A wedding story, 100 years later

OUR WEDDING DAY

“Our wedding, February 8, 1917, was in the horse and buggy days. With the temperature at 25 degrees below zero, we drove from the farm home with horse and buggy to Grand Junction. There we took the train for Jefferson, and then walked several blocks to the Greene County Court House. It was blocked up ready for moving to make room, for the new Court House.  It was there we received our marriage license.

“We ate out for dinner, and then walked seven blocks to the Baptist Parsonage. It was so cold that Lura wanted to turn back, but Emmett said no; he was going to see Amy married.

“We had never met Rev. and Mrs. Clifford Cox, but they were very nice people. They were packing getting ready to move, so he was in overalls and she had washed.  In those days with small children you know what a task to get clothes dried in such cold weather.  So she had the clothes on racks and chairs trying to get them ready for the moving day.

“The minister disappeared for a while and then came out all dressed up with Sunday clothes, high collar and all, ready to perform the ceremony.

“If you know the Hendershott brothers, you can guess what a good time Oliver and Emmett were having.  My sister, Lura, and I were rather ashamed of them. I think the minister was rather on edge too, as he was going to marry Emmett and Lura who were already married, and much younger.

“After the ceremony and congratulations from the Rev. and Mrs. Cox and Lura and Emmett, we bid the Cox family good-by and were on our way to walk the seven blocks back up town.

“We then went to Finn’s Studio and both couples had wedding pictures taken. By then it was time for our homeward journey, so we walked the several blocks back to the depot, and took the train for Grand Junction where we took the horse and buggy started for the country in that cold weather.

“These are the happy memories of a Perfect Day!”