.
• M. Abbie Nute of Madbury, New Hampshire
• George W. Osborne of Rochester, New Hampshire, signed on September 11, 1877
• Paul A. Pathe of Dover, New Hampshire, signed at Franklin Academy on September 10, 1877.
• Sarah A. Pike of Dover, New Hampshire
• James A. Piper of Dover, New Hampshire, signed on September 11, 1877 at Franklin Academy
• Abbie A. Pope of Wells, Maine, signed on October 27, 1875
• Etta Rankin, signed at Wells, Maine, on November 28, 1876
• C. C. Richardson of Alton, New Hampshire  Penciled notation: "dead"
• Willie Roberts of Dover, New Hampshire, signed on April 6, 1877
• M. P. Robinson, signed on June 18, 1877.  Pencilled notation: "dead"
• Daniel Rollins, signed on 6 April 1877
• Extremely faint, but appears to be Charles H. Sanderson of Cheshire County, West ?, New Hampshire.  Not sure about given name and not sure of the "West" - could be part of a longer word.  Perhaps the Charles H. Sanderson, born about 1858, who was a druggist clerk in the 1880 Census of Rochester, New Hampshire
• Frank M. Smith of Rochester, New Hampshire
• Frederic E. Smith of Dover, New Hampshire, signed on September 10, 1877 at Franklin Academy
• Annie Staples of Dedham, Massachusetts, signed on July 28, 1876
• Emma Staples of Dedham, Massachusetts
• Ida M. Staples of Dedham, Massachusetts, signed at Oakdale on August 11, 1876
• Frank Stevens of Dover, New Hampshire, signed on September 24, 1877 at Franklin Academy
• Lilie E. Stevens of Dover, New Hampshire, signed on October 22, 1877
• Addie C. Stevens of Wells Depot, Maine, signed on November 29, 1878
• Hobbs Storer of Wells Branch, Maine, signed on May 5, 1875.  Presumably Isaac Hobbs Storer, born 11 March 1858 at Wells, Maine, son of Isaac Littlefield Storer and Elizabeth (Hobbs) Storer.
• Samuel W. Tetherly of Wolfborough, New Hampshire.  His wife, Almira B. (Tuttle) Tetherly, signed the right facing page.
• Myra B. Tetherly, signed at Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, on October 18, 1876.  Almira B. (Tuttle) Tetherly; her husband Samuel W. Tetherly signed the left facing page.
• Willis E. Tetherly of Wolfeborough, New Hampshire, son of signer Samuel W. Tetherly, signed in September 1876.  Willis drew a locomotive and railcar.
• M. E. Tobey of Boston, Massachusetts, signed on September 4, 1877
• H. F. Towle of Epsom, New Hampshire, signed at Wells, Maine,  on October 26, 1875; Charles' teacher.  Presumably Harry Freeman Towle, born at Epsom, New Hampshire; educator in New England and New York
• Cynthia E. Wells, signed at Wells Beach, Maine, on February 5, 1878
• Sadie E. Wells of Wells, Maine, signed on December 11, 1877
• Jennie Wendell
• Addie G. Wendell of Dover, New Hampshire
• Olando R. Wiggins of East Barrington, New Hampshire, Green Hill.  Son of George and Sophia Wiggins
• Joseph A. York, signed at Wells, Maine, on April 24, 1878
• J. Lang Young, signed at Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, on October 5, 1876
• Edward L. Young of Madbury, New Hampshire, signed on April 4, 1877
• Walter H. Young of Madbury, New Hampshire

Wells, Maine


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