I've "rescued" an old autograph album which original belonged to Katie T. WELCH of Lowell, Massachusetts. The album contains the following entries: Katie T. WELCH Autograph Album No. 120 Suffolk St., Lowell, Mass Friends: . Hattie H. MILLER, Jan 16th 1887, Lowell . Minnie MURRAY, Jan 16th 1887, Lowell . Mary H. MCNAMARA, Aug 30th 1887, Lowell, MA . P. N. MCCASHIN, Oct 15th 1888, No. 62 Ford St., Lowell, MA . Willie W. WALLACE, Mar 10th 1887, Salmon Falls, NH . E. L. MILLER, Jan 4th 1887, Lowell, MA . Nellie DOYLE, Feb 24th 1887, Lowell . Eddie HOLMES, May 19th 1887, Lowell, MA . Allie C. THOMPSON, Sept 5th 1887, Lowell . "Maggie and M. M." Apr 10th 1888, Waddington, NY . Lizzie LINEHAN . Mrs. G. P. SWANTON, Lowell, MA . G. P. SWANTON, Nov 13th 1887, Lowell, MA . Lois M. WEBBER, Mar 6th 1888, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia . John F. MCDONALD, Oct 21st 1888 . Nettie M. LEACH, Jul 3rd 1887, Lowell, MA I am hoping to locate someone from Katie's family so that this wonderful old album can be returned to her family. If you are a member of this family, or you know someone who might be, please contact me. Thanks, Shelley

Hi Shelley, Out of curiousity, I checked census information and found out WELCH was a very popular name. In 1880 there were well over 4000 people in MA, and over 800 in Middlesex County. And what is surprising is that there were dozens of people with the same first-names, like John's and James' and Mary's and Catherine's, etc. And many in Lowell. I checked and there were not quite so many in 1900. Is there any indication what ages Katie and her friends are? There were several Catherine's and Katies in Lowell. From my childhood, I would have had an autograph book from 6th grade in grammar school. But in 1960's I would have been getting signatures in my high school year book. Betty (near Lowell, MA) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shelley Cardiel" <cardiels@comcast.net> To: <MAMIDDLE@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, January 09, 2010 12:01 PM Subject: [MAMiddle] WELCH Family Autograph Album > Katie T. WELCH > Autograph Album > No. 120 Suffolk St., Lowell, Mass > > Friends: > . Hattie H. MILLER, Jan 16th 1887, Lowell > . Minnie MURRAY, Jan 16th 1887, Lowell > . Mary H. MCNAMARA, Aug 30th 1887, Lowell, MA > . P. N. MCCASHIN, Oct 15th 1888, No. 62 Ford St., Lowell, MA > . Willie W. WALLACE, Mar 10th 1887, Salmon Falls, NH > . E. L. MILLER, Jan 4th 1887, Lowell, MA > . Nellie DOYLE, Feb 24th 1887, Lowell > . Eddie HOLMES, May 19th 1887, Lowell, MA > . Allie C. THOMPSON, Sept 5th 1887, Lowell > . "Maggie and M. M." Apr 10th 1888, Waddington, NY > . Lizzie LINEHAN > . Mrs. G. P. SWANTON, Lowell, MA > . G. P. SWANTON, Nov 13th 1887, Lowell, MA > . Lois M. WEBBER, Mar 6th 1888, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia > . John F. MCDONALD, Oct 21st 1888 > . Nettie M. LEACH, Jul 3rd 1887, Lowell, MA > Thanks, > Shelley > > >

Hi Shelley, These girls / women appear to live in the "mill" area of Lowell and might have been "mill girls." This is especially since they were all Irish surnames. So, they might have all been teens or in their 20's. Betty (near Lowell, MA) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Shelley Cardiel" <cardiels@comcast.net> To: <MAMIDDLE@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, January 09, 2010 12:01 PM Subject: [MAMiddle] WELCH Family Autograph Album > Katie T. WELCH > Autograph Album > No. 120 Suffolk St., Lowell, Mass > > Friends: > . Hattie H. MILLER, Jan 16th 1887, Lowell > . Minnie MURRAY, Jan 16th 1887, Lowell > . Mary H. MCNAMARA, Aug 30th 1887, Lowell, MA > . P. N. MCCASHIN, Oct 15th 1888, No. 62 Ford St., Lowell, MA > . Willie W. WALLACE, Mar 10th 1887, Salmon Falls, NH > . E. L. MILLER, Jan 4th 1887, Lowell, MA > . Nellie DOYLE, Feb 24th 1887, Lowell > . Eddie HOLMES, May 19th 1887, Lowell, MA > . Allie C. THOMPSON, Sept 5th 1887, Lowell > . "Maggie and M. M." Apr 10th 1888, Waddington, NY > . Lizzie LINEHAN > . Mrs. G. P. SWANTON, Lowell, MA > . G. P. SWANTON, Nov 13th 1887, Lowell, MA > . Lois M. WEBBER, Mar 6th 1888, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia > . John F. MCDONALD, Oct 21st 1888 > . Nettie M. LEACH, Jul 3rd 1887, Lowell, MA > Thanks, > Shelley > > >