Guide to the Julia Ann Keffer Blythe Autograph Book, ca.1849 SC.2016.01

Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Julia Ann Keffer Blythe Autograph Album
Creator
Blythe, David Gilmour
Collection Number
SC.2016.01
Extent
1 volume (1 mss. box)
Date
1844-1848
Abstract
Julia Ann Keffer Blythe was the wife of 19th century artist David Gilmour Blythe. This autograph book contains notes, illustrations, and poems from her friends and family, including Blythe. After his wife's premature death, Blythe began to annotate the pre-existing content of the autograph book. This is the only original manuscript of David Gilmour Blythe's written work known to exist.
Language
English .
Author
Jeanann Hass and William Daw.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Acquisition Information

Gift of Katherine (Bonner) Drews on April 25, 2016.

Custodial History

The Autograph Album belonged to Julia Ann Keffer Blythe (1824-1849). She was the wife of David Gilmour Blythe (1815-1865).

This Autograph Album came to David Blythe after his wife Julia's death in 1849. After he wrote his remarks, Mr. Blythe gave the book to Ferdinand Keffer, Julia's older brother. The book has been passed down through the family over the years from Ferdinand Keffer (1815-1891) to Ferdinand's daughter, Mary Imogene (Keffer) Agner (1861-1908) then to Mary Imogene's daughter, Henriette (Agner) Kelly (1855 - 1979) to Henriette's daughter, Mary Eleanor (Kelly) Bonner (1916-2004), and ultimately to Mary Eleanor's daughter, Katherine (Bonner) Drews (1942 - ). In 1980, Mary Eleanor Bonner loaned the Autograph Album to the Smithsonian Institution for microfilming at the time of the Smithsonian exhibit, "The World of David Gilmour Blythe".

Preferred Citation

Julia Ann Keffer Blythe Autograph Book, *ca.1849*, SC.2016.01, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Copyright

No copyright restrictions.

Scope and Content Notes

The autograph book is 7 3/4" tall, 6 inches wide, and about 1/2" thick and has approximately 100 pages. It contains notes, illustrations, pressed flowers, and poems from her friends and family, including David Gilmour Blythe. The dated entries span from 1844-1848.

Biography

Julia Ann Keffer was the daughter of Christian Keffer of East Liverpool, Ohio. She is believed to have been born February 28, 1824. The Keffer family later settled in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Julia married the artist David Gilmour Blythe on September 30, 1848. They were married in St. Paul's Cathedral on Grant Street in downtown Pittsburgh. Julia Ann Keffer Blythe died the following summer in 1849 of typhoid fever.

After Julia died, David Blythe wrote poetic remarks in her autograph book. He also made a drawing of Julia on the inside of the back cover. To our knowledge, this may be the only Blythe drawing of Julia. This autograph book is one of the few sources of information on her life and their marriage.

Alternate Formats

Digital reproductions of the collection are available online.

Microfilm copy: Julia Keffer Blythe autograph book, [ca. 1844-1848]. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Subjects

    Personal Names

    • Blythe, David Gilmour

    Geographic Names

    • United States -- Social life and customs

    Genres

    • Autograph verse

    Other Subjects

    • Autograph albums
    • Etiquette

Container List

Autograph Book, 1844-1848
Containers
box 1, folder 1