A journey from 1891-Post 2

Installment number two

Searching and surprises

I’m a very lucky woman genealogically speaking, that is. My mother recently handed me this autograph book, a book once belonging to my three times great grandparents the Reverend Charles Smith and his wife Maria Polly Bixby Smith. To see the first post about the book, who signed first, and more photos of the book, CLICK HERE.

Here are the Smiths and their precious book:

I say lucky for two reasons:

• When I was clearing away clutter researching the Smith line, the news clip above fell out of a bag into my lap. I sat stunned, not believing what I held in my hands. A couple of us had been looking for news clips of this marriage. Look no more!
• That my mother found this gem is something I consider a huge stroke of luck. This book contains signatures and correct surname spellings we may not have seen elsewhere. It places people in locations we may not have been aware of before. It hosts all kinds of delectable clues.

The clip is a lengthy piece on the second marriage of Charles and Maria’s seventh child, daughter Sarah Smith and her husband Adelbert Phelps. Some may not know that Adelbert was first married to Sarah’s sister, Mary, that Sarah’s first husband was William Langton, and that this was a double wedding in May of 1882. To read more about this wedding and their wedding photo, see Susan’s article HERE.

To see the rest of the In Second Romance article, scroll to the bottom.

Signature number two

I say second signature only as it appears from front to back; Sarah was not the second person to sign the book. It’s easier to present the pages to you here from front to back. That way, I hope I won’t miss anyone.

Stevens Point May 24, 1904

Dear Mother~

Always remember what pleasure came to us all on this day and may we all be worthy of these blessings is the wish of your daughter

Sarah Langton

---

Enjoy!

Photo credit of Charles and Maria Smith~ Daphne Purchase