Skip to main content
Advanced Search
2021.1003.2, Album Book
Album Book owned by Ellen Stephens (b. ca. 1825)
2021.1003.2, Album Book

Album Book owned by Ellen Stephens (b. ca. 1825)

Date1850-1853
Publisher Cornish, Lamport & Co.
Owned by Ellen (Nellie) Stephens (b. ca. 1824)
OriginAmerica, New York, New York City (book)
MediumLeather, paper, gold gilt, pencil, and ink
DimensionsOverall: 7 5/8 × 6 1/4 × 3/4in. (19.4 × 15.9 × 1.9cm)
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number2021.1003.2
DescriptionThis is an almost square black leather bound album book consisting of 67 unnumbered pages of primarily white and some colored blank pages. There are five colored engravings entitled: “Aspirations,” “Ruth,” “Burning Bush,” “David & Jonathan at the Stone Ezel,” and Eva and Lelia Lisle.” The title page reads in gold: “Sacred/ ALBUM/ New York/ CORNISH, LAMPORT & CO/ Lith & Pix. By J. Bien SO. Fulton St. N. Y” with an image of a woman kneeling on a red cushion in prayer. In gold leaf on the front and back covers is: “SACRED/ ALBUM” with a scene of Jesus at the well. The spine has elaborate gilt stamping in a scroll pattern. Some of the pages are inscribed in ink or pencil to Ellen Stephens. The first page reads: “Presented To/ Ellen M. Stephens. By her attached Cousin, Lydia [?] Stephens. 10th Mo 22nd/ 1855.” The dates of the inscriptions are 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, and 1859. Place names include: Cecil County, MD; Chester County, PA; Great Valley; Whitemarsh, PA; Plymouth, PA; and Fremont, PA. Ellen is addressed as “Aunt Nellie,” “cousin,” “my sister Nellie,” and the nickname of “Nell” in the inscriptions. Some of the inscriptions are similar or identical to ones found on embroidered samplers.
Label TextCollecting small drawings, watercolors, mottos, and autographs in paper album books was a popular pastime for ladies in the second quarter of the nineteenth century. As in this album book, many often contained sentiments of friendship and remembrance. The first page of this album reads: “Presented To/ Ellen M. Stephens. By her attached Cousin, Lydia [?] Stephens. 10th Mo 22nd/ 1855.” The dates of the inscriptions are 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, and 1859. Place names include: Cecil County, MD; Chester County, PA; Great Valley; Whitemarsh, PA; Plymouth, PA; and Fremont, PA. Ellen is addressed as “Aunt Nellie,” “cousin,” “my sister Nellie,” and the nickname of “Nell” in the inscriptions.
InscribedSee description.
ProvenanceThe album book descended to Ellen Stephen's niece, Emma P. Stephens Haines (b. 1856), and to Emma's grandson, Edwin Haines, Jr. It left the family sometime after 1995.

History of Owner:
Ellen Stephens, known as Nellie or Nell, was the daughter of Jeremiah Stephens of Cecil County, Maryland. She grew up and lived on her father's farm, Willow Dale, outside of Rising Sun, in Cecil County. Ellen never married. After her father's death, she lived at Willow Dale with her brother and sister-in-law, Joseph and Philena Stephens. Her initials appear on a pieced red and white sawtooth quilt made by her sister-in-law, Philena R. Lee Stephens.