CIVIL WAR ERA AUTOGRAPH MEMORY BOOK ALBUM PROVIDENCE CONFERENCE SEMINARY - Famous Names

Item #615

This delightful 4 x 8” autograph book features a fine black hardcover with embossed frame design around a gilded image of a book, quill, and ink, with “Autograph” written above the illustration. The edges of the pages are also gilded. This Civil War-era book appears to have belonged to S. D. Currier, whose name is written on the first page. Some of his relatives have signed the book, and he was possibly from East Kingston, NH. He certainly had plenty of friends if this book full of at least 80 different quotes and signatures, is any indication. Most are dated 1864 and come from the Providence Conference Seminary, which was in East Greenwich, RI. Amongst the more impressive signatures is one from Thomas H. Rollinson, a composer, with part of a short musical piece written on the page, and one from C. M. Coolidge, who would later become famous for his paintings of dogs playing poker. Coolidge’s signature accompanied a small but lovely sketch of the New York Harbor. Many of the signatures are accompanied by simple quotes, but some include full poems. There are around 80 different people who signed this memory book. A few pages are loose, and it seems that a couple have been torn out. The book is overall good condition, with some worn edges and spine. There is a loose receipt for Kingston Academy from 1862.

Example poems and comments:
“Dedication
May Friendship, like the shadow of a great rock in a weary land, ever offer you its pleasant repose in the march of life. And beneath its clustering vines and evergreen leaves may gentle hands trace many valued names and kindly thoughts to cheer and comfort you.
Very truly
Your friend
J. T. Edwards
Prov. Conf. Seminary
Jan. 18th ‘64.”

“Friend Currier,
May your life be a success, not only in a worldly sense, but in the sense of having done your whole duty, when the time comes for you to lay your armour down. May your memory be good that you may remember these three;—
“Symbols”
“Reactions”
And your friend”James B. Jackson”
Blackstone
Mass.
P. C. Sem.
East Greenwich,
R. I. July 8th, 1864”

“Remember your chum from The Wooding Writing Slate.
Thos. H. Rollinson
Willimantic
Conn.
P. C. Sem & M.J.
Feb. 22nd, 1864”

“Friend Currier,
May your name be recorded on the brightest page of the history of the ‘Old Granite Slate’ and best of all may your life so be spent that at its close you can say ‘I have fought a good fight. I have kept the faith.’
Your friend,
Darius Baker
S. Yarmouth,
Mass.
P. C. Seminary
Jan. 24th 1864”

“Remember me, is all I ask,
But if remembrance be a task,
— Forget me.
Yours
C. M. Coolidge
Philadelphia
N. Y.
Boston, 6. 10. 1864”.

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