Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-12-10
MARRIED HALF A CENTURY.

MARRIED HALF A CENTURY.
rhe Golden wedding of MIR. and Mrs.
william N. Gesner Celebrated Last
Evening A Distinguished Assem-.
blaze Present to Witness the HAPPY |
event - Remembered With Many |
Tokens OF Esteem and Affection.
Relatives and friends collected last eve
ming in throngs at the home of Mr.. and
Mrs William N. Gesner in Whitneyville to
tender their heartiest congratulations and
good will. The event which called them
forth was the celebration Of Mr.. and Mrs.
Gesner's golden wedding, for half CEN
fury of married life has been their lot.
The guests began to assemble soon after 8
o'clock, coming from far and near,
number from New York city, of whom the
following are part: John s. McC1air,
president of the Greenwich bank, rela-
tive of Mrs. Gesner's; Messrs. W. Il. Law
renee, Robert and John Patton. Among the
others present were many prominently
known people Of this city and vicinity,
some of whom were Senator James Ora
ham of West Haven, Hon. N. D. Sperry
and Mrs. Sperry, Lieutenant Governor ..
E. Merwin, Henry Sutton and Mrs. Sutton,
Superintendent Wallace w. Ward, j. d.
Dewell, president of New Ravens chamber
of commerce; George NJ. Grant, the builder,
and wife, Henry NJ. Munson, james A.
Davis, William E. Davis, Edward Davis,
James M. Payne, A. Beach, Mr.. and Mrs.
Edwin Potter, Norris B. Mix, Cornelius
Van Name and wife, Mr.. and Mrs. William
M. King, Rev. Mr.. and Mrs. @. A. Dins-
more, Rev. Mr.. Greedy.
The guests as they arrived were ushed in
and introduced to Mr.. and Mrs. Gesner by
two grandchildren, Messrs. Charles E:
Parkin of New York and w. G. Mari of
this city. The bridal couple stood at the
further end of the parlor and modestly re-
ceived the showers Of congratulations that
fell continually When all had come,
words of more formal address were spoken
by number, and poem in honor of the
event was read by Mr.. Thomas Ct. Sloan
of this city, brother-in-law of Mrs. GEES
ner. The poem was composed by Mr..
Sloan and was credit to it's author. In
of the half century which has elapsed
since Mr.. and Mrs. Gesner were made one
AS example:
'swhen this man and woman began in life
He couldn't write postal card to his wife;
Nor address an envelope, nor put on stamp,
NOr MAKE USE VI d lLdtCh Luz hOhocCA0
lamp"
After the poem solo was sung by FL
mer Gessner, a nephew, of words COM
posed by Mr.. Sloan, to the tune of "He
Leadeth Me-" all joining in the chorus
with hearty will.
Mr.. Charles Bradley proved himself a
successful caterer again with the spread
which he had prepared. The supper was
served under large awning tent, put up
for the occasion, running off from the
the house. It was brilliantly lighted with
candelabra and hanging lamps and deco
rated profusely with flowers, and stove
at one end played an important part. At
the end of one of the long tables Mr.. and
Mrs. Gessner were seated in honor. After
| the eating some impromptu speaking was
| INDUCED in.
One thing that ought to have made Mr..
Gessner justly proud and happy was the
fact that of those present there were five
men whose names have been given to yes
sells designed and built by him at the
Henry Sutton Shipyard in West Haven
namely:
James D. Dewen General S. E. Merwin,
w. Wallace Ward Gsarga NJ Lyman Grant M. Law
Nine children have been born to Mr.. ani
Mrs. Gesner, of whom only two have died
All those living were present last evening
which gave the parents probably not tn
least pleasure. They are: Mrs. II. K. Par
kin Of New York, Mrs. John E. Mari o
West Haven, Mrs. William H. Mari o
Head Tide, Me-, Mrs. Horace Lines of Fai
Haven, Mr.. E. 81. Gesner of West Haven
Mrs. NV. Payne of New Haven, and G.. P
Gesner.
| The list of presents was unusually 1arg
and costly. There was white marbl
L nj f1,o Rilx1a rxin kr1r
from the grandchildren, two largo cas-
rocking chairs from Lieutenant Governo
Samuel E. Merwin, Senator James Graham
Hon. and Mrs James d. Dewell, w. Wa
lace Ward and Charles F. Tuttle, larg
table lamp from Lyman M. Law, silve
cake basket from William E. Davis o
Witneyville, large library lamp from NJ,
| and Mr.. J. E. Mari, two white and gol
easy chairs from the Dorcas society and
cracker jar from Samuel Kirby.
A set of ship augurs from j. w. Payne
bonboniesa from Messrs. Munson,
handsome bunch of white roses frol
Frank S. Platt, three gold thimbles, gol
headed cane, gold pen, salt cellers, larg
American flag with $50 gold piece froI
Van Name & King, large styloscope fror
Mr. and Mrs. Parkin and many othe
things.
1t was truly happy event for the Ion
married couple and there was not on
present who did not heartily wish theI
many more anniversaries of just SO plea
ing o nature. Mr.. Gesner is seventy -fou
years of age and his wife sixty-six, an
both seem as well and hearty as though I'll
event were a silver wedding instead of or
of golden hue.
Selection OF Seats for the Gouno
Concert.
The selection of seats for the Gouno
concert will open this morning OF 9 o'cloc
at the Hyperion. The popularity of thei