The sun., 1907-11-30
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
fS.aAO y. FOLLOWS TINE EXAMPLE
OF AL MS FOREBEARS.
we COsnes All the Way FrSm Denver with
Buls Amanccsl tO Marry Her I'm the OHd
HOute-An interesting Family Gus
tom That Has Prevailed since lfAl.

k WIs Amanced tO Marry HHer I'm the ord
EaOme-An interesting Family Cus-
tom That HAS Prevailed since lfAl.
TowAco, ". j., Nov. 29.-The old Baldwin
homestead on the east side Of WRnkhAw
Mountain, about four miles from TOwaOO,
Morris county, had another Thanksgiving
)av wedding on Thursday, the first in
thirty-hve years The contracting parties
were Isaac p. Baldwin, a civil engineer,
who has n Governments iOb in Wyoming,
and Miss Isabelle A. DurAnd of Denver,
Col The young couple, accompanied by
the brides mother. had travelled from
Denver Co be married in Mr.. Baldwin's old
home in accordance with a promise he
had made TO his father The only wit
nesses OF the marriage were Mrs. Durand
and Mr.. Baldwin's father and mother
Mr.. and Mrs John H. Baldwin, who we're
married in the same room ON Thanksgiving
Day thirty-five years ago.
The Baldwin farm Of about 100 acres
was acquired by Nathaniel Baldwin, who
went TO New Jersey from Connecticut in
i735. He erected a one room stone house
with an attic above as his home The
original building still stands and is now
used as q kitchen for the two story, four
room stone house which was attached 10
|, more than a century later. Nathaniel
Baldwin was a mechanic "a we'll a. farmer.
From huge walnut tree which stood near
his home he split out planlxs with broad
axe and constructed n table. three chairs
and a cupboard, which are still in use. In
l7u the farmer returned to Connecticut
and selected Hannah Kent 10 he his help
meet on his New Jersey farm. Miss Hannah
was a farmers daughter, who had been
preparing for years for her wedding day.
She had grown fax, had hackled the straw
10 procure the strong fibre. had spun this
into threads ON her spinning wheel and
then had woven II into a bolt Of coarse
but strong linen cloth.
This cloth was one Of the treasures which
the young woman took with her ON the OK
wagon in which she and her future husband
returned to New Jersey. On their arrival
at the Baldwin farm a minister was called
in. and on November %, l7i1, Nathaniel
Baldwin and Hannah Kent were made man
and wife.
Part OF the bolt OF linen was used as
tabIecloth, hut a. visitors We're scarce il
was seldom placed ON the table and when
John Baldwin. Nathaniel and Hannah's
oldest son. was married in November. 1898
IL was used on the walnut wood table on
which the wedding feast was spread, for
John. too, brought his bride to the old home
20 have the marriage ceremony performed.
The linen tableCIoth after that became
known IA grandma = tableclOth. II was
placed in cedar chips on the top shelf of
gYandpa's walnut wood cupboard, only 10
be taken down and used when u wedding
anniversary was celebrated or n maria ge
was performed.
John Baldwin's son Nathan followed the
example Of his father and grandfather
bringing a blxom checked country lass TO
the old farm in November. l79S, where they
t~1 l,sv ~ -.
added 10 the original stone house. but this
was torn down in 1879 and the present
stone addition erected in its place.
The next wedding was that Of second
Nathaniel Baldwin, who was married in
November. lS41, just 100 years after the
original Nathaniel had married Hannah
Kent. John H. Baldwin. the second Nathan
iels son, was married TO Sylvia Doremus
in the kitchen OF the old homestead on
Tla nksgiving Day, 1872.
Prom the time that Nathaniel baldwin
took possession nf the place In 1886 until
John II. Baldwin came in possession q I the
death Of Nathaniel second in 1889. all the
Baldwins had been farmers, with no thought
Of making a living in any other way. But
John H.. although tilling the soil himself.
Rs had his fOrebears. had other ambitions
for his only son, Isaac p. Baldwin. and
after the boy had completed the course at
the country school he was sent 10 college
where he studied for a civil engineer.
When Isaac Baldwin took a place
under the Government. shortly after com
pieting his course In college. his father
exacted promise from him that II it was
possible he too would return TO the old
place TO get married.
The marriage ceremony wOs performed
IL the old kitchen and the wedding and
Thanksgiving feast combined was eaten
on the old walnut table. ON which was
spread the remnants. much frayed and
tattered now, OF grandma = tablecloth.-
The table ware cORsisted Of old heir
looms Of pewter and china no authcn-
VIC date Of the requirement Of which has
been kept by the Baldwin family The
dinner. most OF the ingredients of which
were produced on the Baldwin farm, was
cooked by Isaac Baldwin's mother
Hannah Kent took with her from Con-
necticut to New Jersey when she
became Nathaniel Baldwin's bride
leather covered family Bible. The family
record in this contains the dates Of we'd
dings. births and deaths from IN at time
down to the present. The latest entry
under the head of marriages is this:
Isaac p. Bsldwin and Isabella A. Durand,
NOvaunhQr INOT