Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-04-22
An Cid Time Wedding.

An OLD letter, boall0g date or June %, 1854,
is published, which describes a wedding that
took p!aco neatly ninety six years ago. Tho
writer was Rebccc, Gfsc, Potts. daughter of
Col. Thomts Potts, on officer in The Amer;c 10
army during tho war ef tho Revolution, tCol.
Potts WAS the eldest son Of John Potts, the
fouEder CT PottssOwD,) and her letter was dated
at her homo ct Coventry. Chester county,
where her par,uts resided and directed to her
COT 5 o, who resided at Pine Forge. few miles
from Pottstown. The bride dctcribed 10 the
spriehty Gpistla part only of which is publish.
ed was Miss Polly Brnton, but, unfortunately,
no msntion is made Of the pam, Of the groom.
The letter says:
I'VE did not eXptc: 10 Sc so largo q clm.
paDy, but found, 10 our gteat surprise, upwards
OF ono hundred people. think they must
have asked the fourth and fifth geItrItoos.
rhey were collected from Philadelphia, CHESTER
%. aud Wilmington, and think the chief Of
tho young peopls in the neighborhood The
house, though large, could not contsia the
wbol9 company; they wero under the necessity
o! goiGg into the garden to BE- married, or have
the CEREMONY performed. There we're several
trees wticl afforded shade, although it was
the middle OF the day.
"rEero we're two ioug tables aad benches
tlEsd Whcrc We dioct; the ladies' sat dowo
aud ch!ct Gl th2 gcnt!rmen to atteud them, which
gave Il {. vtiy EGUaut'c apnesraac.. The trde
aG3 GrU"m gia,1i The head of tho table. The
hf!dr va: T2:J pTuiiy; aer dretS vas perfectly
ucat-a purc white m.niul habit aud pettlcaat,
pla'1 k.nz1 apron ard h2pGkeIchief. lar
hridesualis We're also genteel, apd never was
10 company With DcTc agreeable, sensible youpg
fellows
"Thc7 we're married on Thursday, aud it ap
nearcG s'raecct0 have it in the torepsrt Of tbs
DAY. The brlce keeps on her bonnet Wben
they arc married by u magistrate. The ezra
mopy Is very shcr; he repeats few words,
@hch they both give thur assent tc; he then
signs c.rifc4te aud sha Immediately aftcr,
(nke tho mode Of Ffiends). | felt much fer
the bride, as sho made many attemps before
she could rCc>ileot herself. IS her hand tfemb..
ed 20 that she could not sigu her usma.
"Af.er The marriage twenty-five COUPLES OF
| Us took walk in tho fields, and then went 20
'he orchard to swing ard play. Tho company
| vas too largo to b. agreeable; We somctia,ts
were in psrlics, as | believe, onethrd Of us
never knnW esc1cr ether' 3 namc.. Tho greater
part OF the company returncd the next morn.
ius. hut VIC broke from them, as is was my
mothers orders to be at home on Friday evop-
ing. 1t was with reluctance VIC obty:d, IS tic
| wed ding festivities did not break mp entirely
unti Sunday evening. 1t is customary to fu!-
| low .he good old fashion Of having such oOrun
pa1lcs large and keeping them M. I wish,
Oy dear girl, Ue could oil bo st such another
| nutrrtainmect.'
Tho writer ns this letter uas hcrself msr;isd
at C"vsntry, February lG. l1SG, to Robert May
OF Crcl nouary, Md, hut she ,vod Only to j nly
80. l7S9, TO cii,y her welded bliss Il,t
daughter, h ia May, WAS married to Samu |
S'eveDs, who was afterwards Governor CT
| Maryland. Rob rt May. her husband. three
years after lis Wie's deceass, 10 1892, married
her youcg.r sister, Ruth Po t., a. Coventry,
and two soDs. irat of this latter union, are still
living, oao OF them a We'll known West Chester
gantemaa-a retired member of the bar. Polly
! Briutcn aod oil who attended her Joyous we'd
ding have broo s'crping the sleen that knows
no waking for mluy years-Reac}ing (R1.)
| Euo1o