Remember Me Is All I Ask: Janie Olsen's Autograph Book

Mary Jane Olsen Rasmussen (1888-1965)

My great grandmother

me-->Ruth Rasmussen Buchanan-->Arthur Price Rasmussen-->Mary Jane Olsen Rasmussen

As another school year closes, many students across the country will get their yearbook.   They will go to each of their friends and say, "Will you sign my yearbook?"

Despite promises to the contrary, in many cases this will be the final words they will ever read from this friend.

Today I found my great grandmother's Mary Jane Olsen's autograph book that is well over 100 years old.  The following are words that I have transcribed from that book.

Cover Page: A present to Janie Olsen.  from Mamma

Stephen Smith Barton, Grandfather to Janie Olsen, born at Lebanon, St. Clair Co., State of Illinois Jan 3, 1839.

Jane Evans Barton, Her Grandmother, born Feb. 9, 1841 in South Wales.

Price Utah Dec. 18, 1904

Miss Janie Olsen

Dear Friend

When school days here are ended

And happyness to grow is given;

May you journey through the school of life

And graduate in heaven.

Your true friend, Susan

Price, Utah,

Jan. 8, 1902

Dear friend Janie,

"Beauty is the mark God puts on virtue."
That you are truly beautiful is the wish of

Your teacher,

Carl R. Marcusen

Spanish Fork, Utah

Paragonah, Utah,

Oct. 19, 1909,

Dear Cousin Janie,

When rocks and hills divide us and you no more I see first take a pen and paper and write a line to me.

Your cousin,

Fern McBride

Price, Utah

Jan. 8, 1902

Dear Friend Janie,

Love many, trust few,

And always paddle your own canoe

Your Friend

Vera Fausett

Price Utah

Feb. 16 1903

Dear Janie: -

Blue is a flower called the forget-me-not

Wear it upon thy heart

and think of me.

Your friend

Irene Brunch

Price Utah

Feb. 18 1903

Dear friend Janie._

A form more fair a face more sweet

never has been my lot to meet

Flowers may fade and leaves may wither

But friendship between us shall never die

Your friend and Schoolmate

Maud Wilson,

Price, Utah

Feb. 18, 1903

Dear Friend Janie.

Leaves may wither and roses may die,

Friends may forget you but never shall I.

Your friend

Vesta Robb

Price Utah

June, 8, 1903

Miss Janie Olson

Dear Friend:-

Remember me when far away you are carried,

and to some little fellow married.

Remember me for friendship's sake

And send me a piece of your wedding cake

Your Friend Ione

April 4, 1955
Dear Grandmother:
Best wishes and love and may you be lucky.
With love,
Richard Holdaway



Price Utah
Dec. 26, 1902.
Miss Janie Olsen.
The last in your album, the last in your thought.  The first to be remembered and the last to be forgot.
Your loving Cousin
Mary Olsen.


Price Utah Nov. 10, 1903
Miss Janie Olsen.
Dear Friend.
Friend-Ship now and For ever.
From Your friend
Leana McIntire

Price, Ut.
July 31, 1908
Miss Janie Olsen
Dear Friend,
May roses of good deeds hedge your daily walks in life.
Your friend,
Levi N. Varmon





Miss Janie Olsen~
Dear Friend,
May your life be like a snowdrop that leaves a mark;
But not a stain.
Ever Your Friend,
Ida Pace




Price, July 27, 08.
Dear Janie
Live for those who love you
For those who deem you true
As the heaven that is above you
And the good you can do.
Your friend,
Alice Grames


Price Utah. Dec. 4.03.
Dear Friend Janie:
This world is full of beauty, as other worlds above and if we do our duty it might be full of love.
Your Friend forever
Margaret Horsley


Parowan Utah
August 3, 1915
Dear Janie
Remember me is all I ask
And if remembrance be a task
Forget me.
Your Sincere Friend
Emma Morris.

Price, Utah, Dec. 4th 03
Dear friend Janie:
When o'er this page look:
Remember it was Dora -
That wrote this in our book.
Your friend Dora Powell

Price Utah
Mar. 9 - 1930
Dear Friend Janie :
Cultivate a pleasant, sunny disposition, and remember that "an ounce of cheerfulness is worth a pound of saddness."
Always your Friend.
Marie H. Gunderson


Price, Utah.
Sept. 9th 1904

Dear friend Janie,
May your cheeks retain their beauty.
And your spirits be ever gay.
Until some manly voice may whisper
"Dearest will you name the day"
Your loving friend,
Florence Horsley
Price, Utah



Your ever friend
Mrs. McIntosh



Price, Carbon Co Utah
July, 9, 1905.

Miss Janie Olsen
Dear friend
When on this page you chance to look
Just think of me and close the book.
Your friend
Alonzo E. Wall
Castle Dale

Price, Utah,
Apr. 12, 1906
Dear Janie,
Make your life as an arithmetic,
Love added, kindness multiplied,
Joy divided and sorrow subtracted.
Your cousin
Stephen Olsen


Price, Utah,
Apr. 12, 1906,
Dear Janie,
Of all the dearest bonds you prove
Thou countest sons and mothers' love;
Remember I worth them you class-
And remember mine with others' love.
Ever your friend,
Emily Bunce.


Price, Utah
July 31, 1908
Miss Janie Olsen
Dear little Janie
May your life always be a happy one, your aim high, your thoughts pure.
Not failure but low aim, is crime"
Your ever true friend
Sarah Potter




Price, Utah, Oct. 16, 1906,
Friend Janie
Sentiments are easily expressed, but the spirit in which they are given only makes them everlasting.
Your friend
John H. Llewellyn
Fountain Green, Utah



Price UT Apr 20-
1909

Just my autograph will you see,
This day as above
Roy A Rankin
I hope a friend.


Paragonah, Ut.
Set. 23-1909.
Miss Janie Olsen.
Dear Cousin
When rocks and hills divide us, and you no more I see, just take a pen and paper and write a few lines to me.
Your Cousin,
Clara Topham.


Paragonah Utah.,
Oct. 1909
Miss Olsen.
Dear friend Janie
When you are old and cannot see put on your specks and think of me.
Marion Robb


Friend Janie:-
"Dream land will never be exhausted,
until we enter the land of dreams,
then thought will become fact,
and all facts will be only thought."
Let your dreams be of the noblest and highest nature.
March 23, 1904
Anna Leiter


Price Utah 4,4,55
love many, trust few
But, always paddle your canoe.
your grandson
Jon R. H.


Price Utah Apr. 12,1906.
Dear Friend Janie,
Some may wish you riches,
While others may wish you wealth,
My wish for you is happiness,
Contentment blessed with health.
Your friend,
Mary Mathis


Paragonah, Utah,
Oct. 20th, '09
Dear Janie:-
May all your days be spent in bliss,
May all your hopes succeed!
Be but as happy as I wish,
and you'll be blest indeed.
Your cousin
Jesse Topham


My dear Janie,-
"There is no such thing as blank, in the world of thought.  Every action and emotion have their development growing and gaining on the soul.  Every affection has its tears and smiles.  Nay, the very material world is full of meaning, and by suggesting thought, is making us what we are, and what we will be." ~ Marvel.

Let your thoughts be such that they will continue to make you what you are: a pure, sweet, lovable woman.

Your friend,
Winnie E. Coleman
Price, Mar. 31, 1904


Price Utah.
April 1, 1904.
Miss Janie Olsen
Remember me in friendship
Remember me in love
Remember me dear Janie
Until we meet above
Your loving friend
Lulu Anderson


Dear Janie,
"Mens' evil manners live in brass; their virtues we write in water." Shakespeare, in Henry VIII.
May it always please you, Janie, to think and speak well of me, as I shall do of you, no matter what you may hear.
With pleasure I sign,
Your friend,
Chas R. Johnson.
Price, Utah, May 14, 04


Dear Janie,
Hope you spend lots of happy days
Is the word of your friend
Nellie Hunter


Price, Ut.
Dear Janie,-
When the grass is green above us,
And they who know us and who love us
Are sleeping by our side
Will it avail us aught that men
Tell the world with lip or pen
That we have lived and died? ~J. G. Whittier.
What we are will then be more important than what we have done or said or what people think of us.  May you then be what God designed you should be.  A true virtuous noble woman.
Your true friend
Desy Johnson.

Price Utah

Sept. 17th, 1904.
Dear Janie:
Count that day lost, whose low descending sun
Views from thy hand no worthy action done.
Your friend,
Caroline Rasmussen
Mt. Pleasant Utah





Price
Utah.
Dear Friend Janie,
Guard your thoughts,
For they are heard in heaven.
Your Friend
Lella Smith


Price Utah
Dear Friend Janie
While I sit by your bedside as providence has sent me.
I hope you always will have friends that will love you plenty.
T. F. Ray

Price Jan. 29th 08.
Dearest Janie:-
Gather the rose buds while ye may.
Old time is still a flying and
this same flower that be smiles today.
Tomorrow will be dying.
Your live friend
Edna.






Price, Ut. May 22nd, 1904.
Dear Janie -
May wisdom, virtue, and godliness ever characterize your life, is the wish of
Your friend
Lizzie Yergensen
Monroe, Ut


Paragonah
Oct 18th 1909
Dear Janie
May thy life be blessed with joys thou lovest best.  Friendship, virtue, pleasure, truth, hover round they happy youth.
Your loving Aunt Jane


Price Utah.
7/27 - 08
Dear Janie.
"In memory's golden chain, consider me as a link."
Your Friend
Eldora Groesbeck.

Dear Miss Olsen!
Remember me always, as I shall ever remember you with great pleasure
Your sincere friend
Therese L. Hesselberg
Price Jan 25th - 1910

Dear Jannie-
The best preparation for happiness in the other world is a faithful discharge of our duty in all the relations of this world.  And may you so like to gain them all are the wishes of your friend.
Erma Frandsen
Price Carbon Co. Utah
Sept. 18th 1904

"Rosemary is for Remembrance"
"May the good quality which you now posess
remain with you hereafter for we shall meet again."
"Life is a flower. Love its perfume."

Dear Friend Jannie -
A long life and a happy one,
with good health and Prosperity,
and when your life's work is done,
May God reward you for your good deeds.
Are the best wishes of your
True Friend,
Verne H. Carey
Price, Utah. July 31st 1908

There are things God can give us through the sweet and lovely experiences of life.  But there are things He can give us only when some wound has made an opening for his love and care.  There are things He can say to us through a sunset, and there are things He can say to us through a sorrow.

It May be Said of Our Lives -
It was not always sunshine
Nor was it always rain
It was not always pleasure
Nor was it always pain,
The cup has had its bitter
Its portion too, of sweet
For thorns as well as roses
Were laid before my feet
God plans it all
God plans it all.