Wedding Wednesday - Percival & Kruszka

Yesterday, was my 31st wedding anniversary. But since Wedding Wednesday is today, I thought I would be opportunistic and blog about my wedding. First I want to say it was the most spectacular fall day.

Sept 28 1979

DH and I did a lot of things wrong on our wedding day. First, we spent part of the day closing on our new house in Canton. First up was the inspection. That appeared to go well, and DH and I  thought closing would be a breeze. We couldn't have been more wrong. Apparently between the time they called us to tell us what to bring for closing and when we closed they changed the rules. Instead of bringing an insurance binder (a document that verifies that the house is indeed insured), we were told AT CLOSING that wasn't good enough, they needed a copy of the actual policy. DH and closer argued about this the entire time of closing. No, we would not get the keys to the house (even though they had our hefty down payment in hand) until they had that insurance policy. He didn't care that we were getting married that evening and had better things to do.

October 2008

So back to DH's parents' house where he was living between the sale of his home in Brownstown and the closing on our new house in Canton. DH calls the insurance agent whose office is at 13 Mile and Dequindre, the title company where closing took place was at 12 Mile and Northwestern, a distance of 15 miles and Friday afternoon traffic. Our wonderful then agent, Conrad, told us not to worry, he would get that insurance policy over right away, just to concentrate on our wedding.

I'm sure I ate breakfast and lunch that day. Well, maybe. Honestly, I can't remember much except for the horrific tantrum my DH had when he came back to his parents' house with the keys to our house with a nasty note attached by the closer. Now, I have to tell you here that I had never seen my DH angry before. His mother gave him a pillow to throw. At the time I was appalled but now I see that throwing something innocuous like a pillow allowed him to vent without harming anyone or anything. By this time, it was well into the afternoon, so I had my soon-to-be DH drive me back to the house that my roommate and I were renting so that I could prepare myself for our nuptials. I had some trepidation at this point, but was more excited about actually getting married and we had the keys to our house, so onward and all that.

Around 6 pm, the bridegroom picked the bride up at her home, and drove her to the church. I'm serious. It was just a small family wedding, so there was no big deal. We got there early. Big surprise. This after all was the guy who was half an hour early for our first date! Father Finnigan had us sign our marriage certificate, he signed, and then we waited for the rest of the party to get there. My folks, DH's parents, my sisters, my brother and appropriate in-laws, and our best man. Actually we waited for my matron of honor, because her husband got lost. Finally, everyone was in place and the priest started: "Anne and Mark ..." and I waited for him to name the rest of the bridal party, but no, he got DH's name wrong! Stop, I said, his name is Bernard, not Mark. (Really what else can go wrong?) With the names straightened out, The RIGHT man and I were finally legally and irrevocably married.

The reception was a small one and included our best man and his date, the aforementioned family members and my roommate. It proceeded without incident and my sister, Diane surprised us with a chocolate wedding cake.

We spent our wedding night at a local Holiday inn. The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast, we were headed back to my house, when I discovered I had neglected to bring my house keys. And we realized we hadn't checked out of the hotel. DH dropped me at my parents' where I made a quick call to my roommate who was working that day, he drove back and checked us out and then we were back in the car to the bank she worked at and then home to retrieve my keys, then back to the bank where she worked to give her keys back, before heading over to our new home. Somehow we got my double bed with frame to the new house. And I'm not sure why, but we didn't set that bed up in the master bedroom, but in one of the extra bedrooms. Since DH had a queen bed, we knew that would be in our master bedroom.

You know, they say it's bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other the day of the wedding before it actually takes place. I never understood that. However, since our day was a bit on the sucky side, I feel like we got it all out of our system in one fell swoop. Really, if you can survive a day like that, you can survive just about anything. Would I change anything about the day we got married. For sure, that jerk who treated us like crap at closing would have been hung by his thumbs, but I wouldn't change anything else. After all it's such a great story to tell.



Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wedding Wednesday - Bowman & Webb

Marriage record of Frank & Bessie

Today's subjects are my great grandparents, Frank Bowman & Lizzie Webb. They were married in Dover, Missouri, on April 3, 1883. They were the parents of 4 children: Bessie, John, Frances and Mary. Bessie married James A. Rankin; John never married; Frances married Hugh Rogers; and Mary was my grandmother by virtue of her marriage to John Stearns Percival.

The only picture I have of Frank & Lizzie is one taken with three of their four grandchildren at their home in Lexington, Missouri. I presume the photo was taken about the mid 1920's. The grandchild not pictured is Frank Bowman Percival, the youngest grandchild, who was born in 1925. All the photos of Frank Bowman that I have from that time show him with his left arm just hanging, so I presume he had been suffering strokes, prior to the one that eventually took his life in 1930.

L-R: James Rankin, Mary Rogers, Lizzie,  John Percival, Frank

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wedding Wednesday - Meyer & Zimmeth

Charles Louis Zimmeth and Louetta Philomena Meyer were married July 24, 1922 in Detroit, Michigan.  He was the son of August and Augusta (Kleasott*) Zimmeth and she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Amelia (Knost**) Meyer. This is the only picture I have of my grandparents together. She isn't looking at the camera. The photo was taken behind Uncle John Ochenfeld's wicker furniture factory. Those are baby buggies (without wheels) behind Louetta. They would need one in about 5 months. Click on the image to enlarge and use your browser's back button to return here.

Marriage record

Charles & Louetta on their wedding day

* Or Cleasot, Clesotte, Clesat, Kleesaat or Glissart (on another record.)

** Pronounced KAnost. An instance when the K is not silent.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wedding Wednesday - Maitland & Percival

My great grandparents, Helen "Nellie" Maitland and John Henry "Henry" Percival were married on Christmas Eve, 1889 in Richmond, Missouri. Nellie was the daughter of Alexander Maitland & Mary G. Oliphant. Henry was the son of the late John Stearns Percival and the late Susan Davidson Percival Holt. I'm not sure what the thing was with marriage announcements and marriage records for this couple, but both are extremely bad. Here they are anyway.

Wedding invitation

Marriage record

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wedding Wednesday - Bowman & Rankin

Circular

Tuesday, Sept 6 1904 [written in at top of article].

A PRETTY HOME WEDDING.

One of the prettiest and most charming home weddings ever solemnized in this city was the one which occurred yesterday afternoon at 4:30 o'clock at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bowman, when their daughter, Miss Bessie, was united in marriage to Mr. James A. Rankin, son of Captain and Mrs. W. D. Rankin, in the presence of relatives and about twenty-five or thirty friends of the contracting parties. The ceremony, which was performed by Rev. J. W. Howell, was beautiful and impressive, the ring ceremony being used.

It is no extravagance of speech in this instance to state that the bride, who is conceded to be one of Lexington's prettiest and most charming young ladies, never looked more beautiful and attractive than on this the most eventful period in her young life. She was handsomely, but becomingly, attired and presented a charming picture of young womanhood as she joined hands with the husband of her choice.

The groom bore himself most gallantly, as became one who was the proud winner of such a noble young woman for his bride.

The bride and groom are numbered among Lexington's most popular young people, each having hosts of warm and admiring friends.

After receiving the heartiest congratulations of all present, the bride and groom left on the 5:25 train for St. Louis, where they will spend about ten days visiting the exposition, after which they will make an extended tour of the east. They will return in about three weeks and make their home in Lexington until the completion of the handsome new residence which the groom is having built in Ray county.

The Daily Advertiser extends to the young couple its heartiest congratulations wishing for them a long life as clear of clouds as the bright, beautiful September afternoon on which they plighted their troth.

The attempt of the bride and groom to elude some of their friends who had planned to bombard them with rice and old shoes was cleverly frustrated and they were given a strenuous time of it, the merry-makers accompanying them all the way to Myrick, heralding the glad tidings to the public by means of a megaphone and printed circulars, all of which was greatly enjoyed by the bride and groom of course.

I have never seen anything like the circular that was passed out. It is the image above right. Click on it to see a bigger image. The transcription is as below.

The circular:

WAS SHE TO BLAME?

Can you look upon the handsome face of the groom and ask that question?

Mr. James Alexander Rankin, a Ray County farmer, and Miss Bessie Bowman, were married Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. at Lexington, Mo.

They are an affection couple but shy - Oh so very shy! If you stare at them they will be embarrassed but

STARE A LITTLE?


Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wedding Wednesday - Batchellor and Percival

We're off to Vermont for this wedding:

BURTON N. BATCHELLOR WEDS MISS JESSIE PERCIVAL

The marriage of Miss Jessie Percival, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence N. Percival, of St. Alban's Bay, and Burton Newell Batchellor, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carlos N. Batchellor, of Fort Worth, Texas was solemnized at the First Congregational Church in this city at 10 o'clock this morning. The Rev. S. W. Anthony performing the ceremony. The bride was given in marriage by her father. She wore a suit of Madura brown broadcloth and carried Orphelia roses. The attendants were Mrs. Frederick E. Pierce, of New Smyrna, Fla., sister of the bride, who acted as matron of honor, and Miss Jessie Warner and Miss Hazel Parmelee, of this city also Miss Beatrice O'Brien, of Swanton, teachers of the Messenger st. school, where the bride has been principal for several years. All the attendants were attired in suits of dark blue and wore corsage bouquets of Orphelia  rosebuds. Merrill D. Armstrong of this city acted a best man. The ushers were Donald Brill and Henry Allen, both of this city. Ralph F. Watson rendered an organ recital before and played softly during  the ceremony. The church was simply decorated with yellow and green.

A breakfast was served at the home of the bride's aunt. The house decorations and breakfast were in charge of Mrs. L. M. Tracy.

Those present from out of town were Mr. and Mrs. C. N. Batchellor, of Fort Worth, Texas, Rodney Brown and Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Brown and family of Franklin; Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Stiles and Mr. and Mrs. William Flynn of Alburg; and Mrs. F. E. Race, of Burlington.

After a trip up the St. Lawrence, and the Saguenay Rivers to Chicontimi, Mr. and Mrs. Batchellor will pass several days in Quebec City. Upon their return to St. Albans they will reside at "Comfycot" the home of the bride's aunt, Miss Gertrude A. Percival.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wedding Wednesday - Double

From the December 20th, 1906 Lexington (Kentucky) Herald I found this little gem. The couple I was interested in was Clara Sellers and Arthur DeLong.

DOUBLE WEDDING.

The double wedding of two attractive sisters, Miss Henrietta Sellers to Mr. Lawrence Jasper Mitchell and Miss Clara Sellers to Mr. Arthur Ami DeLong was celebrated yesterday afternoon at 3 o'clock at the East Hickman Baptist Church, the Rev. Mr. A. R. Willet officiating. It was a beautiful wedding in all details and the attractive little church was crowded with friends for the impressive ceremony. Mrs. Allan McDowell, of Nicholasville, who presided at the organ played a beautiful program of music during the moments of waiting and Lohengrin's bridal chorus and Mendelssohn's wedding march for the entrance and departure of the bridal party. From the windows to the center chandeliers in the church were garlands of smilax forming a pretty picture overhead; the altar was banked with palms and ferns and where the bridal couples stood for the ceremony, hung a beautiful white wedding bell. First came the bridesmaids up the right aisle, Miss Martha Baker, of Nicholasville and Miss Clara Sellers of Versailles, followed by Miss Helen Baker, of Nicholasville and Miss Madge Reynolds of Missouri. They wore stylish tailor suits of broadcloth and picture hats and coming slowly behind them were the two charming brides. They wore beautiful gowns of blue chiffon broadcloth with large blue picture hats and as they neared the altar, they were joined by the bridegrooms who entered the left aisle followed by the groomsmen, Messrs Sidney DeLong, John Clarke, Melvin Knight and Wallace Sellers, of Lexington. The picture formed was a beautiful and impressive one as the four young people stood to take the marriage vows and as the responses were made "Hearts and Flowers" was softly played.

The ceremony was followed by congratulations and the bridal party was then driven to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Mitchell near Nicholasville, the parents of one of the bridegrooms, where they were entertained with a beautiful dinner. The evening was happily spent drinking to the health of the popular couples and an elegant dinner of several courses was served. The lovely brides are two of the county's most attractive accomplished girls. They are daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Sellers and have always been social favorites. The bridegrooms are prosperous young farmers and are both very popular. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell will go immediately to housekeeping on a pretty farm on Union Mills Road and Mr. and Mrs. DeLong will keep house at his attractive country place on the Tates Creek Road. They were remembered with many handsome gifts and their host of friends are extending to them their best wishes and congratulations.

(Click on the image to see a larger rendering. Use your Browser's back button to return to this page.)

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes

Wedding Wednesday - Trapp & Dailey

I really love newspaper accounts of weddings. Sometimes they are just so inaccurate.

ONCE MORE CUPID OUTWITS FOND AND WATCHFUL PARENTS.

YESTERDAY MISS M. E. DALY OF DETROIT, MICH.,  AND W. C. TRAPP, OF THIS CITY, ELOPED TO CANADA.

There They Were Married and To Lexington They Will Return - Happy Ending of a Courtship That Begun in This City a Year Or Two Ago - The Story as Told by Mr. Trapp's Friends.

It's Cupid's time to laugh again at the genius of the locksmith and the watchfulness of parents. Yesterday, probably in Canada, Mr. William C. Trapp, of this city, and Miss Mary Daly of Detroit, were married. The marriage is said to have been a genuine elopement that had been planned for some months. The announcement will doubtless be a surprise to Mr. Trapp's friends in this city.

The contracting parties are very well known in Lexington. Miss Daly came to Lexington in 1891 as a teacher of instrumental music at Hamilton College. She remained with that institution for one year and then returned to her home in Detroit. Miss Daly was a highly accomplished young woman and made a host of friends during her residence in this city.

The fortunate groom, Mr. William C. Trapp, is mailing clerk in the post office, and is very well known in this city. It was while Miss Daly was at Hamilton College that Mr. Trapp's affection ripened into love. The story goes at the school that the young lovers had no end of trifling lovers' quarrels, and that upon one or more occasions they parted, apparently for good.

Miss Daly has visited Lexington once or twice during the past two years, and Mr. Trapp is said to have renewed his suit at every opportunity. Some time ago, he confided to one of his best friends the secret that he was going to Detroit very soon and that he and Miss Daly would go over into Canada and be married. He said no more about the matter until Wednesday afternoon when he imparted to his friend the information that he was going to Detroit on the 4:45 train, and that if his plans went through he would bring a bonnie bride back to Lexington with him.

Friday evening the friend received a telegram dated Detroit which read: "I played in luck." That was all, and the friend knew a wedding had taken place.

Yesterday, Mr. David Trapp, the well known young attorney, received a telegram from his brother at Detroit informing him of the marriage.

Mr. and Mrs. Trapp are expected in Lexington day. They will probably live with Mr. Trapp's mother on South Limestone. The story as written above was gleaned from several friends of Mr. Trapp by a LEADER man, but none seemed to know the full particulars of the wedding. Although all agreed that was an elopement none knew the reason why the young couple found it best to elope.
 
 [The Next day's paper tells what really occurred.]

MR. AND MRS. TRAPP

Arrive in Lexington and Take Up Temporary Quarters at the Former's Home.
----
Mr. and Mrs. William C. Trapp arrived in Lexington Sunday morning and will spend a few days with Mr. Trapp's mother, at 99 South Limestone street, before going to housekeeping. They are receiving the congratulations of a host of friends. Mr. Trapp and his bride, who was Miss Elvie Dailey, were married at the home of the bride's parents on Third avenue, in Detroit Friday evening at 8 o'clock, by Rev. Mr. Grinnell. They left Detroit that evening at 9:30 o'clock, spent Saturday in Cincinnati and came to Lexington Sunday morning.

The report that the wedding was in the nature of an elopement grew out of the mystery attending Mr. Trapp's movements when he left Lexington and some remarks dropped to throw off some inquisitive friends.

Copyright 2010, ACK for Gene Notes