Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation

MSS 16723, Mary Webster album, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia Library.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was purchased from Eclectibles by the Small Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia Library on 1 January 2020.

Content Description

This collection consists of the album from Mary Webster, a young woman from Madison, Ohio. Entries include a variety of poems and notes from friends of Mary. Some of the poetry may be original works. Inside are five finished engravings: these tend to have small black and white biblical scenes with large, colored floral borders that extend up the page. The flowers are identified, and meanings attributed to the flower are identified below the illustrations.

The locations most often identified within the album are the towns of Madison and Shelby, however which state those towns are in was never mentioned. The only time a state was identified with the location, was Norwalk, Ohio. As the state of Ohio also has towns named Madison and Shelby, it is inferred that Mary Webster lived in or nearby one of those towns.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Women's Scrapbook/ Commonplace Book Collections (University of Virginia)
• Autograph albums.