The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1900-11-01
AFTER FIFTY YEARS.
Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Williams Cele-
brate Their Golden Wedding at
Their Home Today.
BOTH WERE EARLY PIONEERS.
The wedding Ceremony Was Celebrated
Fifty Years Ago by Elder Jason Lothrop
IN the Town of Pleasant Prairie.

IN the Town of Pleasant Prairie.
From the Kenosha Telegraph, Nov l, 1850.
MARRIED.-On the 29th inst, by Rev.
Jason Lothl op, Mr.. Henry Williams to Jane
Roddle, both Of Pleasant Prairie.
Fifty years ago today ex-Mayor
Henry Williams and Miss Jane Roddle
were united in marriage in the town
of Pleasant Prairie, and in honor Of
the celebration of their golden wedding
FIVE children, nine grandchildren and
a number of the early pioneer settlers
of the city and county gathered at the
Williams homestead on Prairie avenue
this afternoon to celebrate the note
worthy event. All day long Mr.. and
Mrs. Williams received congratulations
from their many friends, but this
afternoon congenia1 crowd was in
vited in to assist in the eating Of the
second wedding dinner and to witness
the renewal of the vows which were
pledged so many years ago by Elder
Jason Lothrop, the pioneer preacher of
Southport. The house was prettily
arranged for the event, a wealth Of
5
been sea tered in ali the rooms IN
graceful profusion.
The celebration was no common oc-
currence, as both Mr.. and Mrs. Will
1iams have always been closely con-
nected with the history of the city and
county. Their wedding was among
the first to be celebrated among the
pioneers of the county and they are
two of that noble band of pioneers
who have survived these many years.
While both Mr.. and Mrs. Williams are
far down the slope with the shadows
falling toward the north they still re-
tain the vigor of early manhood and
womanhood, and few of the jolly party
that gathered at the house this after
noon would have thought that it had
been fifty years since they p1ighted
their troth at the altar of Hymen.
Mr.. Williams was a son of one of the
pioneer citizens of Chicago. With
his father he came to old Fort Dear
born, which afterward became Chica-
go, in the early part of 1885. A few
months later the father heard that
settlers had penetrated into the wi1ds
of Wisconsin and in the fall Of 1885
with his family the elder Williams
came to Southport. Here the son was
given his schooling in the hard school
of the pioneer. He was early in life
taken out on to the prairie and with
his father became ti11er of the soil.
Ten years later Jane Rodd1e came to
Kenosha county and with her father
settled on farm near the Williams
home. The intimacy which sprung
up between the families resulted in
the marriage Of Mr.. and Mrs. Will
1iams. At the wedding ceremony
were present John L. Stevens, Mrs.
E1vira Hatch, Mrs. Ellen Waldo,
Stephen Holmes, Mrs. J. P. Sauber
and M. r. Holmes, all of whom are
well known to the early settlers of
Southern Wisconsin.
In those fifty years of married life
the aged couple have taken a great
deal of interest in the affairs of the
city and county. Mr.. Williams has al
ways been interested in the advance
ment of the city His factory out in
the western part of the town is one of
the business centers of that district,
and he manages to keep business 60
ing even after the cares of fifty years
of married life. Mr.. Williams has
taken an important part in the politics
of the county and city. He removed
to Kenosha in 1864, but before this
time he had served the town of Pleas
ant Prairie in the capacity of town
treasurer and assessor for several
terms. After he came to Kenosha
he was thrice honored by his fellow
citizens by being elected Mayor of the
city and five times he was chosen to
represent his ward in the city council.
Mr.. and Mrs. Williams are we'll and
favorab1y known in all parts of the
city and county and a large circle of
friends will be pleased to extend best
wishes that they may be spared to
celebrate many other happy anniver-
saries of their wedding.