Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-19
Five Generations Present at
! Golden Wedding Anniversary
of a Swaledale Couple
THEIR RECORD is UNIQUE ONE
The Ten Children of Mr.. and Mrs. John
Bardsley and Their Descendants, All
Alive and Present The Famous
SwaIedale Choir Another Feature OF
the occasion-state Happenings.
Special to Times-Republicane

Mason City, Sept. 19.-Fifty years
wed, with ten children all alive and
present, twenty-siX grandchildren and
three great grandchildren and the
great great grandfather present to
make five generations-this event and
these remarkable conditions crowned
the golden wedding of Mr.. and Mrs.
John Bardsley in the little village of
Swaledale Saturday night, and made it
the most notable function of the kind
ever held in Cerro Gordo county, and
Derhaps, in the state. All of the ten
oAildren. some Of them accompanied by
their wives, husbands, children, and
grandchildren, coming in some instanc-
yes 5000 miles from the Pacific coast,
Joined with 100 relatives and as many
more friends to appropriately celebrate
the golden event.
The opera house was secured for the
proper observation Of the event and 1t
was there that the speechmaking and
Fluctuations were rendered, after the
sumptuous dinner at the home of Mr..
and Mrs. Bardsley. The literary feast
included speeches by the village clergy
a spicy list of toasts and sentiments
by relatives and neigfbors, good music
and a song by the famous Swaledale
choir.
. To serve the 300 guests a big tent
was added to the house, where gem
erous feast was spread.
Mr.. Bardsley and his wife, Ann Gill
lett, were both born in England, he
seventy two years ago, and she sixty
nine years ago. Their families settled
more than fifty years ago near Madi-
son, Wis, where they lived, and where
at the age of % and 10, the couple
were married at the home of the brides
venerable father, George Gillette, who
still lives and was present at the gold
en- wedding. He is 90 years old. For
ty years ago they moved to Charles
City and shortly afterwards to Swale-
dale where they have been more than
a quarter of a century. The ten chill
dren present We're as follows:
George Bardsley, OF Tacoma, Wash,
Mrs. Flora Hunt, Of Puyallup, WASH;
Mrs C. w. Loomis of Swaledale; Mrs.
Wallace Wheeler, of Rolfe; Ernest
Bardsley, of Swaledale; Mrs. frankie
Van Kirk, of Iowa Falls; Mrs. George
Coggswell, of Titonka; Irwin Bardsley,
of Esterline, S. D.; and Mabel Bards-
lev, of Bea trice, Neb. Mrs. Hunt and
Mrs. Loomis are both grandmothers,
so that their families, with Grandpa
Gillette, made two sets of five genera-
lions.
But the remarkable descendants OF
five generations do not stop here. Mrs.
Bardsley's sister, Mrs Hitler, living
also at Swaledale, is great-grano-
mother and her daughter, grand
daughter and great-grandchild were
also present to make the five genera
tons in that branch. Nearly all the
members of both the Bardsley ana
HITLER branch were present, who with
Grandfather Gillette made altogether
l04 branches, twigs, leaves and buds
of the Gillette tree present on this
occasion.
Another feature Of the remarkable
occa sion was the famous Swaledale
choir. Both Mr.. and Mrs. Bardsley,
and Mr.. and Mrs. j. B. Hitler were
more than ordinary singers when
young and fifty years ago, they form-
ed the first church choir in Madison,
wis. Forty years ago they formed the
first church choir at Charles City and
when they went to Swaledale formed
the first choir there and are still sing
ing in the Methodist church. Besides
this a daughter of Mrs. Hitler plays
the organ and Swaledale is the only
town in America which enjoys the
novelty of a great-grandparent choir
with a grandmother for organist, all in
the same family and one generation
preceding and two following listening
to the music in. the same church.
Among the letters of congratulation
received was one from President
Roosevelt, who felicitated the couple
on their long and happy life, and re-
newing his belief in large families like
that of Mr.. and Mrs. Bardsley.