Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-02-23
A NO v Ell SCHEM E
FRIENDS CONGRATULATE MRS. J.
M. M'ELRoY ON SEVENTY
SIXTH BIRTHDAY.
Pioneer Minister of This City and His
Wife Are Grateful to Their Many
Friends for Kind Words of Remem-
brance-Make Acknowledgement.

Friends of Rev. and Mrs. j. M. Nc
Elroy to the number of sixty-e1ght,
used an unique way of congratulating
Mrs. McElroy on her seventy-sixth
birthday anniversary, which she cele-
brated Monday. Rev. McElroy and
wife have prepared the following in
which they in part show their appre-
citation Of the many good wishes they
received:
Monday, February 20 was the seven
ty-sixth birthday anniversary of Mrs.
j. M. McElroy. 800 North Jefferson
street Some of her friends arranged
to surprise her by unlocked for let
tiers from kinfolks and friends to ar
rive on that day. They were SO careful
however, to conceal the matter from
their victim that many friends in the
city failed to know anything Of the
date or the scheme. The affair was a
pleasant success though little heavy
on the mail carrier who brought us
the snug number of sixty-eight con-
gratulatory letters.
This kind of birthday celebration has
much to commend it. 1t is spontane-
ous-free from formality and social
necessity, and not extravagant in its
demands upon the exchequer. The oc-
casion was very satisfactory to Mrs.
McElroy and also to her husband, and
its congratulations and good wishes
will give US pleasant memories.
One Of the most welcome letters was
from Mrs Sarah Lyons in her ninety
third year. Another was from Prof.
McGinitie and wife of Neigh, Neb.,
who was known to everybody in OF
tunlwa' forty years ago. Miss Gotta
Holloway and her sister Mrs. Parsons
wrote us from Kansas; teachers in OF.
tumwa in the long ago. Mrs. Mary
Wilson Lawson and her husband Rev.
DR.. Lawson, wrote us from West Lib
erty. Rev. III. r. Lewis and wife form
erly of Bonaparte wrote from VAN.
ego, Kans.. and Rev. G. L. Walker and
wife of Mount Auburn, whose marriage
was so1emnized by us 80 years since
are among our esteemed friends. Our
old friends Caspar Durr of Batavia and
Samuel Mccullough of Kirkville must
not pass unnamed; the latter being
groom in our second wedding service
April 10, 1856. Other names of es-
teemed friends In Ottumwa and at a
distance we will leave unwritten but
not aforementioned.
In these letters allusion is made to
festive wedding occasions of the olden
time in which the writer's figured to
the number of about rs. But other oc-
casions of a more solemn nature and
not less wildly remembered are very
properly not spoken of.
Our good friends seem to have found
out that Mrs. McElroy and husband,
are entitled to some credit for good
aimed at and accomplished in the past,
but they are careful to avoid saying a
word about our faults and foibles-our
sins of omission and commission
Thanks! May it be ever thus; the good
we do living with us and after us; the
evil inferred with our bones.
1t is proper to add that number OF
friends called in person to present
their congratulations. To one and all
we hereby express our hearty apprecia-
ton.
A courteous letter calls for reply
Will our friends who see the Ottumwa
Courier please accept this public &C
acknowledgement in lieu of private
letter?
Mrs. Agnes G. McElroy and husband