The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-04-24
A Wedding Ninety-six Years Ago.

The following article, which we clip from
back to the early days of the Republic, when
the iron-masters We're probably the most
aristocratic people in the country, and strove
by matrimonial alliances and III many other
ways to increase and perpetuate their power.
The Robert May referred to is believed to
have been member of the EIk Forge Com
pany, whose iron works stood where Bald
wins factory now stands on the Big Elk.
An old letter which fell into our hands
sometime since, bearing date June 23rd,
1874, describes in Il way that may he of in
tere>t to some OF our young readers-and
older ones, too, for that matter-a wedding
that took place nearly ninety-SiN years ago
The writer was Rebecca Grace Potts, daugh-
ter of Col. Thomas Potts, an officer in the
American army during the war of the revo-
luton (Col. Potts was the youngest son of
John Potts, the founder of PottStown), and
her letter was dated nj her home at Coven-
try, Chester country, where her parents re-
sided and directed to her cousin, who re-
sided at Pine Forge, a few miles from Potts
town. The bride described in the sprightly
epistle (part of which is published) was
Miss Polly Brinton, but no mention, unfor-
tunately, is made of the name of the groom.
The letter says:
eve did not expect to see so large a com
pany, but found to our great surprise up
wards of Il hundred people. | think they
must have asked the fourth and fifth gen
erations. They We're collected from Phila-
delphia, Chester county, and Wilmington,
Del, and | think the chief of the young
people in the neighborhood The house,
though large, could not contain the whole
company, and they We're under the necessity
of going into the garden TO be married.
There We're several trees which afforded
shade, although it was the middle of the
day. There We're two long tables and benches
fixed where we dined; the ladies' sat down
and chief of the gentlemen to attend them,
which gave it Il very romantic appearance.
The bride and groom graccd the head of the
table. The bride was very pretty; her dress
was perfectly neat-a pure white mantua
habit and petticoat, plain cause apron, and
handkerchief. Her bridesmaids We're also
genteel, and | never was in company with
more agreeable, sensible young fellows.
They were married on Thursday, and it
appeared strange to have it in the fore part
of the day. The bride keeps on her bonnet
when they are married by a magistrate.
The ceremony is very short; he repeats Il
few words, which they both give their us
sent to; he then signs i certificate, and she
Immediately after, like the mode of Friends.
l felt much for the bride, as she made many
attempts before she could recollect herself.
as her hand trembled so that she could not
sign her name.
After the marriage, twenty-five couples
of us took a walk in the fields, then return
ed and went TO the orchard to swing and
play. The company was too large to b"
agreeable: We sometimes We're in parties, and
| believe one third of us never knew each
others names The greater part of the
company returned the next morning but
We broke from them, as it was my mothers
orders TO be at home on Friday evening
1t was with reluctance we obeyed, as the
wedding festivities did not break up en-
tirely until Sunday evening. II is custom
airy to follow the good old fashion of having
such companies large and keeping them up
wish my dear girl we could all be at such
an entertainment.
The writer of this letter was herself mar
ried at Coventry, February 18th, l7SG, To
Robert MAY, of Cecil county, Md, but she
lived only until July 80, 1889. to enjoy her
welded bliss. Her daughter Eliza May
was married to Samuel Stevens, who was
afterwards Governor of Maryland. Robert
May, her husband. three years after his
wifes deceaSe, in 1872, married her younger
sister, Ruth Potts, at Coventry, and two
sons, fruit of this latter union, are still
living, one of them well known West
Chester gentleman-a retired member of the
bar. Polly Brinton, and all who attended
her joyous wedding, have been sleeping the
sleep that knows no waking, for many
years, but we have no doubt that her de-
scendants are still residents of Chester and
Delaware counties.