May I have your autograph?

Autograph album 2

Maud Green’s autograph album, shown above, was given to her for Christmas, 1879, when she was 13 years old. She kept the album and treasured it, as years later, she added the married names of some of her young friends to their verses. A sample of some of the entries:

Remember me when washing dishes
Remember me and my best wishes.

Dear Maud,
Many a bow the archer sent
Hits a mark that was never meant.
So many a word though lightly spoken
Has healed a heart that’s almost broken.
Yours truly
Frankie R. Trumbo, by her mama

Passing through life’s field of action
Lest we part before its end;
Take within your modest volume
This memento from a friend.

Autograph album

The album from which this page came was given to Grace E. Green for Christmas, 1885, when she was twelve.

Dear Grace,
A little word in kindness spoken
A motion or a tear
Has often heal’d the heart that’s broken
And made a friend sincere.
Your friend and school-mate,
Allie Ainsley
Dayton, Jan. 12th 1886

My pen is poor
My ink is pale
My love to you
Shall never fail.

A verse you ask this fine day
Of course I’ll write you one.
The task of writing finds its pay
In joy that it is done.

The Dayton Enterprise

Dayton Enterprise

For a brief period of time, Dayton had its own newspaper, the Dayton Enterprise. It was the product of Charles Green, son of David Green. With his own small printing press, Charlie was reporter, editor, printer, and publisher. He was also a musician, giving lessons and conducting a singing school at the schoolhouse

The October 18, 1878, edition contains local and area news, humor, advertising, and an editorial about the poor condition of the sidewalks. A year’s subscription could be had for 40 cents, and it is a great loss that only this one issue has survived.

A few excerpts:

Wit and Humor
A poor relation – a carb-uncle.
Why is an insensible man like a wicked man? Because they both need to be revived.
What is the difference between a gas tube and a silly Dutchman? One is a hollow cylinder, and the other is a silly Hollander.
The first thing in a boot is the last.
Is it right for young ladies to smoke? – Yes, there can be no harm in taking a lady-like cigar – a she-root, for instance.
Query for naturalists: If a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, is a mole on the face worth two in the ground?

Population of Dayton, latest census, 204.
Number of young men, actual count, 12.
”      ”         ”     ”      ladies,   ”       ”           6.
Boys, a half a dozen of us will have to go,
so as to give the other six a chance.
No. of dwelling houses in the town, 41.
”    ”   manufacturing establishments, 4.
”    ”   Hotels,                                      2.
1 Store.
1 Meat-market.
and 1 Printing Office,
Don’t forget that!

The Dayton Literary Society

Book label - Dayton Literary Society

The Dayton Literary Society was founded in February of 1881,  with Isaac Green as President, Charles Green as Secretary and Harry Green as Librarian. Harry was the librarian because the library, all one hundred volumes of it, was housed at his store. You paid a monthly fee and then you could borrow any book. This label, found in every book, listed some of the rules governing the library:

ART. 4. The Time of Keeping a Book shall be Two Weeks, and any person failing to return said book inside the specified time, shall be fined the sum of 5 cts. for each day until returned. Also, any person returning a book unnecessarily soiled, shall be fined the sum of 10 cts.

ART. 6. The Librarian shall not issue Books to any person who is known to be in arrears of monthly dues or fines.

ART. 7. No person shall be allowed more than ONE Book at a time.

Unfortunately, no record of the complete “Rules to Govern Library” has survived. Did it contain guidelines for what books to include? Were books purchased, or donated from town residents? What was the most popular subject matter?

 

The Temperance Movement in Dayton in 1842

temperance pledge

Temperance Meeting at Dayton1

Pledge

We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, being thoroughly convinced that the use of intoxicating liquors is pernicious to health and good morals, therefore pledge to each other, in the presence of God, and our country, our most sacred honor to abstain, in all time to come, from the use of all intoxicating liquors, except as a medicine; and that we will use our influence, on all proper occasions, to cause our friends to unite with us in this pledge.

Wm Stadden                                                  Lars Harrison
C G Miller                                                       Isaac Miller
W L Dunavan                                                 Morris Laupher
Joshua Fairchild                                             James Thompson
Z H Baxter                                                      Lars Larson
Jesse Green                                                    Isaac Hayes
Jacob Leavens                                                Stephen Donohoe
David Green                                                   Elizabeth Miller
Peley Frink                                                      L W Abbot
A T Marr                                                          Mrs Elvira Laupher
John Lewis                                                       Jefferson Weatherford
E G Janes                                                         Mrs Mary Weatherford
Z A Kelly                                                          Francis Weatherford
Z Preston                                                        Rachael Weatherford
Uriah Miller                                                    Rebecca Green
Joseph Green                                                  Elizabeth Jacobs
John A Quick                                                   Isaac Green
Jonathan Stadden                                          Mrs. Mary Ann Fairchild
Albert Dunavan                                              Mrs Eliza Dunavan
Hardin Weatherford                                      Emma Dunavan
H Fairchild                                                      Mrs E Baxter
J M Laurence                                                  Mrs Eliza Miller
John Miller                                                      Mrs Tobitha Bockorn
John Combs                                                    Chilson McKurley


1. The Illinois Free Trader, February 25, 1842, p. 2, col. 6