E. Gay, Hopedale (Milford), Massachusetts

The village of Hopedale was established in 1839 by Adin Ballou. The town was an attempt to establish a place governed by divine moral principles based on the Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man following the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This time period was one in which numerous religious communities and doctrines were sprouting up.

In Hopedale the members of the community jointly owned the real property. By 1856 the community essentially dissolved when George and Ebenezer Draper withdrew their share (which was 75%) of the stock.

There were two known series printed in Hopedale by E. Gay

Lida's Tales of Rural Home by Harriet Newell Greene Butts

1. Two Sisters 1854
2. Helen or the Power of Love 1854 (illustrated Abel Bowen)
3. Little Ida: or The Strawberry Girl 1854
4. Ralph: or, I Wish He Wasn't Black 1855
5. Little Eddie and His Two Sisters 1855

The dates above are the earliest I have seen. Gay was a homeopathic physician and a good friend of Harriet Newell Greene Butts

Picture of Emily Gay (She carried her medical equipment in the little satchel that is in her right hand)


I know of five titles in this series. It appears that they were published in 1854-1855. Butts wrote a number of other chapbooks but whether they were part of any series isn’t clear. Her husband, Byron Butts, had purchased the Hopedale printing materials in 1860.

Wraps. Back and white cover lettering and illustration.



Gay Picture Books by Unknown

1. Infant Speller and New Illustrated Primer
2. Little Companion: or Pleasant Rhymes for Children

These books were published in black and white or in color.

Neither book has been seen. Presumably they were published in the 1854-1855 range.