The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-08-12
BEEN ONE FIFTY YEARS.
Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas E. English Renew
Their Vows

/ 1t is LOU OIttu IudL II Is gwen W
mortals to celebrate their golden we'd
dings on the very spot where the first
VOWS were spoken. But sucn an IN
usual privilege has been that of Mr..
and Mrs. Thomas E. English, who at
10 o'clock this morning were joined in
wedlock at st. James church. To be
sure the wedding ceremony was not
performed in the same church, but in
the building which was removed years
ago to make room for the present
beautiful edifce.
Hundreds of invitations had been
seen out to friends and neighbors to be
present to help them make merry on
this joyful occasion. The responses to
the invitations were numerous, and at
the appointed hour between 200 and
800 people had congregated at the
church
Solemn high mass was celebrated by
the son of the aged couple, Rev. John
Edward English, of st. Peters church,
Omaha, assisted by Rev. Thomas Pope
Hodnett, Of Chicago; Rev. S. Trant, of
Racine; and Rev. Fl. j. Roche, of the
local flock. Rev. Father Hodnett de-
livered the sermon. He dwelt almost
altogether on the lives of the aged
couple, and held them up as examples
of plety and good citizenship. He had
known them long, and years ago had
learned to love and revere them. He
spoke of the remarkable fact that the
eldest son was present as priest to
assist in the ceremony, and suggested
that this was but one of the aged
couples contributions to the good of
the world.
Immediately after the ceremonies at
the church Mr.. and Mrs. English held
a reception at their home, corner of
Congress and Pomeroy streets.
One of the most peculiar features of
the day was the fact that Mrs. Patrick
! Kelly, who acted as bridesmaid fifty
years ago, was present today to hear
the vows renewed. She did not ac-
company the couple to the altar, how
ever, for the reason that the bride
groom of those early days has since
died.
There have been ten children born
to Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas English. Six
of them are living and we're present at
the ceremony today. The children are
Rev. j. E. English, Attorney j. P.
English, both of Omaha, Neb.; ". R.
English, of Chicago; Mrs Mamie Rice,
Mrs. Annie Hoye, Mrs. Alice Hoye, all
of KenOsha.
Thomas E. English was born Oct. 5,
1924, in Mitcheltown, County Cork
Ireland, and came to America in 1910.
He arrived in Kenosha in 1912, about
six years after the first claims were
taken up for the Western Emigration
company, which started Kenosha. At
that time there were but about 300
inhabitants here. Very shortly after
arriving he joined the brass band,
which was the first organized in the
west. He says he distinctly remembers
various occasions when the band was
called to Milwaukee and Chicago to
assist the pioneers in celebrating
events. At the time Jenny Lind came
| to America this band was called to
| Buffalo, n. Y, to assist in the recep-
ton given there.
In those days." says Mr.. English,
that was not considered a long dis
lance. Though we had to travel by
stage coaches and boats, we did not
mind the trips much"
He went into business in 1915, start
ing harness shop. He kept this shop
in the same place for fifty one yeas, re-
firing in May of 1896. That is a record
equalled by very few business men
anywhere.
Miss Ann Cootey, whom Rev. Father
Kundig, then vicar general of Milwau
kee, made the wife of Thomas English
fifty years ago, was born in Mulecreu,
County Louth, Ireland, Dec. 10, 1926.
She came to America in 1882 and to
Kenosha in 1874, three years before the
wedding, and has lived a very quiet
and retired life here ever since. She
was a sister of the famous Capt
Cootey whose vessels were destroyed
by the famous English vessel Alabama
during the late civil war and for which
he came in for $50, 900 in damages upon
the settlement of the Alabama
claims" Later he went on whaling
expedition and was never heard of
again, though the government sent
several expeditions out to try to find
him and his crew of twenty eight men.
Among those present from out of the
city we're: Messrs. and Mesdames
Philip Ryan, Thomas English, Joseph
Bidwell, Thomas Morrison, Glenn;
Mesdames John English, ST., John
English, Jr., Daniel Ryan with daugh-
ter, Patrick Kelly, Charles Bailey with
son, Robert English, Charles English,
Carrie O'Brien, John Hoye with son
and daughter, D. Harmon, B, Waldron,