Mead – Jones 50th Wedding Anniversary - 1896

MEAD, JONES

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 6/15/2016 at 14:09:32

Source: Iowa Plain Dealer January 28, 1896, FP, C4

Our Golden Wedding.
Fifty years ago the 22nd of January, 1826, W. R. Mead and Chloe B. Jones were united in marriage in the town of Busti, Chautauqua county, New York. Thirty-nine years, or nearly that time, has been with the people of this county, all of whom it would have been our pleasure to have met at our home on Wednesday evening, the 22d instant. None of the many who were present did we wish were absent, while hundreds were absent whom it would have pleased us to have had with us. With the limited room at our home we were compelled to limit invitations largely to those whose acquantance{sic} had generally extended over a period of one-third of a century.
Although our cards of invitation said “gifts not desired,” the partiality of our friends to bestow them overruled our express wish, and many beautiful souvenirs and mementos were left with us, as a remembrance of their cherished friendship and esteem.
Mrs. Moon, accompanied by Mrs. Kellow on the piano, delighted us and our friends with a beautiful and expressive song; and Robert Thomson gave an interesting account of his recent visit to the home of his youth in Scotland, and of his visit to the last resting place of his parents there.
Many distant friends were unable to attend, but gave kindly expression to inspiring words, whose thought and wish we hope are merited.
Mr. and Mrs. John T. Stoneman, both of whom have boon cherished acquaintances and friends, both in New York and in Iowa, write congratulations and say, “we take pleasure in enclosing to you a slight token of friendship and affection that has survived more than a half a century.
Our esteemed and venerable friend{portion missing}Chloe’s deliciously appetizing dishes. We trust you will have a delightful time, and that you may live many years to enrich the lives of your children, grandchildren and of your many friends. With love from father and mother, and us children, I am,
Your loving niece, MYRA V. WILCOX. 153 W. Frambes Ave.

Message of regrets from Mr. and Mrs. O. G. Schillenger, of Clarksville; Similar messages of love and regrets from Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Root, and from Mr. and Mrs. Wm. M. Root, of Jamestown. N. Y.. Mr. and Mrs. A. P. Wilcox, Jamestown, N. Y., Miss Mary Mead, Sugar Grove, Pa.; the same from Mr. and Mrs. O. A. Schall, Charles City; from Dr. and Mrs. J. W. Davis, Lansing, Iowa; from Mrs. Eliza M. Beadle; from Rev. and Mrs. Ida Fuller, Oskaloosa, Iowa; from Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Marshall and daughter; from cousin Eliza J. Cadman, Beloit, Wis. From J. C. and Mrs. Irene G. Adams, of the Cresco Times, with a beautiful remembrance of gold coin, and yet their presence would have given greater pleasure. From Mrs. Jane E. Harris, a lengthy message in rhyme, expressive of a sister's love and sympathetic affection. Mrs. M. K. McConnell, Deadwood, S. D., Mrs. Eloise Sweet, of Alden, Minn., and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Clark, of Lime Springs, were of the welcome friends who came to greet us with more than one hundred of our Cresco friends, the best and truest the world can give. To them one and all we return grateful thanks, more for their kindly greeting and cheerful presence, than for the many kind remembrances that they so generously left with us.

Iowa Plain Dealer January 31, 1896, LP, C5

Our Golden Wedding.

Fifty years ago the 22nd of January, 1896, W. R. Mead and Chloe B. Jones were united in marriage in the town of Busti, Chautauqua county, New York. Thirty-nine years, or nearly that time, has been with the people of this county, all of whom it would have been our pleasure to have met at our home on Wednesday evening the 22d instant. None of the many who were present did we wish were absent, while hundreds were absent whom it would have pleased us to have had with us. With the limited room at our home we were compelled to limit invitations largely to those whose acquantance{sic} had generally extended over a period of one-third of a century.

Although our cards of invitation said “gifts not desired,” the partiality of our friends to bestow them overruled our express wish, and many beautiful souvenirs and mementos were left with us, as a remembrance of their cherished friendship and esteem.

Mrs. Moon, accompanied by Mrs. Kellow on the piano, delighted us and our friends with a beautiful and expressive song; and Robert Thomson gave an interesting account of his recent visit to the home of his youth in Scotland, and of his visit to the last resting place of his parents there.

Many distant friends were unable to attend, but gave kindly expression to inspiring words, whose thought and wish we hope are merited.

Mr. and Mrs. John T. Stoneman, both of whom have been cherished acquaintances and friends, both in New York and in Iowa, write congratulations and say, “we take pleasure in enclosing to you a slight token of friendship and affection that has survived more than a half a century.

Our esteemed and venerable friend, Gen. Geo. W. Jones, writes, “Being unable from loss of vision to accept, beg in writing to assure you of my best wishes, and to extend by congratulations, not only to yourselves, but to your daughters, son-in-law and grand children, all of whom I presume will be present to participate in this auspicious occasion. That it may prove one of lasting happy memories to all concerned, and be succeeded by the celebration of the 75th, or diamond anniversary, is the sincere wish of your friends here, more especially of your grateful friend, Geo. W. Jones.

Mrs. Adele Stevens, 521. Adams street, Chicago, known to us from her infancy, and her parents with whom our acquaintance extends back to theirs and our childhood days, writes: “we are glad to add our congratulations to the many others you will be pleased to receive on this your fiftieth anniversary of married life. It is a long life for one, but when two people walk hand in hand for two score years and ten, one cannot with a pen describe their great delight in knowing them. I only wish it were passible {sic} for Mr. Stevens and myself to be with you in your own home. Your blessings are many, and as you look about you today you are full of thankfulness I know. If it were possible, I would like to see you have fifty more years; that your example and pure living might be a blessing to mankind.”

Mr. A. C. Mathews, of Minneapolis, a friend from the days of our youth, with his good wife, unite in welcome words of congratulation and regrets, with a beatiful{sp} gift.

L. E. Smith, of Madison, Wisconsin, former editor of the Times, sends regrets and congratulation.

From a brother in New York comes this greeting:

It was in the year 1846,
Just fifty years ago
You promised that you’d together {illegible}
Upon this earth below.

You vowed to love and cherish,
You promised to obey;
But whether you’ve minded well,
W. R. alone can say.

But you’ve walked together
In sunshine and in showers;
And like all mankind, have known,
Both dark and sunny hours.

Have worked together for a home,
Have borne each other’s sorrow;
And through storms and clouds looked
For a sunny, bright to-morrow.

You’ve for much to give God thanks;
His mercy, love and truth
Will still be with you in old age,
As in your sunny youth.

And here today your friends have met,
Your golden-wedding day;
To gladly meet and cheer you,
Once more upon the day.

And may your lives be full of joy,
Of comfort and good cheer,
Of golden deeds and kindly thoughts
More blessed every year.

And as the shadows lengthen
As you journey down the hill,
May the peace that passeth knowledge,
Sustain and keep you still.

And when at last life’s labor done
Your earth work all complete,
May you together hand in hand
Walk the golden streets.

In the city of God, the heavenly home,
Where there are mansions fair;
And may all who greet you today,
Meet and greet you there.

Miss E. L. Galby, Shelbyville, Kentucky, sent love and congratulations,
Mr. and Mrs. Geo. M. Van Leuven sent greeting with regrets at not being able to be present, and a beautiful souvenir accompanied their message.
Cousin Charlie Mead, of the Republican, Geneva, Ill., who had contemplated being with us, sincere regrets.
Rev. Father McCartey hartiest{sp} felicitations in the happiest words possible.
An esteemed friend:

Oh, my friends, whose fond wedlock,
Spans fifty long years,
Tho’ but short to your vision
Your earth-life appears.

It is filled with kind actions,
With sweet words of love,
And your gold in in bank—
With the Master above.

May your sky at life’s sunset
Be radiant with gold;
May the gardens of Beulah,
Your vision behold.

“Entering at the glorious portal
Of that summer land, immortal”
Loved ones may clasp you again.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 20, 1896,

My Deer Uncle and Aunt:--Your beautiful “At home” card, announcing the near approach of your fiftieth anniversary just reached us, and we beg to thank you as a family and as individuals. Nothing would give us greater pleasure than to be with you on that occasion. I remember with much pleasure my visit to your sunny home and the many favors conferred by each of you. God has been very gracious to you in your own life, your family, and your friends; yet we know that you have always held the “kith and kin” in the East in dear remembrance. We have three selfish reasons for wishing to be with you: to hear some of Uncle William’s jolly stories; to listen to Lauraine’s beautiful rendering of some of our favorite compositions, and to eat some of Aunt {remainder missing}

Iowa Plain Dealer January 31, 1896, LP, C5

“FIFTY YEARS MARRIED”

Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Mead Entertain in a Charming Manner.

The leading social function of the month was the reception given from eight to eleven o’clock Wednesday evening of last week by Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Mead, which was the occasion of their fiftieth wedding anniversary, a large number of friends and relatives being present.

The home was beautifully decorated with evergreen, roses and carnations. Spruce sprigs forming a line on the walls around the rooms just above the windows were daintily interwoven with golden colored ribbon paper, while pretty bouquets of carnations and roses were suspensed at convenient distances—all forming a happy and pleasing contrast.

Mr. and Mrs. Mead received their guests in the north east corner of the parlor, sitting in easy chairs under a handsomely decorate canopy and beneath large, life-like portraits of the honored couple, looking, and possibly feeling a little more aged than when their marriage vows were spoken fifty years ago, but apparently as happy and joyous as ever.

The marriage ceremony which made this twain one was performed in the town of Busti, Chautauqua county, N.Y., in 1846, William Robbins Mead being twenty-on and one-half years of age, Miss Chole Ballard Jones, a trifle past sixteen. At the time of their marriage, Mr. Mead was a teacher in the public school at Busti; he continued that vocation until 1853, when they moved to Beloit, Wis., where he taught that winter. During a vacation in 1851, Mr. Mead came to Iowa and located 200 acres of government land near Maquoketa, Iowa. Moved from Beloit to Dubuque in 1854. Read law and was admitted to practice in New York. Was engaged in law practice in Iowa from 1855 to 1875. Admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the State in 1860. During all there{sic} years, from 1848 to the present time, Mr. Mead has been in the newspaper business either as editor or reporter, politics having more attraction than law. In 1859, Mr. Mead established the Iowa Plain Dealer at New Oregon, Howard county, Iowa and has been its editor and publisher continuously since that date, making it one of the leading weekly papers of the state.

Dainty refreshments were served in the dining room, the table being elegantly and profusely adorned with ferns, Perle des Jardins roses and smilax. After refreshments were dispensed, Mrs. Moon, accompanied by Mrs. Kellow on the piano, sang “In the Sweet Bye and Bye” very sweetly and tenderly. Robert Thomson recited “Recollections of a Trip to Bonnie Scotland,” and Miss Lauraine Mead favored the friends with delightful instrumental selections.

The friends present from a distance were Mrs. Ella Dissmore, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mead, Locota, N. D.; Mrs. A. S. McConnell, Deadwood, S. D.; Mrs. Eloise Sweet, Alden, Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Clark, Lime Springs.

Although it was announced that gifts were not desired, Mr. and Mrs. Mead were the recipients of many valuable and useful tokens of love and friendship from their friends.

As the evening declined toward the hour of eleven, the company dispersed, carrying remembrances of the pleasant event and wishing their host and hostess many, many happy years more of married life.—Republican.

Iowa Plain Dealer January 31, 1896, LP, C5

Golden Wedding

The Golden Wedding of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Mead, which occured at their residence in Cresco, Jan. 22d, was attended by more than a hundred neighbors and friends, while many others sent congratulations and regrets. A large number of handsome presents were there notwithstanding the expressed “presents not desired.” Letters from relatives at a distance, and poems from esteemed friends made their heart feel light, and the event at this epoch in the tide of years, rich with the incense of tender and loving remembrance.

An elaborate supper was enjoyed by the guests. The tables were so beautifully decorated, by Miss Mead, with blossoms and ferns, that friends secured her consent to have photographs made, which will be kept as souveners{sp} of the happy occasion.

It is the universal flat, that in all their appointments the arrangements were elegant and the entire evening one that will be long remembered, by all who participated, as worthy of the golden age of their entertainors.{sp}—Cresco Times.

Mead, 50th Wedding Anniversary 1896

Mead

Source: Decorah Republican Feb. 6, 1896 P 5 C 2

—Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Mead, of the Cresco Plaindealer celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on the 22d of January. The REPUBLICAN hopes they will live many years to enjoy the golden glow of a generous sunset.