Roberts Family (Click for Family Tree)

Some of the autographs in this book have pearls of wisdom from the 1880s, expressions of friendship and love, and/or a hope of remembrance in years to come. It is nice to think of Clara many years later, maybe sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch, as she ages, reading through her autograph album thinking of family, friends, and students who were such an important part of her life in the 1880s.

Scan 21, above:

Dec the 24

Dear friend Clara

the hoop is rounded and has not end so is my love to you my friend

C H R

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Left:

Clara L Shrader

Right:

Concordia        Apr 12

To Clara

Let our love for each

Other forever endure

And all that we wish

For and hope for be sure

Truly yours

Frank

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Left:

When on this page you chance to look,

Just think of me and close the book.

Leslie S.

Right:

Dear Teacher

Wishes I have many,

And good ones too;

But the sweetest and best

I give to you.

Your little Friend

Pearl Bonebrake

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Compliments of M. C. Wagner

Concordia, Kan.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Left:

June the 6

May happiness ever be thy lot

Wherever thou may be

And joy and pleasure light the space

That may be home to thee

Mary

Right:

Sept 24 1885

Dear Clara

In this album where are written

Various thoughts from different pens

Causing you to keep in memory

Those regarded as your friend

I this token of my friendship

Leave for you to think of me

When these pages you are turning

And these lines you chance to see

Truly your friend

Ella

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Left:

Warwick Kans Aug 15 ’89

Now I lay my pen at rest;

But not the heart within my breast.

Yours in Friendship,

Malissa A Lowther

Right:

Dear Teacher Clara

When in some future time

Time these lines you chance to see

Think kindly of the writer who

Will always think of thee

Miss Laura M Noe – Concordia

Cloud Co Kan

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Left:

Dec 15th 1890

Dear Friend

I would not blot this page, but I would like to make a spot large enough to hold you to the remembrance of a friend.

Your true friend and cousin

Ira E. Plumly

Right:

October the 26 1885

O May you my friend be blest with friends selected from the best May Joy and peace be your lot I only ask forget me not.

Mary J. Shrader

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Vertical, Left:

Friend Clara:

May the hinges of our friendship never rest.

Matie

Horizontal, Right:

Wolf Creek, Kans

June 2, 1886

To Clara,

“Dear friend, O, never from my heart

Shall time thine image blot

Though dreams of other days depart

Thou shalt not be forgot.”

Matie B.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

March 27 1884

To Clara

Tis the bold who win the race

Whether for love or gold or name

Tis the true ones always face

Dangers and trials and win a place

A niche in The Temple of fame

Truly Your Friend

Angie Snell

To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

4-1-1884

Dear Clara

Should a cloud ever shadow your way

And find your idols but gilded day

Remember the shadow was given

Lest the sunshine of earth dim the brightness of heaven

Sincerely Yours

Annie

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Vertical, Left:

Remember the ____

Rick

Horizontal, Right:

August the 17 1885

Clara is your name

Single is your status

Happy be the little man

That makes the alteration

Yours truly,

Lida D___le

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Concordia Mar 28, 1884

Remember me is all I ask,

But if rememberance be a task, forget me.

Your friend

Mrs. A. A. Chritton

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Left, Horizontal:

Friend Clara

A long life, and a happy one,

A tall man, and a jolly one

Like – well – you know who!

Laura M.

Feed taffy when ever you can, but always on the last day of school.

Center, Vertical:

Blankets

Right:

 

Concordia Sept 1884

Miss Shrader:

Tis useless to languish on sorrow

And grieve for the Joys that are past

There plenty in store for the morrow

As pleasing & bright as the past.

Yours respectfully

Ella Johnston

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Miss Clara.

i think of you often

i think of you ever

i think of the happy hours

we have spent together

i remain as ever. D___a

To Clara.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Let us then be up and doing

With a heart for everything.

Still achieving, still pursuing

Learn to labor and to wait. (Longfellow)

Your friend,

Clara E. Healy

Concordia July 21, 1884

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Left:

Concordia Kansas 19th 1908

On this leaf in memory prest

May my name forever rest.

Max Roberts

Right:

As you measure to your neighbor

He will measure back to you.

Truly yours
T. A. Sawhill.

July 22 1884

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1. Again, a special thank you to John Roberts for sharing this sweet book!

 

Click to enlarge any image. Please contact us if you would like an image in higher resolution.

We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.

 

Original content copyright 2013-2017 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted. 

Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the information on their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit and cite the information properly.

 Please contact us if you have any questions about copyright or use of our blog material.

Roberts Family (Click for Family Tree)

Tuesday’s Tip: Analyze a process for preserving artifacts and information, then automate repetitive tasks when possible, and group repetitive tasks to increase accuracy and speed.

Clara Shrader’s autograph album has 51 scans plus a word document with transcription. Since the scans were in one pdf, they needed to be converted to an image format, and sized down so that it doesn’t take forever for your blog pages to load. Unfortunately I don’t know how to write a script to automate this process, but that is on my list for one day. In the meantime, in my analysis of how to post these sweet pages, I decided on this process:

1. Use a screen capture for each image. I opened the pdf, sized my window to show just one image at a time, so I did not get confused about where I was in the process.
2. On a Mac Command-Shift-4 allowed me to clip just the section I wanted with the double spread of pages. This also converted the image to a png, perfect for using with WordPress for the blog. These images show up on my desktop- you can change the folder, I believe, but that works for me.
3. I gave the first file a descriptive file name and included the number of the scan:
   Clara Shrader Autograph Book_1_sm.png. I cut and pasted the name, changing the number as appropriate as I clipped each image. I also made sure that the numbers matched the chart with the transcriptions.
4. The ‘sm’ in the file name is for small, as I knew I would need to reduce the file size. After my desktop was full of images, I clicked each and opened in Preview, then used ‘Tools’ to reduce the size. Make sure to save the file after any such changes!
5. After all the images on my desktop were reduced, I highlighted them all and pulled into a file folder for Clara’s album that I created right on my desktop. Now the desktop was clean again, and ready for another batch of these images.
6. Use cut-and-paste for titles, captions, etc. whenever you can. You can always go back and add detail, but it is important to label as you go. I pulled all the images into WordPress, and captioned them each as I went, using cut and paste but changing the number of the image. Now they are all ready for blog posts and writing, or you can keep them in a folder for maybe a report or book- the enjoyable part after the tedious but necessary work and documentation.

OK, now on to the good part: Clara’s sweet album pages for today:

March {illegible} 1884

Dear Friend

When in some future time,

These lines you chance to see;

Think kindly of the writer,

Who Will always think of thee.

Samuel Bonebrake

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

March 21, 1884

Dear friend Clara,

Remember me when this you see

Though many a mile apart we be.

Yours truly,

L. S. Reeves

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

March 25th 1884

Dear teacher Clara.

Other hearts may love you,

Others Worship at your shrine

But no other heart will love you

With a love so pure as mine.

Miss Laura Noe

Concordia Cloud Kan

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

March The 21 1884

The roses are red and the lilies are blue: honey is sweet

and so are you.

Andrew Noe

Jam town Cloud Co Kns

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

March 21st 1884

Concordia, Cloud County Kansas

To my Clara

I’d twine a wreath my friend for you

A wreath of flowers rare:

Would you accept the simple gift

And ever hold it dear?

ever your friend

Bessie Davis

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

March 21 1884

To Clara dear

On this broad world of action, friends of worth are far and few;

But when one has proved his friendship, cling to him who clings to you.

your friend Bessie

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Left:

Miss Clara April the 20th If you fall from grace, You’ll be a reck: If you fall from a ship, You’ll break your neck; You may fall from the realm of Heaven above, But never never fall in love. Mrs. N. J. Maddox

Right:

April the 25 1884

Dear Teacher:

Remember the writing

Of my hand when I am

In a distant land

And if the grave should

Be my lot Remember me

When I am not.

Ever yours,

Etta ___iley

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Concordia Mar 3rd 1886

Clara

I care not much for gold as _____,

Give me a _____ here and there,

Some good _____ stock – some note of hand,

Or _____ _____ _____

I only ask that _____ send

A little more than I can spend.

Your cousin, F. L. Bennett

Remember my favorite song and don’t you forget it

Salem {illegible}

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Concordia Kan. March 27 1884

Lines to my dear friend Clara

Much must be born which it is hard to bear

Much given away which it were sweet to keep

God help us all who need indeed His care

And yet I know the Shepherd loves His sheep.

Truly Your Friend

Carrie Snell

Command me always as a friend.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

April the 6 1884

Clara

May your life though short be pleasant

As a warm and _____ ray

as a flower that bloomes at morning

And at evening dies away.

F. M. S.

 

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1. Thank you to John Roberts for his labors in scanning and transcribing this sweet autograph book to make it accessible to future generations. If you would like to contact Jon, please use our form through the blog and we will pass it on!

 

Click to enlarge any image. Please contact us if you would like an image in higher resolution.

We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.

 

Original content copyright 2013-2017 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted. 

Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the information on their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit and cite the information properly.

 Please contact us if you have any questions about copyright or use of our blog material.

 

Roberts Family (Click for Family Tree)

Ummm, this is a blank page…

Yes, and that is the proper way to document an artifact- scan/note even what is blank. Our Roberts cousin has created a virtual autograph book for us, and the blank pages could be important as one sorts through information in the book. In this case, these two pages do not really give us information, but in other cases, what might appear to be blank may actually give clues. There might be a faint bleed-through that could help us to decipher what was on the opposite page or the scanner might pick up faint writing that our eyes have not noticed, such as words that have been erased or just faded over the many years. Plus, how many pages in the album are filled with autographs gives us some additional data about Clara and her circle of friends and family. (It’s the 19th century version of counting your friends on FaceBook, only these ‘posts’ will last much longer than a FB feed.)

The transcription that goes along with the scans is so helpful- it is a MS Word document consisting of background information and a table for the pages of the autograph book. The table has 3 columns: scan number, left page, right page. If a page is blank it is noted in the transcription. For ease in reading, we are posting the transcriptions with the individual pages.

Transcription, left page:

8-14-1885 [down side of page]

To Clara

May your cheeks return the dimples,

And your face be just as gay;

When some nice young man will whisper,

Darling C name the day

 

Mollie Lowther

Transcription, right page:

To Miss Clara

 

As sure as comes your ___ [wed?]ing day

A broom to you I’ll send

In sunshine use the brushy ____ [part?]

In storms the other end.

 

Ever your friend {illegible}

 

March 21st 1884.

[These two pages indicate how marriage was the ultimate goal of a woman. “Darling C name the day” refers to “Darling Clara,” said by her suitor, “name the day” for their marriage. The broom mention is to use the bristle end for sweeping on good days, and to use the stick to smack a wayward husband on the not-so-good days. Rolling pins were common wedding shower gifts with a similar dual purpose even into the 1970s. Yes, good people who probably would have never done it joked about domestic violence…]

Transcription, right page:

Dear Clara

Transcription:

March 12, 1884

Dear Friend Clara

I ask you not as others may. I place

In your memory fair, but only in

True friendship say, forget me if you dare.

I am ever your friend.

George D. Wagner

Concordia Kan

Jan the 22 1885

In what a changing world we live

Friends meeting parting ever

Let friends to friends some token give

That they’ll forget them – never

S Caylor

[The world was changing rapidly in the 1880s, and people moved away, never to be seen again- but that had been going on for many years as our population of the US moved west. Perhaps S Caylor was planning a move about the time Clara gathered the autographs of her friends? In 1880, Clara was in Concordia, Cloud County, Kansas, living with her parents; in 1885, the Kansas State Census shows her in Arion, still in Cloud County. She married in Cloud County in 1894, so Clara herself did not move for some years.]

Transcription:

Command me always as a friend. M.

 

Mar 12, 1884.

 

Dear Friend Clara.

 

Here is one leaf reserved for me,

From all kind words it yet is free.

Oh! Could I now within thy mind

Some little vacant corner find,

How quick would I with greatest ease

Write down my name forever there.

 

Ever yours. Madge Wagner.

 

 

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1. Thank you to our Roberts cousin who so carefully has preserved, scanned, and transcribed this autograph album.

 

Click to enlarge any image. Please contact us if you would like an image in higher resolution.

We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.

 

Original content copyright 2013-2017 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted. 

Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the information on their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit and cite the information properly.

 Please contact us if you have any questions about copyright or use of our blog material.

 

Roberts Family (Click for Family Tree)

Tuesday’s Tip: Do you have family treasures stashed in a closet or trunk? Share them- your cousins will enjoy learning more about their family!

Our Roberts cousin is doing just that. And so are we, through this blog.

A great-uncle of Edith (Roberts) [McMurray] Luck, William Roberts, left a big and wonderful family as his legacy. William and his family stayed in Indiana while our ancestor, John Roberts and his wife Elizabeth Ann Murrell, migrated to Iowa.

William’s descendants kept many of the family artifacts from their line, and they are a delight to see. We have already posted pictures of family and friends- see “Friday’s Faces from the Past: The William Roberts Family” for the first of nine posts in the series called the “Lloyd Roberts Family Photo Collection.”

William’s son Isaac Henry Roberts married Clara Shrader, daughter of Mary Ann (Bennett) Shrader. Clara kept her autograph book throughout her life. Completed in her late teens, it obviously was quite an important keepsake to her, and held a lot of memories.

An autograph book was a small, usually hardbound book with blank pages, or sometimes there were lines or images on a page. The book would be passed around to friends to autograph, and they usually wrote a quick little poem. (Those who were born in the 1950s or 60s will remember autograph books as being popular back then too.)

Clara’s autograph book has been lovingly kept by the family and passed down since the 1880s. The current owner has shared the pages of this sweet book for posting, in the hope that not only will descendants enjoy it and it be preserved online, but that descendants of Clara’s friends might see it and get a small glimpse of their ancestor’s personality.

Transcription:

Remember and don’t forget

The Bigest fool you ever met

Command you may

your mind from play

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1. “Friday’s Faces from the Past: The William Roberts Family“as the first in the series ” Lloyd Roberts Family Photo Collection” at http://heritageramblings.net/2016/03/04/fridays-faces-from-the-past-the-william-roberts-family/

2. Thank you to our Roberts cousin who so carefully has preserved, scanned, and transcribed this autograph album.

 

Click to enlarge any image. Please contact us if you would like an image in higher resolution.

We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.

 

Original content copyright 2013-2017 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted. 

Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the information on their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit and cite the information properly.

 Please contact us if you have any questions about copyright or use of our blog material.

Roberts Family (Click for Family Tree)

Thankfully someone noted the names of these two lovely ladies on this photo. We know that Clara Shrader married Isaac Henry Roberts, the son of William Roberts and Sarah (Christie) Roberts. The mystery is Eva Bennett.

Clara’s mother was Mary Ann (Bennett) Shrader. Could Eva be Mary Ann’s sister, and therefore Clara’s aunt? They look to be of similar ages, though it was possible within large families for young aunts and uncles to happen.

Another possibility is that since Eva’s last name is Bennett, she could be the daughter of a brother of Mary Ann (Bennett) Schrader. That would make Clara and Eva first cousins.

Finding siblings of Mary Ann Bennett has been unsuccessful thus far. Her parents were Harry Bennett and Elizabeth Basone per Mary Ann’s death certificate.

Just to add to the mystery, here is another photo that was in with the family collection. It is labeled, thankfully.

If you know any more than this small amount about Eva Bennett, Charley Bennett, or Mary Ann (Bennett) Shrader, please contact us using our form or leave a comment.

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

1. William Roberts Family Photo Album.

 

Please contact us if you would like higher resolution images. Click to enlarge images.

We would love to read your thoughts and comments about this post (see form below), and thank you for your time! All comments are moderated, however, due to the high intelligence and persistence of spammers/hackers who really should be putting their smarts to use for the public good instead of spamming our little blog.

 

Original content copyright 2013-2015 by Heritage Ramblings Blog and pmm.

Family history is meant to be shared, but the original content of this site may NOT be used for any commercial purposes unless explicit written permission is received from both the blog owner and author. Blogs or websites with ads and/or any income-generating components are included under “commercial purposes,” as are the large genealogy database websites. Sites that republish original HeritageRamblings.net content as their own are in violation of copyright as well, and use of full content is not permitted.

 

Descendants and researchers MAY download images and posts to share with their families, and use the information on their family trees or in family history books with a small number of reprints. Please make sure to credit and cite the information properly.

 

Please contact us if you have any questions about copyright of our blog material.