Ionia County Kitchen

Autograph Book of
Maude Benedict KITCHEN

There are 19 autographs dating 1893-1897.
There's a mini-bio by me and a summary table at the end.
Most of the people are from Ionia County. The book is very fragile.

Marjorie Shelton

Autograph Book belonging to Maude Benedict (1881-1972)

Maude was the first of two daughters of F. Etta Clark and Henry Hoyt Benedict. After Henry died (1886) Etta married Frank E. Whitman. Maude grew up in Portland, Ionia County, Michigan and graduated from Portland High School in 1899. She married Roy D. Kitchen and spent most of her adult life in Jackson, Michigan. She worked as a seamstress, early in life in factories and later serving customers from her home at 608 S. West Ave., Jackson, Mich. She was a member of the Congregational Church in Portland and in Jackson and was active in the Rebekah Lodge. She and Roy had no children and maintained very close ties with her nephew Robert Whitman and his family.

1. Maude Benedict Dec. 23, 1893

To my friends
"My album is a garden spot
Where all my friends may sow,
Where thorns and thistles flourish not,
But flowers alone may grow.
With smiles for sunshine, tears for showers
I'll water, watch and guard these flowers."

"A Merry Christmas" from Papa

Maude:---
When far away and friends
Are few think of me and I will you.
Ever Your Friend

April 7, 1896 Maude E. Pratte, Portland, Mich.

3. Portland, Mich.

Dec. 26, 1893

Dear Maude:

There is a small and simple
flower that twines around the humblest cot',
And in the sad and lonely hours
It whispers low: "Forget-me-not."

Yours muchly

Aunt Norah

4. Portland, Michigan.

Feb. 2, 1894

Dear Maud,

With a heart free from care, and my home in the West,
I'll pace the broad beach with a light throbbing heart,
Yet still as I dream of those days that are gone,
Of the the gay happy hours and my own native home.
Far, far o'er the land my heart wanders there,
To its shrine of devotion, where youth, free from care,
We spent such golden hours of innocence and glee,
With you and dear companions, so pray remember me.

Yours with love,

Arvilla Copenhaver
Redlands, Californa

"Remember that fat Thanksgiving duck."

"Greatly begin! Tho' thou hast time
But for a line, be that sublime;
Not failure, but low aim is crime."

Your loving friend,

Marguerite Worden Mauren
Portland, Jan. 1894

6. Portland, Mich

Jan. 10, 1894

Dear Maude,

Where'er in life thy path may lead,
Take virtue for thy guide,
Let not the wealth of royal minds,
Entice thee from her side.

Mary Ryerson

To Maude

Life Death and Immortality
Thease three
The first the Road, the second the Gate
May you walk triumphally the first,
Past Softley the second,
And rest for ever in the third.
Is the wish of your Friend

J.F. Copenhaver
Portland, Mich.

Feb. 3, 1894 Written upside down at top of page: Remember the night of the play.

Kathleen

8. Portland, Mich.

Dear Maud,

Scatter seeds of kindness.

Your loving Cousin,

Carrie L. Copenhaver,
Redlands, Cal.

9. Portland Dec 18^th 1896

My Friend Maud

If Earthly friends forsake you
And it seems you ha?? no friend,
Remember Christ is Ever near
To lend a helping hand.

Hawley Clark
Dimondale, Eaton Co Mich.

10.

May happiness be always yours

Your cousin

Lulu Canfield
Litchfield Ohio. Sept. 7 '97

11.

Maude

Compliments and best wishes

A.S. Canfield
Litchfield, O.
Sept 6. 1897

12. Portland Mich.

Jan. 10, 1894

Dear Maude:

Let me on this unsullied page
A token leave with thee,
That may perhaps in coming days
Remind thee still of me.

Eva Trail

13. Maude:--

"Some little token of regard
You wish for me to claim;
But as time is pressing hard,
I will but write my name."

Your loving friend,

Blanche Caiveth
281 N. College Ave
Grand Rapids Mich

14. To Maude:--

In love with others
     You may be,
          But if you are
               Forget not me.

Marguerite

15. Dear Maude:--

Some little token of regard
You wish from me to claim,
But as time is pressing hard,
I wil but write my name.
Your loving friend

Miss Gertrude Spears
Grand Ledge, Mich
Dec 6, 1896

16. Maud:

May Future, with her kindest smile,
Wreath laurels for thy brow;
May loving angels guard and keep thee
Ever pure as thou art now.
Is the wish of

Your uncle,
John F. Clark Jr.

17. Maud

Remember me
And don't forget
The naughty girl
That you once met

Yours Truly
Edna Green
Portland
Mich

18. To Maude

May your Journey through
Life be smooth and success crown
Your every effort
The wish of you Aunt

Allie
19. F. H. Benedict 9/7/1897

SummaryTable of the Autographs

No	Name	Date	Place	Relationship	Notes
1.	Papa	23 Dec 1893		A Grandpa? Or stepfather?	The book was a Christmas gift.
2.	Maude E. Pratte	7 Apr 1896	Portland
3.	Aunt Norah	26 Dec 1893	Portland	Her mother's sister
4.	Arvilla Copenhaver of Redlands, California	2 Feb 1894	Portland	Stepfather's cousin, John F's daughter	Father lived in Portland 1865-1867 then Battle Creek
5.	Marguerite Worden Mauren	Jan 1894	Portland
6.	Mary Ryerson	10 Jan 1894	Portland
7.	J. F. Copenhaver		Portland	Half brother of #4
8.	Carrie L. Copenhaver of Redlands, Cal Kathleen	3 Feb 1894	Portland	Sister of #4	Family to Neb.1878 from BC to Calif in 1887
9.	Hawley Clark of Dimondale, Eaton Co Mich	18 Dec 1896	Portland	Unknown, possibly related to her mother's Clark side of family	Is this Hawley Clark who married Eliza Convers on 4 July 1864 in Ionia Co?
10.	Lulu Canfield	7 Sep 1897	Litchfield Medina Co Ohio	Cousin on father's side
11.	A.S. Canfield	6 Sep 1897	Litchfield Ohio	Uncle? On father's side
12.	Eva Trail	10 Jan 1894	Portland
13.	Blanche Caiveth?		Grand Rapids Mich
14.	Marguerite
15.	Gertrude Spears of Grand Ledge Mich	6 Dec 1896		Married #16
16.	John F. Clark, Jr.			Maternal uncle
17.	Edna Green		Portland	Unknown	Maternal g'ma born a "Green"
18.	Aunt Allie			Paternal Aunt, sister of #19 & HH Benedict	Lived in Medina County, Ohio
19.	F. H. Benedict	7 Sep 1897		Paternal Uncle, brother of HH Benedict & #18	Lived in Medina County, Ohio
	Transcribed by Marjorie Shelton	7 Feb 1999			From the original

Last update 1/5/2008