MARY
L. BRADFORD AUTOGRAPH ALBUM
From
Cornwall Hollow, Litchfield County, Connecticut c. 1860s,
Then
a student at South Berkshire Institute, New Marlboro,
Berkshire County, Massachusetts.
Album
entitled �The Messenger Bird� hard cover, black & abt. 5.5�
x 7� with several illustrations, gilt edged
pages not numbered.
Transcribed
by Richard Allen Couch who is not related to Mary L. BRADFORD.
US
Census 1860 CT Litchfield Cornwall, Roll 81, Bk 1, Pg 211, D137,
F136 shows:
Pa:
Fowler BRADFORD, Ma:
Charlotte. Children
include a Mary, aged 14.
May
be Mary L. BRADFORD. Next
Page of census PO is Cornwall Hollow.
Autograph
Album Surnames: BRIGHAM, GARFIELD, BROOKS, SEDGWICK, DONCASTER, HISSON?, FITCH,
BLINN, JOYNER, WHEELER, HARRISON, MERWIN, CLARKE, SEYMOUR, BRADFORD,
NORTH, CH------ESSES?, PERKINS, PAINTER, WHITE, HITCHCOCK, BREWER,
PHELPS, WICKWIRE, KELLOGG, SAFFORD, JONES, MARSH, NORTON, LANGDON,
ADAMS, BENEDICT, HUNTLEY, BEECHER, PEASE, HAYWARD, COLEMAN, COLLINS,
SMITH, DICKINSON, FOSTER, BRADLEY, BEACH, HURLBURT,
BELDEN,
NOYES, WARNER, WILLIAMS, BRYANT, DASHIELL, CANNING, COLE, CURTISS,
STEVENS, DAY.
Locations:
Cornwall Hollow CT, New Marlboro MA, Monterey MA, Goshen
CT, Hartsville MA, Great Barrington MA, West Cornwall CT, South
Cornwall CT, Naugatuck CT, Cornwall CT, Greenfield
OH, North Colebrook CT, Falls Village CT, Buffalo NY, New London
CT, Minneapolis MN, Colchester CT, Winsted CT, Hartford
CT, Ravenna OH, Kilmonarch Scotland, East Granville MA, West Goshen
CT, Stockbridge MA, New Boston MA, Sharon Valley CT, Lee MA
Autograph
and sentiment entries:
1.
�To Mary.�
Though
on this page
I
trace a line
It
lays no claim to Poet�s art
No
other tribute may be mine,
Than
the best wishes of the heart.
Lovingly,
Gussie G.
S.
B. I. (NOTE: South
Berkshire Institute)
2.
To meet, to know, to love, to part.
Is
a sad trial to the schoolgirls heart.
Lovingly
yours. E. E. BRIGHAM
3.
Sometimes think of your friend
Nellie
L. GARFIELD
Monterey
Mass
S.
B. Institute
4.
�Planets govern not the soul,
nor
guide the destinies of man:
But
trifles lighter than straw, are
Levers
in the building of character.�
M.
L. BROOKS
Goshen
CT. March 28th
1864.
5.
�There are a thousand joyous things in life,
Which
pass unheeded in a life of joy,
As
thine has been, till breezy sorrow
Comes
to ruffle it.�
Ada
L. SEDGWICK
Cornwall
Hollow.
July
1863 �
6.
Dear Mary
Ever
remember
Your
friend and schoolmate.
Lee
A. DONCASTER
Hartsville
Mass.
Dec
15th 1864..
7.
To Mary
Be
Thy name most kindly spoken,
May
Thy faith remain unbroken;
Be
Thy heart the home of pleasure,
Bright
with sunshine without
Be
Thy pathway strewn with roses;
Fair
as Those which June (?) discloses,
Be
Thy spirits eye enshrouded;
And
its atmosphere unclouded;
Be
Thy peace unbroken ever,
And
Thy home in heaven forever:
Flora(?)
HISSON(?)
Gt.
Barrington
Dec
15th 1864
8.
To Mary
One
simple wish let friendship name.
Tis
not a sigh for wealth or fame.
My
friend, tis but this humble claim.
Remember
me.
Libbie
E. FITCH
9.
May you be a good girl and lead a good life.
Get
a good husband and make a good wife.
C.
M. BLINN
W.
Cornwall
10.
Emma A. JOYNER
New
Marlboro, Mass
Dec.
15. 1864
11.
Ever remember your friend
And
seatmate of S. B. Inst.
Mary
L. WHEELER
New
Marlboro Mass �
Dec
15th 1864.
12.
Cousin Mary
May
thy joyous happy spirit
Naught
of sorrow ever know,
But
life�s hours be bright and peaceful
Like
the distant sunset glow.
While
o�er lifes dark, rolling oceans
Thou
dost guide thy tossing bark
May
the tempest never gather,
Nor
the storm cloud, cold and dark.
If
life�s path seems dark and lonely,
Or
thy heart is sad and drear,
Think
of those who love the (sic) fondly �
Let
their words thy sadness cheer.
When
life�s journey�s past and ended,
May
thy Father in His love,
Take
thee to His heavenly mansion
There
to rest with Him above.
Mary
Ann (No surname provided)
April
4th 1863.
13.
Cornwall Hollow
Feb.
18th 1869.
�He
aims too low,
who
aims beneath the stars.�
Yours
with Fidelity
Nanci
HARRISON.
14.
Sincerely your friend & cousin.
Mary
E. MERWIN
Sharon
CT.
Cornwall
Hollow
Feb
26th 1864 or 7
15.
Dear Mary
I
wish to write something �original,�
But
I hardly know where to begin �
For
I�m sure there is nothing original in me.
Excepting
�Original Sin.�
S.
C.? L.?
16.
To Mary
While
thou in many a distant scene
May
rove in transports free
Soft
in thine ear this little piece
Will
say �Remember me.�
Bessie
F.? FITCH
17.
�Bitter � Sweet�
How
true it is where�er we are
Whatever
joys we meet,
We
always find, the wide world o�er,
Some
�bitter� with the �sweet.�
What
pleasure phantoms we pursue,
To
find them all a cheat �
Forgetting
that the wide world o�er,
There�s
�bitter� with the �sweet.�
Then
let us often stop to hear
The
still small voice repeat,
Seek
naught of earth for in it all
Is
�bitter� mixed with �sweet.�
And
seek to have laid up in Heaven
A
�treasure� at Christ�ss feet;
And
pray that He will cleanse our way,
And
make the �bitter,� �sweet� �
Seek
ever with this prayer togain
Before
his face a seat.
For
only there, our souls shall find
No
�bitter� with the �sweet.�
And
there may we, around His throne,
With
joy each other greet,
To
find thoughout Eternity
No
�bitter� with the �sweet.�
Yours
in love �
Lottie
CLARKE (See also #31)
South
Cornwall
Mar
27th 1863
18.
May one link in the golden
Chain
of Friendship bear the
Name
of
Isabella
K? or R? SEYMOUR.
Naugatuck
CT.
Oct
25th 1864.
19.
Friendship
Friendship:
- Oh what a train of thought
This
little word doth call to mind
This
world would be a cheerless spot
If
we in it no friends could find
Tis
sweet to know that we have friends
Whose
hearts for us in love will burn
To
know when grief our own heart rends
Their
own hearts will sorrow in return
But
better far than earthly friends
Is
God, our Father who is love
And
He o�er all His blessing sends
In
plenteous showers from above
Cornelia
BRADFORD
April
5th 1863
20.
May good fortune attend thee
And
nothing go wrong,
And
your life be one round
Of
blessings, and song.
Yours
Truly,
J.
Howard NORTH
April
11th 1863.
21.
My kind and much respected friend,
Our
days at school are near at end:
Our
meeting here will soon be o�or,
Perhaps
we part to meet no more.
Ever
the same.
Frances
E. CH------EURESSES??? (Same surname as #43)
22.
To Mary
�When
among other friends you dwell
Forget
not me.
For
know I shall remember well
School
days and thee.�
Susan
S. PERKINS
S.
B. Institute
23.
�There are buds that fold within them,
Closed
and covered from our sight,
Many
a richly tinted petal,
Never
looked on by the light;
Fain
to see their shrouded faces,
Sun
and dew are long at strife,
Till
at length the sweet buds open �
Such
a bud is life.
When
the rose of thine own being
Shall
reveal its central fold,
There
shall look within I marvel,
Fearing
what thine eyes behold;
What
it shows, and what it teaches
Are
not things wherewith to part.
Thorny
rose! that always
costeth
Beatings
at the heart.
Look
in fear! For there is dimness,
Ills
unshapen float anear;
Look
in awe! For this same nature
Once
the God-head designed to die
Look
in love! For He doth love it.
And
its tale is best of love,
Still
humanity grows dearer
Being
learned the more.�
Yours
Truly Chas C. PAINTER
24.
�Common as light is love.
And
its familiar voice wearies not ever.�
Fannie
E. NORTH
Cornwall,
April 11th 1863.
25.
�I ask not for the mead of fame,
The
wreath around thy head to-------?
Enough
for me to leave my name
Within
this hallowed shrine:
To
think that o�er these lines thine eye,
May
wander in some future year,
And
memory breathe a passing sigh,
For
her who traced them here.�
Your
true friend
Belle
WHITE
May
7th 1863.
26.
Dear Mary
�Forget
me not�
Libbie
27.
Think of me sometimes.
Your
friend
Mary
HITCHCOCK.
Greenfield,
Ohio
28.
�Lines to a friend.�
�Should
sorrow o�er thy brow
Its
darkened shadow fling
And
hopes that cheer thee now
Die
in their earliest spring�
Should
pleasure at its birth,
Fade
like the dews of even
There�s
rest for them in heaven.
Libbie
W? HARRISON (Same writing as #26)
Cornwall
Hollow
March
13th 1864
29.
Fannie M. BREWER.
New
Marlboro Mass.
S.
B. Institute Dec 13th 1864
30.
�May freshest roses deck thy path,
Yet
bring no thorn to chide thee;
And
mayest thou find that better land
Where
no bright dream is broken
No
flower shall fade in beauty�s hand,
And
no �farewell� be spoken.�
Mary
E. NORTH
Cornwall,
Apr. 11th 1863
31.
Lottie CLARKE (See also #17)
32.
May a happy life be your portion
and
joy your inheritance,
Carrington
PHELPS
North
Colebrook Conn
N.
M., Dec 16th 1864.
33.
Lois E. MERWIN
Cornwall
Hollow, Connecticut.
Aug
24th 1871.
34.
When oft you turn these pages o�er
And
o�er beloved names you sigh
Though
others may delight you more
May
mine not pass unheeded by.
S.
Jennie WICKWIRE
North
Cornwall
35.
Walter KELLOGG
Falls
Village Conn.
36.
George W? SAFFORD
Buffalo
N. Y.
Thursday
Dec 15th 1864.
37.
Mary
We�ve
passed a short nine months together:
We
were strangers before, & now, as we part,
it
may be that many miles & fond, loving hearts
shall
separate us, but whether near or far,
Mary,
will you let this token of a school � mate�s
affection
cancel the remembrance of careless,
unkind
& unmeaning words. Please, Mary, do
not
let the memory of moist swimming eyes
cloud
that brightest of spring days.
The
eleventh
of March, 1865.
Julia
G. JONES,
S.
B. I. N. Marlboro
Mass.
38.
�Naught beneath the Infinite�
Wm
S. MARSH
New
London, Ct.
April
22nd,/63
39.
�Be brave & strong
through
all thy suffering years.
A
brave soul is a thing that all things serve.�
Sincerely
your friend.
Kate
HARRISON.
Cornwall.
Mar 7th 1864.
40.
Friendship
�True
Friendship is a Gordian knot,
Which
angel hands have tied;
By
heavenly skill its texture wrought,
Who
shall its folds divide?�
�In
vain Deaths all triumphant sword
May
strive its links to sever;
The
union of the twisted cord
In
heaven shall last forever.�
Lizzie
NORTON
New
Marlboro. Dec 15th
1864
41.
Henry W. LANGDON
Monterey
Mass
Winter
Term 1866 So Berk Institute Mass
42.
As Flattery, and Praise, are so profuse in
Albums,
I deem the simple name of a
Friend
the most appropriate.
Julia
WICKWIRE:
West
Cornwall. Apr 26th
1863 or 8
43.
�To Mary:
Remember
me when death shall close
My
eyelids in their last repose
My
gentle breezes lightly wave,
The
grass above your school mates grave
Lovingly
yours
Eva?
C-----------( Same surname as #21.
Cannot decipher it)
44.
�Not like the rose, let our friendship whither
But
like the ever green last forever.�
Fannie
E. ADAMS
45.
Ever your friend.
Bella
HITCHCOCK
S.
B. I. New Marlboro,
Mass.
46.
A word in love expressed
A
motion, or a tear
Can
often heal a heart depressed
And
make a friend sincere.
A
look, may crush to earth,
Full
many a budding flower,
Which,
had a smile but owned its birth,
Would
bless life�s darkest hour.
With
affection
Franc
L. BENEDICT,
S.
B. I., N. M. M.
47.
�I slept and dreamed that life was beauty;
I
woke, and found that life was duty.�
Emily
F. SEDGWICK
Cornwall
Hollow July 1863.
48.
To Mary
When
years have passed and thou shall look,
Within
the pages of this book,
And
shall see names of those who long ago,
Have
cheered thee in thy hour of woe,
Then
think of me, though I may be
Far,
far, from you, and you from me,
Give
me the kind enduring thought.
Let
not a schoolmate be forgot.
Lovingly
thine:
Hattie
E. HUNTLEY
South
Berkshire Institute
New
Marlboro Nov. 5th 1864 �
49.
To Mary,
�Our
paths in life may differ wide
We
may not walk them side by side
Yet
may your eyes oft see the spot
Where
I now write, forget me not.�
Your
Schoolmate,
Cinna
BEECHER
S.
B. Institute,
Nov
5th 1864.
50.
�Nay, shrink not at the word �farewell,�
As
if t�were friendship�s final knell.
Such
fears may prove but vain.
So
changeful is life�s fleeting day,
Where�er
we part, that hope may say
We
part to meet again.
Even
the last parting earth can know,
Brings
not unutterable woe
To
souls that heavenward soar.
For
humbler faith with steadfast eye,
Points
to a brighter world, on high,
Where
hearts which here at parting sigh,
May
meet to part no more.�
Lovingly
your sister,
Mary
B. PEASE
Minneapolis,
Minn.
51.
Remember your schoolmate
Geo.
N. HAYWARD
Colchester
Conn. 1864
52.
Your friend
H.
N? KELLOGG
Winsted,
Conn.
53.
Mary
�May
thy life be a happy one.
May
sorrow and care,
Never
sadden thy heart,
Nor
find a place there.�
Your
affec. friend and schoolmate..
Libbie
COLEMAN.
S.
B. I. March 27th 1865.
54.
�Deeds not words�
Yours
truly Mollie B.
Hartford
Conn.
55.
May you among the chosen few
The
path to endless life persue.
Ever
your friend and cousin
Emma.
56.
Yours very truly
Lila
E. COLLINS
Ravenna
Ohio
57.
�In all thy ways acknowledge Him,
and
He shall direct thy paths.� Prov.3.6.
Geo.
Mure SMITH.
Kilmonarch,
Scotland.
58.
Otis S. DICKINSON
East
Granville Mass.
59.
Remember in after years
�Your
Sincere Friend�
Chas.
H? FOSTER
60.
�Passing through lifes field of action
Lest
we part before its end
Take
within your modest volume
This
memento of a friend
Passing
through it may we ever
Friends
continue as begun
And
till death shall part us, never
May
our friendship cease to burn�
Cornwall
Hollow
Feby
12th 1864
Emma
M. BRADLEY
61.
Lucy L. BEACH
New
Marlboro, Mass.
Dec
15 1864.
62.
May the sunshine of life be yours.
Your
friend Mollie H.
63.
To flourish in my favorite bower,
To
bloom around my cot (Poetic license re �cottage�?)
I
cultivate a little flower,
They
call �Forget-me-not�
C?R?
E. H. (Same writing style as #64)
64.
To Mary
If
every kind wish were a rose,
And
the rose had not a thorn,
Dear
Friend, though life with lovliest flowers,
Thy
path would be adorned.
But
flowers may fade and gems decay
And
earthly joys depart:
One
treasure only will remain,
The
peace of the �pure in heart.�
Your
Friend
(1st
ltr C?)illa E. HURLBURT. (Same writing as #63)
Seymour,
Conn.
Cornwall
Hollow,
March
17th 1864.
65.
�Your life, Mary, is in its opening;
The
future is a blank. Oh,
may
The
cup of bitterness ne�er bring
A
single pang! And not one ray
Of
joyous hope be marred, and may
Thy
brow ne�er bear a cloud; be ever
Placid
as tis now.�
Frances
A. WHITE
West
Goshen, May 7th 1863.
66.
Cousin Mary.
May
the smile of Him who
resides
in the �heaven of heavens� be
upon
thee and against thy name in
the
volume of His will may happiness
be
written.
Lovingly
your cousin,
Eunice
M. BELDEN,
Cornwall
Hollow
January
16th 1869
67.
Could thoughts speak without the medium
of
words, you would hear many loving and
earnest
wishes from my heart for you;
but
when I try to express them, I cannot
say
what I would. Three
months ago you
came
among us, and in a little time
your
life was identified with ours;
acquaintance
took the pleasanter form
of
friendship, and now it would be hard to
break
the tie that binds you here.
Some
clouds have dimmed the horizon
during
this little portion of your life�s
journey,
but they have been swept away,
or
revealed their silver linings:
You
may have encountered obstacles in
your
studies, but I trust the pleasure of
conquering
them, has repaid you
for
the trials accompanying the
efforts.
We are now almost at the
close
of this school term, but its
influences
will never pass away.
Each
hour, in its flight has pictured
in
memory�s gallery the deeds
done,
and even the thoughts that have
come,
almost unbidden. May
these
pictures,
as you gaze upon them in
after
life bring pleasant thoughts to you.
Do
not forget me in your memories
of
those dear to you here, but let your
remembrances
of me be kind and loving.
Affectionately
your friend and Teacher
Sara
J. NOYES (looks like)
68.
�Life is not measured by years�
Your
friend �
Carrie
E. WARNER (looks like)
New
Marlboro: Dec. 7.
1864.
69.
Yours Truly
Will
C. CLARKE
Monterey,
Mass.
April
1st 1865.
70.
Don�t forget your true friend
and
school-mate
Willie
W. WILLIAMS
Stockbridge
Mass.
Thursday
Dec 15th 1864.
71.
Geo. T. BRYANT.
New
Boston Mass
Dec.
15th 1864
72.
�Brevity is the soul of wit.�
W.
S. MARSH
April,
1863 �
73.
Ever remember your School � friend
I?
S. Mason DASHIELL
December,
15th 1864 �
74.
Remember me as your friend.
Reggie
CANNING or LANNING.
Dec.
15th 1864.
75.
Richard B. COLE
Sharon
Valley Conn
Friday
Dec 16th /63 or 5
76.
�That life is long that answers
life�s
great end.�
Truly
your friend
Mary
E. CURTISS
77.
Ever your friend
Laura
E. STEVENS
Hartsville
Mass
S.
B. Institute
78.
�If you love me Mollie darling,
Put
your little hand in mine.�
Addie
S. KELLOGG
Nov.
15 or 16, 1889
79.
George S. DAY
Gt.
Barrington Mass
Thursday
Dec 15th 1864
80.
Last & Least �
Josephine
A. STEVENS
Lee
Apr. 1st � 65
�Didn�t
thou love creatures even
Life
were not long �
Didn�t
thou love God in Heaven
Thou
would�st be strong-�
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