As I go through my notebooks and files, I frequently come across documents that are now easily accessible online. But every once in a while, I rediscover something truly unique. Today’s find is one of those rare gems: my great-grandmother Nettie Wells Mentzer’s autograph book.
What follows is a transcription I made when I first received this cherished keepsake — a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the friendships, family ties, and sentiments of her time.
Front Matter:
White paper note: Nettie Wells Mentzer, born 1873, died 1939
Fly leaf: “My mother’s autograph book” — signed Pauline
Inscription: “For Nettie from her sister Annie Wells, Christmas 1888”
Pages and Entries:
Page 1: Yates Center, Kansas, Dec 26, 90 “Dear Cousin Nettie When you are sitting all alone Reflecting on the past Remember that you have a friend That will for ever last! — Your Cousin Julia”
Page 2: Written by Aunt Annie Mentzer — Signed Pauline “God bless their sweet souls April 4, 1949”
Page 3: Yates Center, Kansas, Jan. 27, 89 “My dear sister When your journey of life is ended, When this earth no more your trod May your name in gold be written In the autograph of God. — Your only sister Anna”
Page 4: “Remember our east side on Sunday Yates Center Kans. Nov 23 1890 Cousin Nettie Remember me when far away When in the tomb my head doth lay Beneath the cold and silent clay Just read these times and think of me That I your friend will always be — Your Cousin Olie
Page 6: March 20, 1889 “Friend Nettie Well begin may be half done But beginning is not ending Great successes never are won By only wishing and intending — Your Friend, May Brewer”
Page 7: Copy from Dad’s writing — April 9, 1893, Oak Grove “Friend Nettie Riches and honor are to be much prized But virtue more than gold — Compliments of Charles O. Mentzer (Recopied by Pauline Mentzer Briles April 4, 1949)”
Page 8: Original version of page 7.
Page 9: “Dear Mama, I hope we will meet each other at the gold gate — Gladys, 3/6/93, Age 8 years”
Page 10: Gridley, Kans. Aug. 20, 90 “Nettie, Let not our friendship be like the rose to sever; But like the evergreen may it last forever. — Your friend, Bert Maclaskey”
Page 11: Dec. 5, 1908, Vernon, Kans. “Dear mamma — Remember me as I am big and fat like you. And hope I always shall be as good as you. I hope I shall be a school teacher or something that is nice. This album is very old, I expect when you got it you never thought that you ever would have any of your children write in it. — Your Child, Pauline Mentzer, age 12 years. This is almost Xmas time.”
Page 12: “Dear Mamma I love you mamma Remember me your baby — Herbert Mentzer, age 8 years old”
Page 13: Dec 6, 1908 “Dear Mama I love your and hope you love me I love papa the same and Herbert, Glady, Paul, Pauline I am 9 years old and hope to live to be a good mabIe man — From Leslie, to my loving mama”
Page 15: “From Mike Dear Nettie, [Illegible poetic fragment]”
Page 16: May 19, 1889 “Remember the day we visited Pleasant View School this spring — Sincerely yours, Lizzie S. Spencer, Yates Center, Kan”
Page 17: Mar 28, 1889 “Friend Nettie What we admire, we see in looks What we value, we read in books — Yours Truly, James E. Brewer, Yates Center Kansas”
Page 18: Valey Farm, May 1, 1904 (approx.) “Dear Nettie, Whenever you look on the page remember the one who wrote the few lines Often thinks of you as a friend in need And may God bless you and husband and family in life — Is my best wishes, Mother Mentzer”
Page 21: Gridley Kans., Aug. 20, 1890 “May your life be like a snowflake Leave a mark but not a stain Nettie — 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 — Your friend, Will Maclaskey”
Page 22: Yates Center Kans., March 8, 1908 “Dear Nettie; You are not likely to forget me so I’ll just inscribe my name — Your sister, Susie M. Tunnicliff May God protect and care for you is my sincerest wish”
Page 24: “From Bob Our joys when extended will always increase Our griefs when divided will hush into peace — Stella Brown, Y.C.K., March 7, 1889″
Page 26: “Miss Nettie This is your twentieth birthday and several of your friends are at your city home to honor the occasion. On last evening we with Your Majesty were in the country, and had such a time as is worthy of long remembrance. Well I’m hungry and must quit taxing my brain, as this piece requires — Everlastingly, Mabel Rose, Maurice Turpin, Ollie Turpin”
Page 27: “Dear Cousin Remember your cousin — Nora Park and her baby”
Page 28: Yates Center, Jan. 9, 1889 “Dear Nettie Hope is the tough beef of today Which may be the mince pie of tomorrow — Edna Jackson”
Page 29: March 20, 1892 “Dear Cousin Years roll on and pass forever But let our friendship last forever When your heart is light and free Read these firm lines and think of me — Your Cousin J.D. Jr., Joplin, Mo.” (Scribbled note: signed Goldie Jones)
Page 31: Feb 5th, 1893 “Miss Nettie Leaves may wither, Roses may die, Friends may forget, But never will I. — Olive Turpin”
Page 32: “Remember Us. Yates Center, Kan. Friend Nettie Laughter produces the sweetest dimples, Crying and grief the ugliest wrinkles — Your little friends, Laura E. Brewer, Arthur L. Brewer March 26th, 1889″
Page 36: “Yates Center, Kan. Friend Nettie May virtue be the guide and happiness be thy lot, But one request I ask is to forget me not. — Your Friend, Ollie M. Brewer March 25th, 1889″
Page 38: “Dear Nettie May your life be long and happy, And your enemies be few, May your friends be just as plenty As the sparkling of the dew. — Lizzie Maclaskey Gridley, Kan. 8/1, 1890″
Page 41 (possibly mislabeled as 41Z1): Yates Center, July 5, 1889 “Dear Nettie Toiling, rejoicing, sorrowing, Onward through life we go. Each morning sees some task begin, Each evening sees its close. Something attempted, something done, Has earned a night’s repose. — Longfellow Sincerely yours, [Omir] R. Bartlett Remember the night we went to Cord’s”
Page 42: Yates Center, Kans. “Nettie ‘Overline is sufficient for remembrance’ — Yours Respt., H. F. Cook Dec 9, 1891″
Page 45: March 8th, 1889 “Friend Nettie Happiness is not the end of duty! It is a continuing of, is, it is in it and of it, Not equivalent but an element — Effie Jackson”
Page 48: Yates Center, Kan., May 19, 1889 “Friend Nettie Well do I remember when thy life began So sinless and pure and only a span, But a few years have changed thy proportions And filled thy heart with love like the oceans. — Your Ever Friend, W. F. Brewer”
Page 53: “Paradise”, Feb 5, 1895 “Miss Nettie This is thy birthday so they say And may each birthday in after years Be brighter than the yesterday — Is the wish of your friend, A. B. Maclaskey”
Page 54: Feb 5, 1893 “Miss Nettie Do as your mother bids you Do it with a grace When Cookie goes to kiss you Slap him in the face — Olive [Tuxsen]”
Page 55: “Then steal away, give little warning, Say not good night but in a brighter clime Bid me good morning — Bridget Donahue, Oregon”
Page 56: Yates Center, Kans. “To Nettie Remember Me — Dec 9, 1891 H. F. Cooke”
Page 57: “For the soul that gives is the soul that lives, And bearing another’s load Doth lighten your own and shortens the way And brightens the homeward road — Nettie”
Page 58: “Nettie Be a good girl — from Salome Dec. 8, 1892″
Page 59: “Dear Nettie When you read these scribbled words think that they were written by one who dearly loved you. — Your uncle, John N. Crandall November 1, 1901″
Page 60: March 25, 1889 “Friend Nettie May your joys be as deep as the ocean And your sorrow as light as the foam — Your friend, Julia C. Brewer Yates Center, Kan.”
Page 63: Yates Center, Kansas, Jan 28th, 1889 “Friend Nettie When the roses of life are faded And our steps are sad and slow; May we think with tender longings Of the days of long ago — Your Friend, L. W. Jackson”
Page 65: 7-25-1889 [Possibly Saloma, Kans.] “Friend Nettie Life, dear friend, is a mingled cup, An ever-changing song, And all must feel its weariness Who bear its burdens long. There have often been those the poets say To light and sunshine born, To pluck the rose along life’s way, But not to feel its thorns. I’d ask for such a fate for thee, But it were all in vain, Entreating for earth’s children Freedom from care and pain. Therefore this is my prayer for thee, Thus Nettie do I pray, Oh! may thy hands and heart possess Strength equal to thy day. — Mrs. W. L. Wilson”
Page 68: Yates Center, Kan., Feb 1st, 1889 “Dear Cousin To thine own self be true, And it shall follow as the night the day Thou canst not then be false to any man — Jennie Jameson”
Page 71: March 20, 1892 “Dear Friend Love many, trust few, Stand always, paddle your own canoe — Grant [Bangness] Yates Center”
Page 72: Yates Center “Dear Nettie May your coffee and calendar against you Be ever the same, without grounds. — Your loving friend, Myrtle [Heach]”
Page 74: 8-10-89 “Dear Friend When the name that I write here is dim on the page And the leaves of your album are yellow with age Still think of me kindly and do not forget That wherever I am I remember you yet — Your schoolmate, Abbie Clark”
Page 76: “Dear Nettie A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches — Sincerely yours, Mabel T. Rose Yates Center May 13, 1889 Remember our kindergarten ride on Saturday morning out to the country”
Page 80: Feb 25, 1893 “Dear Nettie When memory with her jeweled hand Counts o’er her gems by love’s bright sea Drop not one pearl upon the strand But keep it and remember me — Ever your friend, Madge Prath Yates Centre, Kan. Ever remember our cart ride. Hats — I didn’t mean to spatter.”
A PDF file has been created from the images and uploaded to Nettie Wells‘ profile on FamilySearch.
