One of the treasures we have in the Kemp/French/Pope/Catlett archives is an autograph book from 1887. It belonged to Isaac Catlett, the youngest half-brother of Lucy Grace Catlett Pope. If you remember from the last post, Lucy was mother to Frances, and grandmother of Paul Jr, Tom, Jack, and Dick.
I've never seen a photo or even a reference to Isaac, his older brother, Henry, and their half-sister, Ruth, so this autograph book is extra special, I think.
Their father, James, was married three times. His first wife was Winnie Thomas, and they had four children - Mary, Alta, Lucy, and Joe. Winnie passed away in 1866 and then he married Elizabeth Thomas. They had two sons - Henry and Isaac. Not sure what happened to Elizabeth, but then James married Mary Ellen Webb, and had a daughter, Ruth.
Below is a photo from the previous post, showing Mary, Alta, James, Lucy, and Joe in 1910. (Don't know where Henry, Isaac, and Ruth were...)
The autograph book was started most likely when Isaac graduated from high school. He was 17 years old, and the entries are from 1887-1889.
The book is remarkable for the beautiful handwriting and the language and thoughts expressed at that time. They were living in Granville, Clay Township, Missouri at the time. The 1880 census shows James listed as "Farmer." His wife is listed as "Mary E." and her occupation, "Keeping house." They are followed by Mary, Joe (listed as "School Teacher"), Lucy, Alta, and Isaac. Also listed as living with them is "Thomas Dimmit," a nephew.
At the end of the book, you'll see his sister Lucy's entry. She would have been 28 years old, not yet married to G.B. Pope. Below is a transcription of what she wrote. She quotes a lovely exerpt from a poem by an English poet Richard Monckton Milnes, written in 1840. (On a side note, Milnes was a classmate of Alfred Lord Tennyson at Cambridge, and was a persistent, yet unsuccesful, suitor of Florence Nightengale.)
TRANSCRIPT:
I've never seen a photo or even a reference to Isaac, his older brother, Henry, and their half-sister, Ruth, so this autograph book is extra special, I think.
Their father, James, was married three times. His first wife was Winnie Thomas, and they had four children - Mary, Alta, Lucy, and Joe. Winnie passed away in 1866 and then he married Elizabeth Thomas. They had two sons - Henry and Isaac. Not sure what happened to Elizabeth, but then James married Mary Ellen Webb, and had a daughter, Ruth.
Below is a photo from the previous post, showing Mary, Alta, James, Lucy, and Joe in 1910. (Don't know where Henry, Isaac, and Ruth were...)
The autograph book was started most likely when Isaac graduated from high school. He was 17 years old, and the entries are from 1887-1889.
The book is remarkable for the beautiful handwriting and the language and thoughts expressed at that time. They were living in Granville, Clay Township, Missouri at the time. The 1880 census shows James listed as "Farmer." His wife is listed as "Mary E." and her occupation, "Keeping house." They are followed by Mary, Joe (listed as "School Teacher"), Lucy, Alta, and Isaac. Also listed as living with them is "Thomas Dimmit," a nephew.
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| 1880 Census |
At the end of the book, you'll see his sister Lucy's entry. She would have been 28 years old, not yet married to G.B. Pope. Below is a transcription of what she wrote. She quotes a lovely exerpt from a poem by an English poet Richard Monckton Milnes, written in 1840. (On a side note, Milnes was a classmate of Alfred Lord Tennyson at Cambridge, and was a persistent, yet unsuccesful, suitor of Florence Nightengale.)
TRANSCRIPT:
June 21st, 1887
Dear Ike,
You are young and tender in years, just entering the great
battle of life. Then I would have
you remember, “It is the battle, not the prize, That fills the hero’s breast
with joy; And industry the bliss supplies Which mere possession might destroy.”
Ever remember your sister,
Lucy
Here are the pages of the "Ike" Catlett's autograph book. You can click on the first image to enlarge it and then click on the enlarged image to move ahead. To get back to the post, click in the black border or on the x. Enjoy.
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