~ Gardner, Mr. & Mrs. William ~

Fifty Golden Years
Married: May 2, 1848

Fifty years of happy wedded life have been rounded out by Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Gardner, the half century being completed on Monday.

The occasion was very fittingly observed at the Gardner home on that day and the worthy couple enjoyed the company of the following children and grandchildren: Judge William Gardner and wife, and A. K. Gardner and wife, all of Rapid City, South Dakota; Frank Gardner and wife, of Colfax; Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Duncan, of Greencastle; Mrs. W. F. Carr and three children, of Chicago, Mrs. Dr. Hawk and daughter, of Laren, Arthur Gardner and David Clark, all grandsons and all students at Grinnell College.

Mr. and Mrs. Gardner have the best wishes and congratulations of hundreds of friends in this vicinity. ~ The Newton Record, Thursday, May 5, 1898, Page 1, Column 5

~ Garwood, Mr. & Mrs. Verl ~

Grinnell Couple Observe Silver Wedding Anniversary
Married: August 10, 1940

Mr. and Mrs. Verl (nee Esler) Garwood observed their Silver Wedding Anniversary at an open house in their home, route 1, on Sunday, Aug. 8, during the afternoon hours of 2 to 4 and the evening hours of 7 to 9.

The event was hosted by their children, Mrs. Terry Hackett and Mr. Hackett and Ron Garwood and Mrs. Garwood.

Approximately 175 guests were registered by Mrs. Myron Esler, sister-in-law of the couple and Mrs. Hackett. Greeting the guests were Ron Garwood and Terry Hackett.

The theme of pink, white and silver was used in the table appointments and room decorations. White daisies and roses were used in floral arrangements.

Refreshments of cake, coffee, punch, mints and nuts were served from a table laid with white linen. The beautiful two-tiered anniversary cake was flanked by silver candle holders with white tapers. A large "25th anniversary" was inscribed in silver frosting on top of the cake which also held a miniature bride and groom. The small pink napkins were imprinted with the couple's names and the date. The gift table was covered with a lace cloth over silver with large silver bows at each corner and centered with a silver money tree. Mrs. Hackett and Mrs. Paul Parker were in charge of the gifts. Mrs. Marjorie Smiley and Mrs. Elsie Winchell, neighbors of the couple, assisted in the kitchen.

Mrs. Roy Carmichael of Oskaloosa, sister of Mrs. Garwood and Mrs. Ruth Garwood, step-mother of Mr. Garwood, dipped punch. Mrs. James McCulloch, sister of Mrs. Garwood and Mrs. Ross Esler, mother of Mrs. Garwood, poured coffee.

Mrs. Garwood wore a corsage of white carnations and Mr. Garwood had a white carnation boutonniere, gifts from their daughter and son-in-law. The honored couple were married at the Little Brown Church at Nashua on August 10, 1940, and have resided in Grinnell where Mr. Garwood is employed by the city as director of public works. Mrs. Garwood works in the office at Cargill Research.

In addition to relatives and friends of the Grinnell area, guests were present from Gilman, Oskaloosa, Goldfield, Ames, Washington, Kalona, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Marion, Eagle Grove, Marshalltown, and Milwaukee, Wis.

~ Graham, Frank & Jennie McConkey

Double Anniversary
Married: January 27, 1876

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Graham's home in Malaka Township was the scene of a most happy assembly last Monday, which will make the day one of pleasant memory throughout their lives. The neighbors found out that it was Mrs. Graham's birthday, and had arranged a surprise visit with her. They all dropped into the happy Graham home about eleven o'clock a. m. captured the occupants and took possession of the premises. From numerous baskets evolved a magnificent dinner, the bare mention of which is sufficient to make one's mouth water.

After dinner, the host and hostess make known a little incident of just twenty years ago, on the 27th day of January 1876, which occurred at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Cobane McConkey, in which their daughter, Miss Jennie, on her 17th birthday; gave her heart and hand to a young farmer by the name of Frank Graham, and the twain became one in the holy bands of wedlock. So the celebration of Mrs. Jennie Graham's birthday was also the celebration of the twentieth wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Graham, and the joy and happiness of the day was all sufficient to commemorate both events. The guests departed about four o'clock, all happier and better for the day spent in social intercourse with genial neighbors and loved friends. ~ The Newton Record, Friday, January 31, 1896, Page 1, Column 5