Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-12-01
1so1.--1o11
Mr.. and Mrs. ]. ]. McGinness Cele-
brate Golden Wedding.

On Thanksgiving Day. 1861, which
that year occurred on November 28th,
Mr.. and Mrs. J. j. McGinness were
united in marriage at Level Corners,
Pa, near Williamsport, on the west
branch of the Suequehana, and to prop.
erly celebrate their golden wedding an.
niversary a large company, numbering
probably 300, gathered in NJ. W. A.
hall to spend the afternoon with this
most worthy couple. The large num-
ber in attendance was a reminder of
the event of half century previous,
when over $50 invitations were issued
and accepted.
Mr.. and Mrs. McGinness spent the
first years of their married life in the
vicinity of the place in which they
were wed, moving in 1868 to Illinois,
where they resided for five years, COM
ing to Howard county in 1873, settling
in Saratoga twp, where they resided
until their removal in 1893 to Cresco
where they have since resided.
The successful anniversary celebra-
ton was arranged by Mr.. and Mrs.
McGinness' only daughter, Mrs. T. J.
Gibbons, with the willing assistance of
friends and neighbors. The hall was
decorated in gold and the tables with
chrysanthemums. Mesd. Frank Blan-
in and w. H. Taubman received the
guests at the door; Mesd. Cleghorn and
Otto Johnson distributed the wedding
favors. and the Misses Bessie Glib
bons. Myrtle White, Helen Lent. Ruth
Converse. Ouida and Esther Dillingham;,
Kate Davis, Emma Swe nson and Mary
Fairbanks were the Young ladies who
decorated the guests with white rib
bons bearing the inscription in gold,
"186l--McGinness-191l" and later
served them with brick ice cream in
white and gold, and delicious cake, the
latter made by. Mrs. McGinness whose
fame for good cookery is fairly won.
After the guests had assembled, they
were called to order and J. ]. Sobolik,
one of "her boys" as Mrs. McGinness'
boarders call themselves, and in their
behalf presented Mr.. and Mrs. Nc
Ginness with decorated purse con-
tanning ss5 in gold and bearing the in
scription ''To Daddy and Mother"
suggestive of the intimate friendship
existing between them all. Rev, Gam
mons next presented purse of gold
contributed BY the other guests and in
his short address congratulated Mr..
and Mrs., McGinness upon their good
fortune in being able to so long enjoy
the companionship of each other and to
SO win the esteem and respect of their
friends and neighbors as to call forth
such large and happy gathering as
was there assembled. Mr.. Gammons
closed his remarks by wishing Mr.. and
Mrs. McGinness many more annivers-
aries of their marriage during the
golden glow of the sunset of their
lives.
In addition to the gold given, table |
in the McGinness home is loaded with |
gifts from absent relatives and friends,
and while every gift is rich and hand
some. they sre valued chiefly by the
recipients as expressions of the friend
ship that prompted the giving. One
gift is especially pleasing to them-a
beautiful bound book in white and
gold, in which are inscribed the auto
graphs of those in attendance at the
The only disappointment in connec-
ion with the celebration was the un-
lvoidable absence of relatives residing
It distance, detained by illness or
'ther hindrances. and also the absence
# the old Saratoga friends who were
prevented from coming by the storm
md rough roads. The only persons
rom q distance in attendance were
dra. Hazelton, of Calmar, and Mr..
nd Mrs. McGinnese, only son, Rollo,
md wife, from jackson, Oklahoma.
Mr.. McGinness is now nearing the
lge of rs and Mrs. McGinness is past
o and both are enjoying robust health
md bid fair to spend many more
marriage and Thanksgiving anniver.
aries together, thus giving Mr.. Nc
sinness further opportunity to follow
he injunction of the preacher who
married them to Render thanks every
lay for the wife you have got," al
hough Mrs. McGinness naively re-
marked in telling this that che didn't
,et much at the time for was pretty
mall those days"
1t is almost unnecessary to speak of
he esteem in which Mr.. snd Mrs.
dcGinniss are held by all, the gather
ng of friends of all ages, social con-
itions and demon nations told the
tory completely of well spent lives in
he community. the story of a honor
BILE and happy married life which
ught to be and 10 an example and an
aspiration to those who have more
ately launched their matrimonial barks
pom the sea of life to 20 order their
uture that should God grant them many
ears of companio nship together, they
lay be able to look back like MIR. and
irs. McGinness upon serene life
lied with many kind but unostenta-
ious deeds, and with host of true
~sanAn 1