A Book a Day, week 6

BOOK THIRTYSIX
"I Married Adventure" by Osa Johnson, 1940 - this publishing, 1942.

Taken from wikipedia: "Martin Johnson took part as a crew member and cook in Jack London's 1907–1909 voyage across the Pacific aboard the Snark. After that, he started a traveling road show that toured the United States displaying photographs and artifacts collected on the voyage. He met Osa Leighty while passing through her hometown of Chanute, Kansas, and they married in May 1910."

The couple became adventurers and documentary filmmakers, living an exotic life far from the mid-west Prairies they came from - capturing the public's imagination in the process.

Osa wrote this book a few years after Martin's death in a plane crash - one that she survived.

The book has a dust jacket in marginal condition, and the first page is covered in names, none of which stand out to me.

This book has quickly rose to the top of my list of ones that I will actually read.

BOOK THIRTYSEVEN
"Richard Carvel" by Winston Churchill, 1899.

Not to be confused with the British Prime Minister, this Churchill was an American Novelist. This was his 2nd novel. It was a romantic historical novel of the American Revolutionary period and became a huge success, making him rich.

Inside the front cover is an inscription to Carl M. Garver, a new name to me, but clearly in the Garver clan. The book was compliments of someone or some organization, but the words are hard to make out.

Another name listed next to Carl's seems to be U. S. Sheridan - completely unfamiliar to me.

BOOK THIRTYEIGHT
"Effectual Prayer" by Frances W. Foulks, 1945.

My great-grandmother's name is on the first page, dated 11-26-45. She penciled in notes and ear-marked a few pages while reading this.

This first edition book is from the Unity School of Christianity in Kansas City, Missouri.

BOOK THIRTYNINE
"The Creative Silence" by Robert A. Russell, c. 1952.

There is no publishing date, but my great-grandmother's name is inked inside the front cover, dated August 1952.

Written on the first page, in pencil: "In this very instant that I am thinking about some thing or condition - that very instant I am that thing or condition".

Along with many other pages, page 83 is ear-marked and underlined in pencil is the sentence: "'I AM' is the super-mind and sum total of God-consciousness" and on page 86 is a segment that looks like a prayer or chant or daily affirmation of some sort that includes:

"I AM is Universal Mind
I AM is Life
I AM is Power
I AM is Health
I AM is Wealth
I AM is Success
I AM is everything I AM or can be, for I AM the I AM!"

BOOK FORTY
"Sonnets from the Portuguese" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, ca. 1845–1846, first published in 1850 - this publishing much later, c. 1988.

On the first page: "To Juliette with love - Feathers, April 1988." I don't know anyone named "Feathers" that may have given my grandmother a book that year, but I will take the date as an indication of the relative publishing year for this edition.

This book is a collection of Elizabeth's poems, 44 in all, that she wrote in the years leading up to her marriage to the poet and playwright Robert Browning.

"The courtship and marriage between Robert Browning and Elizabeth were carried out secretly. Six years his elder and an invalid, she could not believe that the vigorous and worldly Browning really loved her as much as he professed to..." (taken from wikipedia)

These sonnets expressed her doubt of his love for her and, after those doubts proved to be unfounded when he did marry her, in the end she felt the poems were far too personal to be published, even though Robert urged her to do so.

Finally, she agreed, but by disguising them as translated poems from another language. Portuguese was eventually decided upon.

The second to last sonnet, number 43, is arguably her most famous from the collection, beginning with the line "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways."

BOOK FORTYONE
"This Thing Called Life" by Ernest Holmes, 1943.

My great-grandmother's name is on the top of the front cover, and there are a few pencil markings here and there on some of the pages.

Ernest Holmes founded the Religious Science, or Science of Mind, movement in 1927. It is a spiritual, philosophical and metaphysical religious movement within the New Thought movement, a metaphysical belief-based spiritual movement developed in the late 19th century in the U.S.

Religious Science, Unity Church, and the Church of Divine Science are the three main denominations of the New Thought movement. I now recall my grandmother being a part of the Unity Church. Clearly, the majority of these books fall within the New Thought movement, as my grandmother was certainly active in this.

While the Unity Church was founded in Kansas City, Missouri, the Church of Divine Science and Religious Science were both founded in California (San Francisco and Los Angeles, respectively). Now my family was certainly running around Iowa and Indiana in the mid-1800s, but I believe it was around the same time that these movements were underway when my family moved west.

Even though it was just my grandmother that I know firsthand that was involved in one of these churches, clearly her mother was far more than a little interested in these beliefs as well, her name being on the majority of these books. I wonder just how involved in the movement she was, and if anyone else I know was as well. Jean's husband, James Ray Saylor, has not come up in any way in these books, but from as little as I know of him, he was a Methodist insurance agent from Des Moines.

But I did find mention of their marriage in the Sigma Chi Quarterly fraternity journal from 1916.

Finding this, I was motivated to do more research down the Saylor family line today. Although I was unable to go far back due to a quaint little dead-end story of two brothers, George W. and John Saylor, being orphans and brought to Illinois from Virgina in their youth by an unrelated man named John Congleton, the brothers did seem to do quite well for themselves. George, for example, had a son name George who married into a family line that I was able to trace back several more generations back even further from his generation...which is 4 generations removed from myself.

I stopped once I got to Durs Flickinger, who was born in Bern, Switzerland in 1664.

BOOK FORTYTWO
Lillian De Waters was a student of Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Christian Science. She published her first books through the Christian Science organization, then self-published and formed her own publishing house as her teachings and books branched off from that religion and back towards orthodox Christianity.

This book - "The Finished Kingdom" - was written in 1924, and this self-publishing is from 1925.

The book has no markings at all, and just one ear-mark on page 121, where De Waters writes about the story of a very ill man whose body healed instantly once he realized his sinless connection to a sinless God.

A Book a Day, week 5

BOOK TWENTYNINE

Today's book is a dictionary! "New Pocket Dictionary - English and German" by Dr. F.E. Feller, c. 1923? There is no date inside the book, so I am guessing on a publishing date from incomplete sources online.

On the cover is my great-grandmother's name and again on the first page of English words, right above "A". Following the 2nd name, though, are the Greek letters delta and gamma. I'm assuming she was in the fraternity and this is a book from her college years. I have no idea which school as of yet, though, but Delta Gamma was founded in 1873 in Mississippi and if I can guess the years Jean went to school, I'll contact them inquiring on which chapters had opened at which schools by about that time.

BOOK THIRTY

Well, it looks like I have a set of these! Book 11 was the 3rd from the series and, digging deeper into the pile, I also found the 2nd one which I will save for another day.

This one is the first from the series: "Theosophical Manuals Number One - The Seven Principles of Man" by Annie Besant F.T.S., 1892.

Inside the front cover are Barbara R Garver and Jean G Saylor's names - my great-great-great-grandmother and great-grandmother.

Between pages 30 and 31 is a sheet titled "Things To Do Today" but there is nothing listed underneath. I guess it wasn't a busy week. The bottom of the page is a calendar with 3 months (June, July, August) and the date: Monday, July 23, 1956.

Inside the back cover are some notes referencing page 33 and talking about goose liver or spleen - the words are difficult to make out. I would assume it was referencing a recipe from a cook book, but on page 33 Besant talks about the liver and spleen being healthy and pure and their connection to the brain.

Maybe that word isn't "goose" after all...

BOOK THIRTYONE

"Dear Little Marchioness" by A. Tracy, 1895.

On the first page is my great-grandmother's name again. Once this is all over, I'll have to do a count of names in books. I think the majority of these are great-grandma Jean's. Inside the back cover are newspaper clippings pinned together. They seem to serve no purpose and there is no part of the paper that is a focus in any way. It almost seems decorative, as they are pieced together to fit perfectly inside the book.

From the introduction, by Bishop Thomas Frank Gailor:

"This simple story was written by one who ministered in person to the sick and dying during the epidemic of yellow fever in the city of Memphis in 1878."

Info taken from the History Channel's website: The Yellow Fever outbreak started in August in Memphis and ended with the first frost of October. Over 20,000 people in the Southeast died and another 80,000 survived infection. An average of 200 people died every day through September. There were corpses everywhere and near continual ringing of funeral bells. Half of the city’s doctors died.

I can find no mention of A. Tracy, online or in the book, other than the name following the copyright from 1894. In fact, A. Tracy isn't even specifically listed as the author and my first thought was that this was written my Gailor.

BOOK THIRTYTWO

"María" by Jorge Isaacs, first published in 1867 - this publishing is from 1918.

Isaacs "was a Colombian writer, politician and soldier. His only novel, María, became one of the most notable works of the Romantic movement in Spanish literature.

When María was published in 1867 it became an immediate success both in Colombia and in other Latin American countries. As a consequence Isaacs became a well-known personality in Colombia and his newly-found fame allowed him to start a career as journalist and politician. As a journalist he directed the newspaper La República, of moderate conservative tendencies, in which he also published some articles. As a politician he first joined the Conservative Party, but later switched to the Radical Party. In 1870 he was sent to Chile as consul general. On his return to Colombia he was actively involved in the politics of Valle del Cauca, which he represented in the Colombian Congress, and in 1876 he fought in yet another civil war. However his political career ended in 1879 after an incident where he proclaimed himself political and military leader of Antioquia in response to a conservative revolt." (taken from wikipedia)

This book is a classroom book, with exercises, notes and vocabulary by Ralph Hayward Keniston, who was an assistant professor of romance languages at Cornell University at the time.

This book isn't marked up like book #23, though.

Inside the front cover of the book is Elsie M. Benson's name, who apparently claimed the book when she was a senior at Fargo High School.

Inside the back cover are 5 names written under the heading "La clase en Español." Elsie's is the first name listed, but none of the names (including Else's) are familiar to me.

Between pages 62 and 63 is a blank notecard and between pages 126 and 127 is a folded up promotional flier for Bacardi rum. The information is in Spanish, English and French, talking about the history of the rum.

It mentions that "Bacardi has been for more than 70 years the preferred drink of the entire Island of Cuba as well as many other countries." The distillery was founded in 1838 and the name "Bacardi" has been used since 1862, so...add 70 years to some year in there and you can guess a date on this paper as well as I can.

On the back is the recipe for the Bacardi Cocktail, in Spanish and English. No French.

-----------------------------------------------

I called my sister today to go over her family tree that she made around 1993. This clarified many names and connections and I have since updated earlier posts here where there were unanswered questions on who was who. Apparently, we can trace back 12 generations to someone who died in 1646. And I was getting all excited about Henry Fusselman being only my great-great-great-great grandfather. HAH!

BOOK THIRTYTHREE

Today's book is actually a day planner from 1951, courtesy of The Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland.

The front cover is imprinted: "Jos. W. Mullarky & Co., Insurance Brokers, 312 Elm Avenue, Long Beach 2, Calif., Telephones: 61795-702764"

The first page has a list of explanations of "What The F&D Can Do For You" if you are a lawyer, banker, qualified contractor, public official, operating a business, home owner or renter, or have a show window.

Each page is split up into 2 days, with the hours from 9am to 5am listed. Clearly nothing important happened before 9am or after 5pm in 1951 that was worth writing in a day planner.

There are also little check boxes for the weather, be it clear, cloudy, dry, rain, snow, or humid.

The last few pages are chock full of useful information for the working man of 1951. Weight and measure conversions, an interest calculator, legal and public holidays, gifts to give on wedding anniversaries, birth stones, help in case of accidents, do's and don'ts of fire safety and what to do when a fire breaks out.

All of the pages are blank, save for February 22nd and 23rd. Although the page for those days is filled, the scribblings are incoherent to me - I am assuming it's another language, but I don't recognize the characters at all.

My birthday would have fallen on a Thursday that year, had I been born by that time.

----------------------------------------

In this shot, I am wearing vintage pants and suspenders and ironing a vintage tux shirt for a 1920s-themed wedding that I am shooting today. At the time of this shot, I had yet to figure out how to tie the bow tie that I bought back in June. With about an hour to spare, I finally understood what I was doing wrong and I can now tie a mean bow tie.

BOOK THIRTYFOUR
Yet another fairy tale book, this one is "Fairy Tales - Told by The Seven Travelers at The Red Lion Inn" compiled by David Belasco and Chas. A. Byrne, 1906.

David Belasco was an American playwright and theatrical director/producer. Charles Alfred Byrne was a newspaper man.

On the first page is inked George Garver's name from Christmas 1908. Another name is on the same page in pencil, but I cannot make it out.

To my best knowledge, George Garver died in 1909. This makes me wonder if perhaps there was a son named George as well or perhaps old George just enjoyed fairy tales, even up until one year from his death?

BOOK THIRTYFIVE
Yet another classroom book, this is "The Students' Series of English Classics" published by Sibley & Company, c. 1905.

This book is a compilation of 3 works: "Burke on Conciliation with America", "Webster's First Bunker Hill Oration", and "Washington's Farewell Address'.

Inside the front cover is a large stamp from the Des Moines Public Schools and on the opposite page my great-grandmother's name and the Greek letters Delta, Kappa, and either Phi, Theta or Omicron.

Although I can't be certain of the last letter, it is clearly a different set than the Delta + Gamma from day 29's book, the English-German dictionary.

Perhaps Jean switched sororities?

Underneath her name are a handful of scribbled notes, along with more notes on another page and inside the back cover. The text was left mostly clean, though.

A list of other books by the publishers on the last page has this book priced at a modest 25 cents.

A Book a Day, week 4

BOOK TWENTYTWO

"Helen's Babies" holds a particular place in my heart at it is the ONE book in the lot that has actually been opened and thumbed through before I started this project. It was among a few books used for props in my Tea Party photo shoot and, as I recall, my assistant sat down and read a passage or two from it after we had the scene all ready, but were still waiting for the models to arrive on set.

When I recently asked him if I was correct in thinking he was reading the book, he replied with: "Yup, I was. From what I remember, Helen was a whore."

I have yet to read enough to confirm or deny this.

The book, although one of my favorites aesthetically, is in terrible shape and I might read an online version instead of further destroying the fragile pages, which are completely detached from the cover and barely strung together.

The book itself was written by one John Habberton in 1876 and this is a first edition, as far as I can tell. Habberton, though, is not listed in the book at all as the author. Instead the title page reads:

"Helen's Babies, with some account of their ways innocent, crafty, angelic, impish, witching, and repulsive. Also, a partial record of their actions during ten days of their existence.
By Their Latest Victim."

Taken from wikipedia:

"'Helen's Babies' was intended as just a piece of humour and aimed at an adult audience. But the hilarious novel almost instantly became a major juvenile literature success, highly estimated by the youngsters as well as authorities like Rudyard Kipling. It became a classic ranking on par with 'Tom Sawyer', 'Wind in the Willows', 'Winnie-the Pooh' and the like.

Habberton was also known under the pseudonym 'Smelfungus.'"

I cannot confirm, nor deny, this claim either. Also, the book was apparently made into a silent comedy film in 1924.

Winnie Garver's name is written on the first page - a name I've not heard yet, but clearly someone in the Garver family.

Today, my sister found the family tree that she made as a school project back in middle school. I haven't seen it in years, but as I recall, it's a giant poster and too large to mail to me. The thoroughness and accuracy are debatable at this point, but something tells me that I'll be able to piece together more than a few names one I get a transcribed copy of certain parts. Namely, the Garver and Saylor side of the family to begin with. But I'll also be asking for her to look for other names that I have found in these books that I am uncertain of being in the family (i.e., Hendricks, Preston, Pitcairn, Malcome, Baettger, Hewitt, and all the names from the photo album)

UPDATE 9-18-10: My sister's family tree comes through! Winnie Garver was Winnifred Juliette Garver, my great-great-grandmother! Her mother was Juliette Preston.

BOOK TWENTYTHREE

Today's book is "El Capitán Veneno" by Pedro Antonio de Alarcón, first published in 1881. This publishing is from 1925.

This is a classroom text of the nineteenth century Spanish novelist's work, along with notes, exercises and vocabulary from J.D.M. Ford and Guillermo Rivera, both language professors at Harvard University.

Many of the pages are fully marked up with penciled-in translations above each line.

Amongst the many names inside the front cover of students that claimed this book is my grandmother's, along with her address on Drake Street again.

A Leland Brown had stamped his name both inside the front cover with everyone else as well as inside the back cover. But, in the end, it was to no avail, as the book is now mine.

BOOK TWENTYFOUR

"The World Beautiful" by Lilian Whiting, 1894 - this publishing 1899.

Inside the front cover, my grandfather's name is written and dated July 15, 1950. Above that is another name and date, although I can't fully make out the last name.
"Harriet E. [_______] Feb 8. 1905."

I wonder if he thought it was as cool signing his name underneath someone else's 45 years later as I think it is looking at them both 105 and 60 years later... I'm mildly tempted to add my own name and date, but, against my sister's encouragement, I'm not going to cheapen it. Besides, my handwriting is atrocious.

There are no other markings in the book at all.

There were three series to this book, each written in 1894, 1896, and 1898. This book is the first series, but this publishing was a year after the 3rd had been written.

Lilian Whiting was the literary editor of the Boston Traveler from 1880 to 1890. She also signed as witness to the 1938 marriage of Clarence A. Butler and Edith Downen in Spokane. I love the internet.

BOOK TWENTYFIVE

"Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation, With a Sequel" by Robert Chambers, 1844. This publishing is from 1858. I'm assuming the "sequel" was added in this later edition.

The book was published anonymously due to it being so controversial at the time. The book "brought together various ideas of stellar evolution and progressive transmutation of species governed by God-given laws in an accessible narrative which tied together numerous speculative scientific theories of the age.

The ideas in the book were favoured by Radicals, but its presentation remained popular with a wide public. It has been seen as causing a shift in public opinion which paved the way for the general acceptance of evolution which followed on from the publication of On the Origin of Species by the eminent scientist Charles Darwin, and continued to outsell that book until the end of the 19th century." (taken from wikipedia).

'On the Origin of Species' was published one year after this edition of the book I have here.

Inside the front cover is written: "Henry Fusselman, Newville Indiana"

The name is not familiar to me, but I have found an online record of a Newville, Indiana real estate transfer from a Henry Fusselman to a Samuel Reinier on Feb 19, 1863. The original date on the deed was Apr 5, 1861.

Also, Henry Fusselman transferred more real estate to David Jefferds on May 8, 1863, to Henry Hull on Feb 15, 1864, to George Headley on Mar 7, 1864, and to Aaron B. Fetterer on Feb 18, 1867.

There are records of other Fusselmans transferring land in Newville, Indiana, but Henry is the only name I have in this book.

UPDATE 9-18-10: Henry Fusselman was my great-great-great-great-grandfather. He died in 1863, the year the first of the land transfers began. I'm assuming after he died, his land was sold off, and that's why there was no record of him buying any land after that point...being dead and all.

BOOK TWENTYSIX

This is "Felter's First Lessons in Numbers" by S.A. Felter, A.M., 1865. I am unsure what title "A.M." stands for but this is a 102-page illustrated lesson book for elementary school.

Inside the front and back covers are some child's scribbles...about on par with my drawing abilities.

A few new conversions I have learned from this book:

20 grains make 1 scruple (apothecaries' weight)
3 scruples make 1 dram (apothecaries' weight)
8 drams make 1 ounce (apothecaries' weight)
16 drams make an ounce (avoirdupois weight)
4 gills make a pint (wine measuring)
10 mills make 1 cent (US currency)
10 dollars make an eagle (US currency)

I did find an ad from 1868 for Felter's series of workbooks. This book went for 15¢ in 1868, but for 25¢ in another ad from 1871. A 67% increase in value in just 3 years? Take THAT, Franklin Mint plates!

BOOK TWENTYSEVEN

"Stewart Edward White was a writer of Western adventure novels who turned his attention toward the inner adventures of life when his wife Betty demonstrated mediumship abilities. While in trance, Betty explored the nature of the inner worlds, while Stewart recorded her comments." (taken from Amazon.com)

This is "The Betty Book" by Stewart Edward Shite, 1937 - this is the 5th printing from 1943.

My grandmother's name is inside the front cover, along with a small sticker from the Metaphysical Library & Book Shop in San Fransisco - 177 Post St. I didn't think it was there anymore, but a friend happened to be in San Francisco today and went to go check for me. "Hair dressers and offices now" was the final word.

Photo courtesy of Amanda Buchan Photography.

BOOK TWENTYEIGHT
"Treatment, or Healing by True Prayer" by F. L. Rawson, c.1946?

Yes, today is a repeat.

When I picked up the book this morning, the title and author's name looked somewhat familiar, but not the book itself. Since, on day 7, I shot the inside and not the cover, I didn't recognize it immediately. That book was my great-grandmother's.

This one, same book, same edition (2nd)...is my grandmother's.

Inside the front cover is another sticker from the Metaphysical Library & Book Shop in San Fransisco, as in yesterday's book. I checked with day 7's book and the same sticker is in there as well.

Also, this one has an address label for my grandparents' last residence, although with a misspelling of their last name. Merely a typo? Or is there something I don't know...?

The book is in better condition that day 7's book, but is riddled with bookmarks of all sorts. Eleven in all.

One is a proper bookmark from the Bodhi Tree Bookstore on Melrose again. Two are emery boards. Another is a tiny envelope mailed March 3rd, 1971 with a 6-cent Eisenhower stamp. The return address is 3 miles down the road in Whittier, but with no name.

Three more bookmarks are identical business cards for the Rev. Dale Batesole, founder (and I assume host) of the "There Is A Way" television talk show. According to the card, the show ran 5 days a week, weekday mornings, in Los Angeles and Palm Springs.

Another bookmark is some translucent tracing paper with a hole punched into the top. No markings.

Another is a postcard with a prayer on it, courtesy of "There Is A Way" in Palm Springs.

Another is an empty church offering envelope. Generic printing on it, but nothing to identify which church it might have come from. Printed in Nashville, though.

The final and best bookmark is a card from the United Church of Religious Science. There is nothing written inside the card, but there is a small typed letter to my grandmother from someone named Doris.

Dated August 24th, 1983, it was written about a month after my family moved up from Southern California to Seattle. Doris hadn't seen or heard from my grandmother in a while and asked her friend Bertie to check up on her. Apparently, once Bertie passed on the status update to Doris, she wrote to my grandmother to express her concern for her well-being.

"You have gone thru 3 major changes in your life this year, dear one; your husbands retirement, (change in income) the release of your dear brother, and the release of Susie and your 'babies'."

I was unaware of my grandfather's retirement year until now. Also, my grandmother's brother died that year. Susie being my mother, I'm assuming that my sister and I were the "babies." I was 6 and my sister 4 at the time. My brother would be born 2 months later.

----------------------------------------------------------

The one thing I haven't talked about at all with this project has been the photos themselves. I figure if anyone has any questions about them, they'll ask.

Since today's book was a repeat, though, and I have nothing new to add about the book itself, I just want to explain my shot for a change.

My grandfather caught lung cancer from my grandmother's constant smoking. She died a year later from "a mess of things," as my sister reminds me - "heart disease, diabetes, strokes, etc..."

I very distinctly recall my grandmother's chair in their living room. Both of them had side-by-side chairs against the wall, with a small table in between where the ashtray sat and a glass of home-brewed ice tea that they let steep out on the porch in this gaudy glass container with flowers on it.

Above her chair, though, on the ceiling, was a giant stain from all the smoke that continuously ate away at the paint, all day long.

So today I shot myself smoking with her book on my couch. I don't smoke, so the moment I lit the cigarette, I was immediately taken back to that time and place.

I will always associate cigarette smoke (both the smell and the visual cloud) with my grandmother. Visually, I love cigarette smoke.

But I hate that smell probably more than any other smell (the obvious other offenders aside).

A Book a Day, week 3

BOOK FIFTEEN
A "Practice Book" by Leland Powers, this is an educational book from The Leland Powers School of the Spoken Word in Boston, later renamed The Leland Powers School of Radio Theatre & Television. The book was originally published in 1916, this publishing is from 1936

"The purpose of the Practice Book course is to awaken the consciousness of the student to whatever vitality his thought already may possess and to enlarge this possession to the utmost extent possible."

The phrase "vitality of thought" is mentioned 7 times in the introduction, and the word "vitality" alone appears 16 times in those same three pages. There is much warning to the teacher to be able to differentiate false vitality from true thought-vitality.

My grandmother wrote her name inside the front cover with what seems to be her address. Also, many small notes are handwritten inside the covers as well.

"Rythm [sic] in Acting - Tempo and rythm [sic] - discuss - a paper"

"art is puling [sic] passed through thought and [_____] in emotion - form." Oh, I really wish I could read that one word!

There is a battered leather bookmark with worn fringe/tassels that has made a dark stain on the pages it is between.

Online, I found an ad for the Leland Powers School from The American Magazine, September, 1921, boasting that it is "Distinguished for the success of its graduates".


BOOK SIXTEEN

Taken from wikipedia: "James Whitcomb Riley was an American writer and poet...titled the Hoosier Poet, National Poet, and Children's Poet. He began his career in 1875 writing verses in nineteenth century Hoosier dialect.

Riley's chief legacy was his influence in fostering the creation of a midwestern cultural identity. Along with other writers of his era, he helped create a caricature of midwesterners and formed a literary community that rivaled the established eastern literati in popular works."

This is "Riley Fairy Tales", first published in 1887 - this publishing here is from 1923.

Inside the front cover: "Juliette Saylor, from Cousin Ella Pitcairn - Christmas 1924"

But Pitcairn is a new name that I haven't heard in my family yet...

BOOK SEVENTEEN
"Stories for Young Housekeepers" by T. S. Arthur, 1854.

This is definitely the oldest book I have found yet. And it is in fairly good condition...considering that it's 156 years old. On this first page is a tiny inscription that I'm not 100% certain I can decipher.

"Juliette Preston, from Brother Lyman" (as best as I can make out)

Although I don't know if this Juliette Preston is any relation, Juliette is certainly a common name in my family and I'm fascinated to see my brother's name as well. As far as I know, my parents didn't name him after anyone in our family, so it's just a bizarre coincidence.

T.S. Arthur "was a popular nineteenth-century American author. He is most famous for his temperance novel 'Ten Nights in a Bar-Room and What I Saw There' (1854), which helped demonize alcohol in the eyes of the American public." (taken from wikipedia)

UPDATE 9-18-10: Juliette Preston was my great-great-great-grandmother.

BOOK EIGHTEEN
"Hope Loring" by Lilian Bell, 1902.

The book is falling apart and the cover is completely detached from the pages. The only addition to the book is an old label inside the front cover claiming the book to be a part of one Charles Hewitt's library.

A review from November 1st, 1902, in the New York Journal describes the book: "The story is an interesting one, full of thrilling and dramatic situations, and in its description of college life is so full of color, of spirit, of fun and gayety that it is safe to predict that it will become a Princeton classic..."


BOOK NINETEEN
"The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors; or, Christianity before Christ" by Kersey Graves, 1875.

Inside the front cover, in pencil: "Geo Garver" along with my grandparent's address sticker. That's right, I finally found a George Garver book! Hah!

Between pages 88 and 89 is a newspaper clipping and between 156 and 157 is a typed up summary of the sermon on the mount. I very much recall my grandparents' typewriter and them letting me play with it as a kid when I visited them. My initial thought is that one of them typed this up, but there is no proof behind it - merely a hunch.

The very last page is an ad for another work by the author, "The Biography of Satan." I'd love to hunt that book down.

"Graves' writings today are read mainly by people involved in the Jesus myth hypothesis, although many scholars in that field have denounced Graves as unfactual and unreliable. He is a major source for Acharya S, author of The Christ Conspiracy. His writings even make a brief showing in The Da Vinci Code." (taken from wikipedia)

UPDATE 10-5-10: A 1999 5th edition of "The Biography of Satan" arrived in the mail. Interestingly enough, the book notes that this edition is republished from the 4th edition, which was from 1924. So, for 75 years, there was not enough interest in this book to warrant a new publishing? Then, right before the millennium change, there was? Sadly, it's not a 1st edition like today's book, but it'll be easier to actually read through this copy without fear of destroying the condition of the book.

BOOK TWENTY
Another book by Riley from the pile, this one has some of the same stories/poems as the other, and a lot of others, but with a slightly different name: "Riley Child-Rhymes with Hoosier Pictures" by James Whitcomb Riley, 1898

Inside the front cover: "Miss Jean J Garver, #757-17th St. Des Moines, Iowa, Christmas 1902, from her Grandma Garver"

So, this is my great-grandmother's grandmother's handwriting? My great-great-great grandmother?!? I have no idea what her name is yet. Still researching...

UPDATE 9-18-10: It turns out Jean J. Garver's grandmother was Barbara Roxanne Fusselman, who married George Garver, thus becoming B.R. Garver. Barbara's father was Henry Fusselman, whose name is in book #25.

BOOK TWENTYONE
"Routledge's Etiquette for Ladies" by George Routledge, c. 1865-1912

There is no publishing date in this tiny book, but it was published by the Routledge company when it was known as "Routledge & Sons", which was between the years of 1856 and 1912.

96 pages long, the book is slightly larger than a standard business card.

My grandmother's name is inside the front cover.