Cornwall Historical Society: Scrapbooks

Historical societies love scrapbooks, because they are time capsules that help us connect to both the person who made them and the place where they were made.

We have a small collection of scrapbooks at the Cornwall Historical Society. Here are highlights of some of them.

Emily Marsh's WWII Scrapbook

During World War II, Cornwall librarian Emily Marsh compiled photographs, newspaper clippings, service badges, letters, and hand-written notations in a simple three-ring binder.

Emily Marsh WWII scrapbook.

West Cornwall News Clippings, 1880s

An unknown person pasted newspaper clippings into an old account book during the 1880s, preserving a slice of life for future generations.

West Cornwall news clippings scrapbook, 1880s.

Emeline L. Merz Scrapbook, 1941

Emeline Merz pasted newspaper clippings of her own writings, as well as a Letter to the Editor written by her husband, Kenneth Merz, in this scrap book.

Emeline L. Merz scrapbook, 1941.

Harriet Bennett Scrapbook, early 1900s

Suffragist Harriet Wilcox Bennett used this scrapbook to preserve newspaper clippings that interested her, sometimes with annotations indicating a personal connection to the clipping. A significant portion of the clippings relate to Bennett's activity as a supporter of women's suffrage.

Harriet Bennett scrapbook, early 1900s.

Katherine W. Pratt Scrapbook, 1914

Katherine Willston Pratt's scrapbook, marketed for young women graduating from high school, includes photographs of her classmates, treasured letters, and other mementos of her social activities. Pratt was the daughter of Rev. Dwight Mallory Pratt, originally from West Cornwall, who served as the minister of the Walnut Hills Congregational Church at Cincinnati from 1900 to 1914, when Katherine created this book of memories.

Katherine W. Pratt scrapbook, 1914.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Scrapbooks

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