Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-12-16
A Golden Wedding.

Wednesday the 18th inst, marked the golden
wedding anniversary of two worthy residents
near town for many years, Mr.. and Mrs. Albert
M. Sumner, and that 1t was not more publicly
observed was owing to the poor health of Mrs.
of considerable rarity in the lives of the people
OF community, we have deemed notice of it
of interest to our readers, and we have been
able to obtain the following sketch of the couple,
who after long residence among us may be
justly claimed as of us, although their modest
farm life since coming to our vicinity has not
conspicuously brought them forward perhaps
as much as some less worthy ones:
Mr.. Sumner is descended from one of the most
honored families of Massachusetts, tracing his
geneaIogy back directly to William Sumner,
born at Bcester England. in 1905, who came to
this country in 1886, and through his son
George, has descended this branch OF the fam
lily, Albert representing the ninth generation
the first settler in this country, and until the
subject of this sketch came to the West, for 40
years previous, they had continuously, genera
ton alter generation, been residents and land
owners in The town of Milford, Mass
Mrs. sumner, nee Greenman, was native of
South Kingston, X. L., her father having been
II pensioner Of the w9r of 1872 and her grand
father Of the revolutionary war, while Mr..
summers grandfather was also Oh the rolls of
one OF the companies in the French and Indian
wars in 1867.
Before coming to the West Mr.. Sumner was
for many years engaged in the keeping of a
store in his native town until 1864, when he be-
came foreman in one of the boot factOri of
that place, for which the town was noted.
In his native town he was for number of
years prominent member of the fire depart
ment of the town, being foreman of one of the
companies for several years and afterwards for
nine years, one of the board of engineers, of
which lie was the Gle Il part of the time. He
also served one year on the board of Selectmen
OF the town, and WAS one of the most prominent
men OE the part of the town in which he lived.
In 1876 he moved West locating in Davenport,
Iowa, where he engaged in farming. He re-
manned there five years, when attracted by the
prospects OF the then new town of Audubon,
Iowa, he east his fortunes with the new settlers
of the place and has since lived here.
Oh the 18th of December, 1917, he was mar
ried to the lady who has been his heIpmeet ever
since, by the Rev. b. Ii. Davis, then OF Malb0ro,
Mass, some sixteen miles from Milford,
whittier they drove for the ceremony because
of their friendship for their former pastor or
the five who composed the wedding party, Mr..
and Mrs. Sumner, Mr.. and Mrs. j. d. Bailey
and the PASTOR all are alive except Mr.. Bailey
who died last winter, the venerable minister
still living in Weymouth, Mass, past eighty
Years of age.
There has been born to them four children,
three OF whom are still living They are Clar-
ence A. Summer, of Milford, Mass; Mrs. Geo
Z. Hastings, Of Arcadia, Nebr., formerly of this
place and Mrs. .. e. KiDby, OF Audubon; the
IoHrth and youngest, (Annie) Mrs. .ylvester
AIRY, died in 1888.
Mr.. Summers father was Ellis, a Well to do
farmer Of Milford, and of the four children OF
his family, Mr.. Sumner and Il sister, Mrs. Cathe-
rime Sheldon, OF Milford, are living. The other
two being }. Sumner, Esq, and Mrs. Olivia
Mayhem, til. wife OF the late Hon, Aaron G.
Mayhem, both of Milford, Mass Mr. and Mrs.
Sumner are worthy residents of the place, I'M
assuming befor4 the public, and we extend our
to them on this important
occasion.