Delaware County NY Genealogy and History Site

My great-grandmother, Amanda Vivian Austin, began keeping an Autograph book just before her 17th birthday while living in Cannonsville, N.Y. The earliest signature is from January of 1882 and the last dated entry is for August of 1889. Most of the entries are dated and give the city the signer lives in. A few of the entries are made by close relatives and the rest are friends and neighbors of Cannonsville and other nearby towns.

Brief Biography:

Amanda V. Austin was the daughter of Amanda Malvina Adee and Henry M. Austin, who were born in Delaware Co., (1828 and 1832) but moved to Green Co., Wisconsin where all their children were born, including Amanda V. in 1865. By 1880 the family was back in Delaware County, N.Y. living in Cannonsville. In 1891 Amanda V. Austin married her fist cousin, Sampson Hopkins and moved back to Wisconsin to Sampson's hometown in Rock Co. She died three years latter of Appendicitis and is buried in Rock Co., Wisc.

Amanda's parents, Henry and Amanda Malvina Austin and her brothers, Theophilus (b. 1857), William (b. 1858) and her sister, Elizabeth (b. 1862) all lived the rest of their lives in Cannonsville and were buried in the cemetery there which later required removal to the Trout Creek cemetery at the time the Cannonsville reservoir was created in the late 1950s.

Patrick Belanger
8021 Chubb Road
Northville, Michigan 48167
Belanger2005@hotmail.com

The 38 Individual Entries as photographed and transcribed by Patrick Belanger
posted to website May 16, 2005

Aldrich_M_T_Pg-37 - May your coffee and slander against you be ever the same - without grounds. Sincerely, M. T. Aldrich. Cannonsville N.Y. - April 25, 1887

Aldrich_Myrtie_Pg-38 - October the 25, 1882 - Round went the book, and here it came - In it for me to write my name; I would write better, if I could, But nature said I never should - Ever Your Friend - Myrtie Aldrich

Austin_Libbie_L_Pg-11 - Strait is the line of duty, Curved is the line of beauty, Walk in the first and thou shalt see, The other ever following thee. Your Sister - Libbie L. Austin - Feb 6th 1882

Benedict_Frank_H_Pg-24 - Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and take what God sends you. Yours Resptg. Frank H. Benedict, Walton, NY

Benedict_Mrs_A_J_Pg-22 - Meredith - Jan. 6th 1886: May you be happy, Each day of your life, Get a good husband, And make a good wife. Your cousin - Mrs. A.J. Benedict

Benson_Minnie_Pg-42 - Count the day lost, whose low decending sun - Views from thy hand, no worthy action done - Sincerely Yours. Minnie Benson. Cannonsville - Sept 15 1886

Boice_Charles_H_Pg-54 - Cannonsville May 24' '85 - They who do the best they can - Does well! Acts nobly. Angels could do no more - Yours truly - Chas. H. Boice - Waverly - Penna.

Boice_Lida_Pg-12 - When on this page you chance to look, Just think of me and close the book. Lida Boice - Oct 13, 1882

Boyd_Emma_A_Pg-47 - "Oh! that our lives, that flee so fast, In purity were such; That not an image of the past, Should fear the pencil's touch." - Truly your friend, - Emma A Boyd. - Cannonsville, Mar. 29, 1888.

Conner_Victoria_Pg-18 - Dear Cousin, May the hinges of our friendship never rust. Victoria Conner, Andes - Sept 13th 1885

Constable_Isa_Pg-39 - Isa Constable - Cannonsville - NY

Crawford_Addie_Pg-08 - May your life be happy. Sincerely your friend. Addie Crawford - 1-28-82 - Cannonsville

Crawford_Carrie_Pg-52 - To Amanda - Drop one pearl in memorys casket for your friend - Carrie Crawford. - Cannonsville. Jan 28th 1882.

Crawford_Della_Pg-49 - Otego Otsego County - N.Y. - Remember me. Dear Friend - Let not our friendship be like the rose to sever - But like the evergreen may it last forever - Ever your Friend - Della Crawford

Crawford_Gertie_Pg-52 - forget me not - forget me not. - Dear, friend - When I'm gone to rest, - Remember it was Gertrude who always loved you best. - And a friend's name shall end it. Gertie Crawford. C-ville. 1-28-1882

Crawford_Gertie_Pg-63 - Forget me not. - And a friend's name shall end it. Gertie Crawford. C-ville. 1-28-1882

Crawford_Nelson_J_Pg-30 - 1-28-1882 - As the wave followest the ripple at sea So may happiness follow thee. - Nelson J. Crawford

Dennis_Ella_Pg-51 - Confidence of Ella Dennis - Trout Creek

Elizabeth_Pg-31 - July 7th, 1888 - If I wake, or if I sleep Still the memory to keep Of the tender light that lies In the depths of those brown eyes. - Elizabeth? [name is scratched out]

Em_Pg-36 - Amanda, - Love many, hurt few, And always paddle your own canoe - Semper I dem, - Em, - April 6th, 1889

French_Anna_R_Pg-28 - warm sugar - Buttermilk - Peanuts - Crazy quilt - Yours Truly, - Anna R. French - Hingham, Mass. - Arpil 25th, 1887

Gott_Minnie_A_Pg-19 - Minnie A. Gott - Cannonsville, May 3d 1883

Gott_P_K_Pg-20 - In all thy ways acknowledge God, and he will direct thy ways. - Cannonsville, May 3d 83. - P K Gott

Griffin_M_A_Pg-34 - To Amanda - Earth is beautifel but Heaven is holy, - May the holy win thee from the beautiful - Truly Your Friend - M. A. Griffin - Jan. 7, 1882

Hulbert_Lottie_Pg-26 - Aug. 6, 1884 this is thine album, may it be a source of happiness to thee and may each page that written o'er be better than the one before - Your friend - Lottie Hulbert

Jenkins_Nora_B_Pg-44 - Never grow weary doing good. - Sincerely Yours - Nora B. Jenkins. - Trout Creek March 1, 1883

J-L-H_Pg-16 - To Amanda: In time we transact business for eternity, whatever therefore we do now should be done well. - J.L.H. - Aug 16th / 82

Lane_Frank_Pg-33 - Evansville, Wis. 11/27 1887 - Compliments of F. C. Lane

List_Minnie_Pg-41 - In the evening of life cherish the rememberance of one who loved you in its morning - Truly your friend - Minnie List

McLellan_Belle_Pg-48 - Cannonsville Feb 5, 1882 - This is thine album may it be - A source of happiness to thee - And may each page that's written - ere be better than the one before - Belle McLellan

OConner_James_Pg-61 - The lakes and the rivers are full of good fishes, All Autograph Albums are full of good wishes; One half of God's children for favors are fishing, And half for the loaves and the fishes are wishing, And wishes bring nothing, but trusting, believing, Be thankful for what you are daily receiving. God knows your necessities - knows your endeavor. And him you can trust to reward you forever. - Cannonsville, March 21st 1889 - James O'Connor.

Peet_Addie_C_Pg-54 - Ever your friend, - Addie C. Peet - Cannonsville - N.Y. - October 8/87

Seymore_Mary_Olive_Pg-46 - What write i in your album - for critics to spy, for learned to laugh at, oh not I - Always your friend - August 14, 1889 Mary Olive Seymore

Smith_Agnes_Pg-21 - Round went the book, and here it comes, In it for to write my name; I would write better, if I could, But nature Said I never should - Agnes Smith , East Meredith - Jan. 7, 1886

Smith_Bertha_Pg-32 - Dear Manda - Gems of price are deeply hidden, 'Neath the rugged rocks concealed; What would ne'er come forth unbidden, To they search may be revealed. - Your friend. - Bertha Smith - Cannonsville Del. Co. N.Y. - April 5, 1883

Stone_Helen_Pg-14 - Helen Stone, Equimunk, Wayne Co., Pa.

Twitchell_J_C_Pg-40 - Cannonsville Mar 6/82 - Friend Amanda. - Time advances like the slowest tide, but retreats like the swiftest current. - Yours - J.C. Twitchell - Roseville Ill

Wakeman_Kate_Pg-50 - "January Dance." - "May your virtues ever spread Like butter on hot gingerbread." - Very Truly - Kate Wakeman - Walton - March 2, 1884.