The Portland daily press., 1888-09-20
A Golden Wedding.

The attainment Of David's allotment of
average human life-"three score and tenn
and that connected with happy married
life of half a century, is not SO common an
event that it should be allowed to pass un-
noticed.
On the 28th of last month there occurred in
the town Of Plattekill, N. Y, on the delight
full Highlands of the Hudson, opposite to
Poughkeepsie, a family reunion and golden
wedding peculiar in some of its features,
and in which several of our worthy Portland
and Maine citizens participated
Mr.. David Johnston. minister of the So
ciety of Friends, and his wife were married
on August 2S, 1888, and their welded life has
been very happy and successful. They are
the parents of Mrs. Moses NJ. Bailey, of
Winthrop, and Mr.. Frank G. and Mr.. Thos.
M. Johnston, of the well known business
firm of ii. J. Bailey & Co., ON Middle street,
in this city; Misses Eta and Carrie john
ston, Of Winthrop. Mrs. Allen Pinkham, of
Vassalboro, and Dr. G. L. johnson, of
Brooklyn, n. Y.
The family gathering included twenty-four
children and grandchildren; and of the
hundred persons who were present at the
original wedding, it was surprising that so
many as eighteen or twenty were alive and
able to witness its fiftieth anniversary. The
morning Of that day was spent in strictly
family reunion, the reading of essays, his
torical, personal. or otherwise, pertinent to
the occasion, and the afternoon to the golden
wedding service and a general reception of
old friends and neighbors, of whom there
were over hundred in attendance. The
agreeable festivities Of the occasion were
kept up during the evening, by the meeting
of old friends, some long separated from each
other, the revival of youthful friendships,
review of what many had passed through
the joys and vicissitudes of life; music and
the discussion of very liberal supply of
choice refreshments. As the weather was
warm and delightful, and the moon not far
from its full. ''the witching hour" of mid
night even arrived before it was noticed.
when al had to separate, justly pleased
and satisfied with the success and Joys of the
day, yet never to meet again under the same
circumstances upon earth.
As singular circumstance connected with
the head Of the family, it may be well to
mention that Friend Johnston, when a
young man, and just before his marriage,
made journey with the venerable and cele-
DhdtrN QudhCl pIcdCutI. Joseph hOdg.
throught the Southern States of our country
upon horseback. And it was while they
were passing over ''the sacred sort" of Vir-
ginia, and upon the spot where 80 years af-
terward one of the most terrific battles of
our Civil War was fought, that Friend Hoag
experienced a most wonderful vision, IN
which he saw in spiritual sight that then
forthcoming conflict and especially that very
battle. An account of that peculiar vision,
it may be remembered by some of our older
readers, was extensively published in the
newspapers of the country as a signal in
stance of exalted spiritual prescience, after
that battle had occurred In precisely the
manner in which he had seen it IN his vision.
added also. that in that war he had a son
named for his preacher friend, Joseph Hoag
Johnston, who was killed in that same bat
tie, and another son, Mr.. Frank G. john
son, above named, was also soldier in the
war, but he came out with little comparative
injury