The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-10-19
Jubilee of Marriage Of Mr.
and Mrs. Blair.
GREAT EVENT Is OBSERVED.
Winnebago Coupe Married Half a
Century; Daughter Is Mrs. Thorn.
as Jones Of This City.


the fiftieth anniversary of their we'd
ding by entertaining about eighty OF
their neighbors and old time friends at
their home at Bass lake on Friday, Oct.
9Th, 1906. They are well known in parts
of this county, and their daughter, Mrs.
Thomas j. Jones of this city, attended
the celebration. ~
i The house was respondent with flow
ers and foliage in autumn's richest hues.
Red dahlias and asters prevailed in the
parlor; purple and white asters gave
color note to the back parlor, while in
the big dining room yellow held sway
from the flowers to the golden wedding
cake, a veritable golden bell, destined
to be tremendously cut by the bride of
fifty years at the close of the sumptu-
Gus dinner prepared by the daughter of
the honored pair, says The Winnebago
City Enterprise in it's account of the
affair.
The entertainment consisted of in
strumental solos by Messrs. Lobb and
Allen; Lloyd Blair, the oldest grand
child, gave a selection on the violin, ac-
ccmpanied by Miss Esther Jones, Il
granddaughter, and Miss Edna White,
eldest granddaughter, gave an apropri-
ate recitation, and there was singing of
old time songs. But probably the most
entertaining feature of the program was
the impromptu dancing of Scotch
reel by a quartet of Scotland's sturdy
people. The combined ages of three of
the participants was 24s years.
! Guests were requested not to bring
presents, so many expressed their sem
timents by rendering beautiful cut flow
ers.
Mrs. Blair was becomingly gowned in
black silk, while her hair was dressed
after the fashion of fifty years ago. EN
cept that time has whitened the golden
locks, her serene countenance and well
preserved beauty made it hard to real
ize the lapse of time Neither was the
strong face and sprightly face of her
husband suggestive of the hardships of
pioneering which this couple has en-
dured
Seven children have blessed their
union, and there are eighteen grandchil-
dren. John r. Blair lives on an adjoin-
ing farm; Mary A. lives with her pa
rents; Mrs. Frank White in Amboy;
Mrs. T. j. Jones in Mankato; Mrs. w.
w. Hart in Delavan township; Thomas
A. in Wealthwood, Mimi, and Donald
L. in Red Mountain, Colorado. All the
descendants were present on this Occa
sion excepting Donald L. and Thomas
A. and five children.
Thomas Blair was born Oct. 8, 1925,
in the county of Argyle, Scotland. He
came to America in lS4S. In the spring
of 1856 he left New York City as a
member of the Mapleton colony, which
settled in Blue Earth county. Time has
greatly thinned the ranks of that colony
of early pioneers, Mr.. Dobie being the
only representative among the guests
last Friday.
Mr.. Blair blazed his name on a tree
to stake his claim to what has ever
since been his homestead. He proceed
ed at once to build house thereon. 1t
was substantially built of logs with
puncheon floor, roof of shakes, and one
small window which contained in it's
sash the only mill sawed board in the
structure. Not shingle nail was used
in it's construction. Building this house
consumed most of the summer, and then
Mr.. Blair returned to New York for his
bride.
| Miss Agnes Kirk had been reared in
New York City. Her only knowledge of
rural life had been gained in occasional
outings in Orange county. She laid
aside her silken wedding gown and
three days after marriage started on
their toilsome journey through western
month later.
Travellers fifty years ago were not
! furnished with present day luxuries.
Many and frequent were the delays in
cident to their trip. They were three
days reaching Dubuque, Ia, by rail.
Thence three days by boat to st. Paul.
The Mississippi river was low, and fire.
quent sand banks were encountered.
Their first dinner at st. Paul hotel
consisted of warmed over potatoes, cold
rice, bread, butter and tea. They were
aboard Minnesota river boat more
than two days before reaching Shakopee
at midnight. Mrs. Blair, tired and sick,
reluctantly left her berth, picked her
way around sleeping forms that liter
| ally covered the cabin floor, and went
to hotel only to find that they must
sit up the rest of the night in a room
containing only two chairs and stove.
They waited week in Shakopee for a
seat in the stage, which was daily filled
before leaving st. Paul. At length pas
sage was secured in an open spring
| WAGON Fall rains had made very bad