The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-09-15
[FrOm the Knoxville I'll. Republican,
ROMANTIC BzARREAGE.

Williamson-W illiamson-Married
IN Knoxvill, July 10Th, 1871, by Rev.
d. G. Bradford, a. the old Gardner
homestead, Philander Williamson, of
Stockton, Cal, and Mrs. Almena
Williamson, of Knoxville, I'll.
AS considerable interest has been
excited in our community from the
supposed romantic elements of the
foregoing marriage, we have taken
pans to obtain from q reliable source
an authentic history of the individuals
concerned. The following are the
facts:
The bride and bridegroom above
were united in marriage in early life
in Warren, Herkimer county, New
York, at the house of the brides par
ents, Mr.. Richard and Mrs. Mary
Gardner, then citizens of that place
BY the same ceremony sister, now
Mrs. Timothy Moshier, of Galesburg,
was married to Abel Gardner, who,
though of the same name, was in no
way blood relation. Mr. and Mrs.
Williamson, soon after that marriage,
removed from New York to the State
of Michigan, located near what is now
the city of Albion. Michigan was
then new, and they experienced all
the hardships of frontier life amid
half-civilized whites and savages.-
Mrs. Williamson being very young,
only about twenty years of age, natu-
rally modest, timid and retiring,
brought up in abundonce, amid friends
and many acquaintanees, soon grew
disconsolate at her fate, and sighed,
with many tears, for her old associ-
ates and happier surroundings So
oppressed and overwhelmed was she,
that while fond of her husband and
her married life, she became deeply
anxious, which grew almost, ii not
quite, to be passion to see her be-
loved mother. 1t SO happened that
after being thus crrcumstaneed in
Michigan for the space of about two
years, her parents removed from
Herkimer county, New York, to
Knoxville, III. On their way they
visited their daughter, then IN the
wilds of what is now the noble State
of Michigan. No meeting of parents
and child could ever have been more
affecting and joyous. The separation,
however, was at hand, and in the con-
fict between parental love and that
of her husband, the former prevailed,
and taking her only child, a daughter,
Mrs. Williamson accompanied her
parents to Knoxville, with whom she
resided until their decease. Her
child, Mercelia, was reared and edu-
Gated here, and died IN the blush of
womanhood The separation, though
mutual, always exercised the mind of.
Mrs Williamson, and for thirty years,
though no good reason existed for part
ing husband and wife, they walked
widely divergent paths. Subsequent
to their separation Mr. Williamson
married an estimable lady. moved to
California, became a citizen of Stock
ton twenty years ago, where he now
owns property of considerable value.
BY his second wife he had three or
four children. The second wife hav-
ing died some years since. and Viii
hanson being situated so as to greatly
need a wifefyisited his old friends in
New York and Michigan, and made
his way here to be reunited, from
choice and convictions of duty, with
her whom he had chosen In his youth.
The meeting was peculiar and ro-
mantle. Mrs. Williamson, ON the day
he called on her, did not know her
early spouse, SO great had been the
work of time Suffice it to say.that
the past was revived with its pleas
ant and painful memories, the re-mar-
riage agreed upon, the happy pair
came to the old homestead, were re-
united in. wedlock, standing in the
parlor where Mrs. Moshier, the brides
younger sister, married her present
husband, and who was in the begin
ming married by the same ceremony
with her sister Las evening they
passed through this city on their way
TO their home in California May
their declining years be the happiest
of their lives, and may have cause to
always bless the hour they were re-