The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-16
| CELEBRATED GOLDEN WE'D
| DING.
WE'D
Judge and Mrs. n. w. ROwell, of At
ton, Celebrate This Rare Event
in. a Pleasing Manner.

Dr. J. W. Rowell, wife and son
Edgar and Mrs. A. l.. Curry return
ed last Wednesday evening from AZ
ton where they attended the golden
wedding anniversary of his parents,
Judge and Mrs. N. W. Rowell, on
Monday
Fifty years ago N. W. Rowell and
Miss Anna E. Ownby, were united
in marriage at the home of the
bride in Decatur City. After spend
ing few days with relatives they
went to Alton, where they have since
made their home
When it came to celebrating their
golden anniversary they decided to
invited everybody, SO issued no indi
vidual invitations, but by a publish
ed card in the Alton papers invited
all their friends to call at their home
at any time from 1880 to p. M,
and from to 10 p. M, and several
hundred guests were entertained at
their pleasant home in Alton during
the afternoon and evening. Many
others sent loving greetings by tele
phone, telegraph, mail and express.
beautiful floral tokens poured in up
on them in such a profusion that the
house was a veritable bower, in
marked contrast with the bleak win
ter outside.
The house had been charmingly
decorated in gold and white with
magnificent golden chrysanthe-
NUNS as the predominant flowers.
The bride was lovely in a gown of
creamy white and the flush Of happi-
ness on her cheeks and the sparkle
Of love in her eyes she did not look
her age by at least twenty years.
The groom was, as he looked, the
happiest man in Iowa. Of the four
children all were at home except the
youngest, Neal, who was hindered by
a recent illness from which he had
not sufficiently recovered to under
take the long journey from Chey
enne, his present home DR.. j. w.
Rowell, the eldest son, with his wife
and son, Mrs. Helen Wharton and
daughter and Miss Bessie Rowell, to-
gether with the parents formed the
immediate family group. But many
others present were SO closely asso-
ciated by ties of blood or by ties
scarcely less strong of closest friend
ship that the family seemed much
larger. In the receiving line stood
three witnesses to the marriage of
fifty years ago, j. E. Ownby, Mrs.
Julia. Cherry, q sisteIsof the groom,
and Mrs. Joseph Draper, lifelong
friend and cousin of the bride.
Throughout the hours of the re-
ception refreshments were served to
all callers from the prettily laid
table in the dining room where the
daughters of the household, Mrs.
Wharton, Miss Rowell and Mrs J.
w. Rowell assisted by several lady
friends presided
When festivities were at their
height quiet was called for by Mr..
B. T. Nix. who on behalf of large
circle of friends. made feeling and
beautiful presentation speech of
purse of gold as token of love and
souvenir of the happy occasion.
To this Judge Rowell responded
In speech which not only expressed
appreciation and thanks, but which
was an uplift and inspiration to all
who heard it, for it embodied the
most loving tribute to the friendship
of his neighbors, to the love and
helpfulness of the best of wives and
to the faithfulness with which they
both had tried to make of their home
such one as should be worthy of
the name. He said 1t had not only
been home to their own family but
that many others had found a home
under their roof when the circum-
stances Of their lives had made it