The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-18
HIS ORIG WEDDINGS
IN The WHITE HOUSE
Nellie Grants Wedding the Only
One That Compares With
the Latest.
Special to The Journal.

that they never fail to attract the gen.
eral attention of the country. Today IS
wedding compares in the extent of this
attention, and in the popularity of the
bride, with the Nellie Grant wedding,
which took place in the east room, in
1874. on dais, set in front of the same
big bow windows which were the back
ground for today's event. In the num-
Der and value of the wedding gifts,
and in the number of guests present,
this last event breaks all White House
records, for prior to 1874, the presi-
dents who managed White House we'd
dings had rather simpler views of life
than have prevailed at later times.
Those presidents have always been
the most popular who have had children
in their families, and when these chill
dren occasionally have led up to we'd
dings, the seal of social success has
promptly been placed upon the admin
istrations which were concerned. The
bachelor or widower presidents, and
those whose children were all grown
ups, have had at times some difficulty
In winning that social applause which
has come in such volume to the Roose-
velts, and which came also to the
Grants.
Nellie Curtis was charming addition
to the family of the first president, but
she was not old enough to we'd until
after Washington had retired from of
flee, and the ceremony was performed at
Mount Vernon, after the simple fashion
of that day. There were no young peo-
pie in the family of John Adams, the
second president. Thomas Jefferson, the
third president, came to the White
House widower, and whatever social
success his administration had was
given it by the wife of his secretary
of state, Mrs. Madison. The election
of Madison to the presidency brought
this most popular woman to the White
House as mistress, and there were two
White House weddings during her stay
Snere. ,'IiiRn02TgG
The First Wedding.nodG err
The first wedding to take place in
the president 8 house was that of the
widow of nephew of George Wash
ington-Lucy Payne, Mrs. Madison s
younger sister, who was married at the
age of Is, in 1892, to George Steptoe
Washington, and lived during her
widowhood with the Madisons in Wash
ington. ,,5,1'-,
The engagement Of this sister in the
winter of 1910 to Justice Todd Of the
supreme court, a widower many years
older than herself, the father of five
children and resident of the then far
distant state of Kentucky, was APP
proved by her family, and Mrs. Madi-
son reveled in the preparations for the
sha ho
was celebrated on the evening of March
II, 1911, and typical Virginia we'd
ding it was, for Mrs. Madison opened
the doors Of the White House to hel
relatives and family connections and tc
all the personal friends of the family
The second White House wedding
took place after the war Of 1879. The
gayety of the capital city had beer
greatly subdued by the treatment the
raiding British troops had given thu
capitol and the White House, and Mrs
Madison gave her cousin simpler bu
still large wedding. The bride wa
Miss Anna Todd Of Philadelphia, ant
the bridegroom was member Of con
gress from Virginia, John G.. Jackson
q greatuncle Of Stonewan Jackson.
A FreS1QenC> s Daugntef.
The third wedding was that of Mis-
Maria Monroe. Being the daughter O.
a president it might have been ex
pected that the occasion of her wed
ding would have been marked by grea
festivity. But such was not the case
and the affair was a distinct disappoint
ment to those who thought they had
right to expect more from the Whit
House family. Mrs. Monroe was city
bred woman. She had been brought vi
in the exclusive circle of New York
and she did not approve Of the Virgins
style. So the wedding of her younges
daughter was the reverse of gran
affair. -
Monroe's secretary of state, job
Quincy Adams, who had large part il
formulating the code Of etiquette nov
used in official life in Washington, an
who had much trouble over this wed
ding, was not invited to it, AS it wa
strictly family affair none Of tn
o. binet members was present.
The circular or blue room was chose
for the wedding, and the Rev. D.
Hawley Of St. John g church performe
the ceremony. The bride wore whit
silk dress, richly trimmed with blon
laces, and a tulle veil adorned wit
orange blossoms. DR.. Hawley's co
tune next after the brides was th
most noticeable. He wore knee breeche
and his low shoes were fastened wit
large silver buckles style of dres
even then passing out Of fashion.
The wedding was at noon and thel
was no wedding journey. The brio
was only II and had not been formal
introduced to Washington society. H
bridesmaids, who were four of hi
school friends, were dismissed after tt
wedding breakfast for one week, whe
they were invited to assist her at tt
first of the two wedding receptions.
lzs The Fourth Wedding.
The fourth marriage celebrated
the president 8 house was that Of job
Adams, the son and private secreta1
Of President John Quincy Adams +
was married to his cousin,. Mary Helle
of Philadelphia. Miss HELEN was
niece of Mrs. Adams, and her brothe
Walter HELEN, was a secretary to tt
president and lived in the White Hous
1t was an evening affair and Il
ceremony was performed Feb. 10, 1872
In the blue room in the presence Of
distinguished gathering. DR.. Hawl'
affiliated on this occasion as he h,