Wayne County News, People, Places and Events

Wayne County Celebrations

Wayne County Celebrations

Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary, Rev. & Mrs. W.M. Owen

FIFTIETH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 
Rev & Mrs. W. M. Owen

The fifthieth wedding anniversary of Rev. and Mrs. W. M. Owen was celebrated at their hone, northwest of town Monday afternoon and evening of this week. Through the courtesy of the Record we are enabled to publish the following excellent report of the occasion:

Monday of this week was the fiftieth anniversary of the marriage if Rev. and Mrs. Wm. M. Owen and the event was very properly celebrated at their home northeast of this city. (Fairfield) Two hundred and fifty invitations had been issued announcing that friends would be especially welcome from two to ten p.m. Early in the afternoon there seemed to be a general exodus of old middle aged and young people from the city, all having the one objective point in view. As the guests arrived they were greeted at the door by the aged host and hostess, and given a hearty welcome. They were then taken in charge by the daughters and granddaughters, and seated at tables where light refreshments, consisting of cake and ice cream, were served, after which the guest were expected to make themselves at home and visit as long as they saw fit. The spacious, shady yard made it a very pleasant place to visit with old friends and as there were many old friends present, as well as young ones, the afternoon and evening was passed most pleasantly by all.

During the afternoon and evening there were 210 guests entertained. Among them were three who were at the wedding fifty years ago namely: Edward S. Black and Mrs. Wm. McLin, of this city, and Mrs. Ellen Roberts of Jasper township. The host and hostess were the recipients of many handsome and useful gifts, which were presented in token of the esteem in which they were held by their friends. Among the gifts were a $5 and two $2.50 gold pieces. The presents were arranged in a corner and along one side of the sitting room over the mantle a portion of the bride’s dress fifty years ago. This had been made into a mantle cover, and was an object of much interest to all present.
 
   It is not allotted to many to live together for fifty years. Mr. and Mrs, Owen have not only done this, they have lived on the one farm for all of that time. The bride, Mrs. Nancy Owen, was born and raised on the farm where she and Mr. Owen now reside. Rev. Owen who is now 72 years of age, was born in Barren County, Ky., and moved to this county with his parents when ten years of age, settling in the east part of this township. When he reached manhood’s estate he fell in love with, courted and married Miss Nancy Owen, and they were married in the old house which stood on the same ground as the one now occupied by them.
Soon after their marriage, Mr. Owen was licensed to preach the gospel as a Methodist minister, and for nearly forty-eight years he has held the position of an ordained minister of the church. For a number of years he has not been in active work, but has devoted his attention to the farm, and preaches on invitation as his health permits. To Rev. and Mrs. Owen was born three sons and three daughters, all of whom are alive and were present at the celebration except the oldest son, who died at age seventeen. Theres has been a long and faithful lives- to the duties that presented themselves, and none in this community are held in higher esteem than the Rev. and Mrs. Wm. M. Owen. 
Of those present from out of the neighborhood were the following:
Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Owen and son Earl, Montgomery City Mo.,
Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Watkins, Mt. Carmel, Il.; 
Mr. and Mrs. Al Owen, son and daughter and 
Mrs. Jennie Wiltsey, Grayville Ill.,
Mr. and Mrs. John Owen and daughter, Texas City Ill.
Geo. Pykiet and daughter, Barnhill, Il.
Mrs. Emma Vandaveer, Xenia, Il.
Mrs. Mary Jones, Cisne Ill.
Miss Kate Holly, Hamilton, Ohio
Miss Nellie McQuaid, Kansas City, Mo.
Notwithstanding the fact that refreshments were served to more than 200 guests beside the home folks, the supply was not by any means exhausted, more than a dozen baskets being filled with what remained.
Mr. and Mrs. Owen desire the publication of the following card:

CARD OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
   We wish to express our very high appreciation of the presence of so many of our friends at the fiftieth anniversary of our marriage, with their smiling faces, congratulatory words and substantial ? of esteem, all of which make the occasion memorable to me. It seemed to us the people never looked so well and beautiful and happy.
 W. M. Owen and Wife

Wayne County Press
July 26, 1900 P. 8 Col. 3
Donated by Betty Beeson

Back

FADED INTO THE MISTS OF TIME