Thanks, Jason, for your welcome and congrats, and thank you, Brian for pointing out my error on the date of the autograph. For clarification, the autograph of William Edward Minahan that I have was from June 4, 1889.
I spent some more time today at the library and also at the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay. I was able to authenticate the signature as that of William Edward Minahan, as the museum has a copy of his signature in their records.
I am considering donating the autograph book to the Neville Public Museum, but I would like to know if William Edward Minahan's signature is of any monetary value. I have no idea where to obtain this type of information. Besides ebay, does anyone have any suggestions? Regardless of the value, donating the autograph book to the local museum seems the appropriate thing to do, so everyone can see it.
In 1998 the Bay Area Genealogical Society of Green Bay compiled a spiral bound book titled "MINAHAN, Early Green Bay Family." This book is in the History Department of the library downtown. It contains a lot of interesting details. Some of the information concerning William "Will" Edward Minahan, M.D. includes the following:
"Years before his death, a fortune teller had told Dr. Will he would die on his second trip to Europe. It was treated as a joke, but Dr. Will took out life insurance of $130,000 for the Titanic voyage."
"A friend, Col. John Jacob Astor, from Green Bay, was also on the Titanic. His body was also recovered."
"Will married Mary Elizabeth Digman in August, 1893. They divorced shortly after their daughter, Maude Olive, was born."
"Will married Lillian Thorpe February 3, 1903."
"Notes for Mary Elizabeth Dignan: Mary Elizabeth was a graduate of Oshkosh Normal (school) in Wisconsin and of Columbia University in New York. Following her graduation, she taught for 35 years in the New York City high schools. Mary was living in Green Bay, WI at the time of her death in 1952. She is buried in Allouez Catholic Cemetery in Green Bay."
"Notes for Maude Olive Minahan: Maude Olive was born October 15, 1894 and died March 26, 1961. Maude never married. She was living in New York City when her mother died. She is buried next to her mother in Allouez Catholic Cemetery in Green Bay."
"Notes for Lilliam Thorpe: Lillian was the second wife of William Edward Minahan, and she was a survivor on the S.S. Titanic disaster. She later moved to California and married again."
"In 1987, vandals shattered the Minahan mausoleum vault at Woodlawn Cemetery. They entered the crypt and tore off the front of the coffin, removing his skull, some teeth and a plaque. The vandals were later apprehended, and the skull was returned to the vault."
William Edward Minahan's mausoleum vault overlooks the Fox River from the bluff at the rear of the cemetery. There is now a heavy chain lock bolting the door of the vault. Riverside Drive runs between the back of the cemetery and the Fox River. I have driven past the Minahan vault many times, and you cannot help but notice it as you drive by. It is the only gravesite prominently positioned on the back bluff of the cemetery. I took a couple of photos that I will try to post here.
