Wilkinson - Spence Wedding

WILKINSON, SPENCE, MASON

Posted By: Chuck and Joy Hanson (email)
Date: 12/15/2006 at 21:32:16

Harvey Wilkinson, Esq., who resided in the town of Vernon for many years and moved to Des Moines about 1886, will be remembered by citizens of Van Buren county. He had a daughter, May, we believe born in Vernon. Recently, Miss May was married in Des Moines, and connected with her marriage is quite a little romance. Last Wednesday’s Register and Leader contained a picture of Miss May and her husband and the following relative to the events that led to the union of these two lives: “One of the most romantic marriages known here is that of Hamilton Spence, formerly of Valley Junction, and Miss May Wilkinson, which was solemnized at Colfax a few weeks ago. Their wooing was a novel one, Miss Wilkinson’s attention being first attracted to Spence in a sympathetic vein. Spence, who had been employed on the Rock Island, sustained the loss of both lower limbs in a wreck. After partially recovering, he went to an attorney’s office to bring suit for personal injuries. Miss Wilkinson was employed there as a stenographer. While preparing the briefs of the case, she became better acquainted with Spence and the friendship gradually ripened into love. Not only did Spence win a bride in the case, but he secured $12,000 damages from the railway company. He is now employed as traveling salesman for an artificial limb company which fitted him with the missing limbs. Mr. and Mrs. Spence are now at home in the Normandy.”
(Note: May Wilkinson’s mother was Minerva Mason Wilkinson, the oldest daughter of Lewis and Nancy Mason of Bentonsport. Minerva died in Des Moines in 1904, at that time, May was not married.)
From the Mason Scrapbook owned by H.K. Redhead