Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-04-02
Married, March 80, 1854.

young people pllghted their trotn III
the village of Plymouth, New Hamp-
shire, the very gateway of the beautl-
full White Mountains. The Rev. Will
liam R. Jewett performed the cere- +
mony that made Joseph H. Merrill
and Garaphelia M. Durham husband
and wife. The years have dealt gent
ly with these friends, and while their
lives have not been free from the sor-
rows and trials incident to humanity
they have had much of joy and glad
ness in the fifty years.
The gathering of relatives and friends
from far and near to celebrate this
golden wedding is most fitting, and the
congratulations and good wishes are
rightfully many and sincere.
Beautiful Decorations.
The Merrill home was beautifully
adorned for this occasion. The library
was decorated in American beauty
roses and palms. The bay window
was one mass of American Beauty
roses, fitting background to the ven
cradle bride and groom who received
congratulations there. The den adj
joining the library in which the Schu.
bert Mandolin orchestra played dur
ing the evening, was decorated with
roses. The table in the dining room
was decorated in yellow, large clus-
ter of double yellow tulips forming the
centerpiece, while at each corner was
a candelabrum with gold shades. At
one end was the groom's cake, with a
large gold monogram in the center on
| which was inscribed March 80, 1854,
and surrounded by golden wreath OF
laurel. At the other end of the table
was the brides cake, with yellow
border, the initials BIN, and the dates,
1S54-1904 being outlined in yaiow,
4 The mantel was one mass of yellbw I'm.
lips, while the lights Nc Through
yellow globes. Tbs dTaawing room was
adorned With Golden Gate, brides
mal9s and white roses. On the man
tel were candelabra, with yellow
: Shades. These candelabra are an heir
loom in the Burnham family. The
four archways were decorated with
ropes of ferns and in the center of
each was hung a golden wedding bell.
The presents, coming from friends all
over the United States, were displayed
/ in the upstairs living room and were
most beautiful and appropriate for
golden wedding. This room was a
bower Of flowers. Yellow roses. Golden
+ Gate roses, tulips, American Beauty
roses, jonquils, rambler roses, Lilies of
the Valley, violets and an Easter lily,
all being the gifts of loving friends,
were banked about the room. One of
the many beautiful gifts was Friend
ship Calendar" containing the tributes
of S65 friends. Among the many notable
signatures, are those of President
Pnn ofo,, W u
Congressman ]. F. Lacey. This gift
was compiled by an old friend, and
is work of art. On the frontispiece
are the youthful pictures of Mr.. and
Mrs. Merrill, and the Rev. William R.
Jewett. The cover is of black moroc-
/ co with the date, March 80, 1854-19O4"
in raised gold figures and encased in a
morocco box lined with gold. A
Guest Book of white morocco with
gold lettering was on a table in the
hall, and in this each friend inscribed
his name.
The favors we're gold boxes of we'd
! ding cake, given to each guest as SOU
venirs. The ladies assisting were:
Mesdames l.. H. Ellsworth, Calvin
Manning, ]. j. Budd, Frank Cresswell;
Misses Ella Spaulding, Lelah Boulton,
The bride Of fifty years ago. wore
beautiful dress of French gray meteor
crepe, trimmed with lace OIL the same
shade. A brooch studded with pearls,
the groom's wedding gift, fifty years
ago, and a pair of pendant earrings,
worn by Mrs. Burnham when Mrs.
Merrill was child, completed the
brides costume. Her bouquet was a
10 ali, Of Hio1 late
streamers of violet colored ribbon.
Came to ottumwa in 1862.
Mr.. and Mrs. Merrill were both
born in Plymouth. N. H., the former,
September 81, 1927 and the latter. Sep
TENDER IS. 1881. They built their home
on the present site in 1864, forty years
ago, and two years after becoming
residents of Ottumwa. To them were
born five children. The immediate
members of their family are: Mr.. and
Mrs. H. w. Merrill and Mrs. Denison
Merrill, and two grandchildren,
Charles Greenleaf Merrill and Sarah
Pope Merrill. ]. H. Merrilrs name has
become known throughout Iowa and
for years has been synonym for con.
servative and honorable business
D.. Ia
though far advanced in age still en-
joy good health and Mr.. Merrill's ac-
tivity in business matters does not
wane.
Mr. and Mrs. Merrill have endeared
themselves to all in this community,
and the earnest prayer, God bless
them and keep them with us many
years to come rises in precious plead.
ing from every heart.
Out of Town Guests.
The out of town guests, who were
entertained at the ]. H. Merrill and the
H. w. Merrill homes were: Mr.. and
Mrs. G. H. Greenleaf, Boston; Mrs. c.
B. Pope, Chicago; Mrs. John G. Foote.
Burlington; Mr. and Mrs. John f. Mer-
rill, Paola, Kansas; Mr.. and Mrs. T. S.
Norton, Chicago, and Miss Mary g.
Booth, Chicago.
CIT of u, l