The Earliest Autograph of a President in an Album That Public Records Show Having Reached the Market: John Adams Signs a Touching Sentiment in the Friendship Album of a Young Woman Neighbor

The first president we can find in an album on the market besides this one is John Quincy Adams; acquired from the heirs and never previously offered for sale

 

“I hope you will carry with you wherever you go an affectionate remembrance of the place of your birth, and the worthy character of your fellow citizens. I rejoice at your prospect of an intimate connection with the family of my excellent friend Judge Peters…”

 

This album passed through several generations of women in the Brackett family

In the period from about 1820-1850, it happened that young women would keep friendship albums, asking their friends, family, acquaintances and notable people to sign them. Typically, many signatories would also write poems, essays, quotations, and even letters, rather than just merely sign.

Ellen Maria Brackett was the daughter of James Brackett, and the Bracketts were neighbors of John Adams. Correspondence between the two men is in the National Archives. When Ellen was 19 years old she kept a friendship album which contains over 50 entries. One is by her neighbor, John Adams.

Album entry/letter signed, Quincy, Mass., December 14, 1824, to Ellen Brackett, acquired from the heirs and not offered for sale publicly before. “Descended as you are from one of the most ancient and respectable inhabitants of the town of Braintree, and having past your life in that part of it now called Quincy, where you acquired your amiable accomplishments, I hope you will carry with you wherever you go an affectionate remembrance of the place of your birth, and the worthy character of your fellow citizens. I rejoice at your prospect of an intimate connection with the family of my excellent friend Judge Peters, and his excellent lady Miss Robinson, both of whom I shall remember with affectionate respect as long as I live. With my most sincere wishes that you may be attended with every prosperity through life.” Adams was 88 when he signed this, and at that point in his life no longer hand-wrote his letters and correspondence. His granddaughter typically wrote the texts of the letters as he dictated, and then he signed them himself. And that is apparently the case here.

Ellen Brackett went on to marry Thomas Robinson, obviously the brother of Miss Robinson and relative of Judge Peters. Peters was Judge Richard Peters, a longtime Adams acquaintance and federal judge on the United States District Court for the District of Pennsylvania. Peters was appointed by President George Washington. Marrying Robinson required Ellen to move to Thomas’s native Pennsylvania, explaining Adams’s reference to her remembering the place of her birth. She died in Philadelphia in 1845, at age 40.

The first president whose signature appears in an album is Adams son, John Quincy Adams. To find a friendship album with the letter and signature of John Adams is an extraordinary rarity. We have never seen one prior to his son, including Monroe, Madison and Jefferson. The Adams Papers at the Massachusetts Historical Society knows of only one other example in any location, and that is in an institution. The fad started when he was too old to receive many requests from album owners, and dying in 1826, he did not have a chance to sign many. This one likely only exists because of the physical proximity of Miss Brackett to the old age Adams.

What’s more, the album is a remarkable glimpse into the life of a young woman. It follows her as she meets many milestones in her life and the men and women around her write her words of inspiration and encouragement.

The first leaves have a note from the great granddaughter who inherited it, noting its provenance of her grandmother. The first essay, an extract from a contemporary work, is entitled “Woman,” and dated May 28 1823. There are many other essays, extracts and brief sentiments from friends, many of them young women, on friendship, separation, love, marriage, motherhood, confirmation, and other subjects of interest to the young woman.

The many entries go from 1823-1825. A few families represented: Moores, Martins, Brackets, Gilman, Hunt, Odiornes, Dorrs, Pennimans, Harts, Marstons, Richmonds, Morgans

Examples:

– “The Infant,” signed by Sarah A. Martin
– Poems on marriage and “female dress”, by ER Taylor
– Extract on motherhood and friendship, by Hannah Moore
– “On seeing a young lady receive the rite of confirmation,” by EM Moore
– “Source of True Happiness”, by Ann Moore
– “The Sacrifice,” by “a Lady of Massachusetts”
– From her sister, Caroline Brackett, a brief poem in 1825
– From her brother, which explains how she got the entries. “Agreeable to your request to write something in your album, you say it will be a gratification to you. I will very cheerfully consent. And the subject which I take will be to consider and to take a view on the difference between virtue and vice…”
– A poem written by Ellen herself and given to her husband Thomas, which mentions the gift of a miniature of herself given as a Christmas gift.
– In 1855, James Brackett Sr. copied a poem of JQ Adams, along with a note on his age (then 85 years old), and his close friendship with JQ Adams. At this point, the album must have passed to the next generation, as Ellen had passed away. It seems it now belonged to Ellen’s child or niece.

This album was kept by the heirs until its acquisition this year by Raab.