The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1916-10-19
Welded FIFTY YEARS
MI. &Mrs. B. F. Cruzen Celebrate Col.
den wedding

AouhuSu ". LhSu anu IHSli 1
childrens children and by other fam
lily relatives, the day was most hap
PLY engaged for all in this remark
able family circle. The entire day
was occupied by a full program.
A splendid dinner duly enjoyed byl
every one of the company was only
one of the numerous features of the,
occasion. 1t is not given to all toI
celebrate a golden wedding day, nor
to those who do attain to this privil.
eye, can the conditions be more fell
fictitious than those enjoyed by this
most worthy couple. All five of the
children, four sons and a daughter.
were gathered at the parental roof
tree and also there came the sisters
of both bride and groom, who were
witnesses to the wedding fifty years
ago, Mrs. Elizabeth Trout, of near
Oskaloosa, sister of Mr.. Cruzen and
Mrs. Emma Cook, of Bows, Iowa, sis
ter of Mrs. CruZen. 1t is a remarkable
thing that in this family the presence
of the grim reaper has never been eX-
perienced unless there might be eX.
cepted the single instance of the pass
ing of an infant a great grandchild.
Congratulations poured in upon this
worthy couple during the day, tele
grams and personal messages and
word of mouth added to the material
tokens and expressions from the hand
Of relative and friend. The children
united in presenting a splendid and
beautiful gold clock as a fitting re-
membrance of the occasion. 1t was
suitably inscribed and dated. 1866
1916. Mother Cruzen. though her
heart was full and her voice burden
ed with her emotion, responded to the
gift with words 'of wisdom and well
wishing, that carried the sentiments
of the day deep to the heart Of those
present.
Fifty years ago this date Benjamin
F. Cruzen, and Miss Harriet Lamborn
joined hearts and hands in holy we'd
lock. The wedding was solemnized by
the late Squire ]. M. Loughridge1 of
Oskaloosa at the home of the bride
out in Madison township where were
gathered company of relatives and
friends in celebration of the event.
among those present at the wedding
in 1866 were the two sisters of the
principals and they are today the on
lily living witnesses of that event that
TRANSFERRED in the pioneer days of the
county. And it was some thing to Mr..
and Mrs. CruZen that these sisters
should be with them again, to assist
! in the celebration of their achieve.
iment OF fifty years of welded life.
Benjamin F. Cruzen was born April
"a, 1916 in Green county, Ohio, son
of Hervey and Asenath (WalthalD
! CruZen came to Iowa back in the for
! ties in the first days of statehood and
before the territory was fully organic.
! ed, and took a place of the land offer
ed to the early pioneer. Benjamin re-
manned on the old home place until the
civil war and when he was seventeen
he was successful in obtaining enlist
ment and he went forth to the strug-
gle. July /, 1862. He was wounded and
taken prisoner at the engagement at
/ Saline River, April 80. 1864. For ten
long months he experienced living
death in the unspCakablC conditions
of the Southern Rebel prison. Follow
! ing release he served to the end of
his term of enlistment and in 1866
was married. His bride was daugh.
: ter of Jacob and Polly Lamborn, di-
rect descendants of LambOrnshire,
England. She was born March 6, 1850,
in Knox County, Ohio, and moved TO
Iowa and Mahaska county with the
parents when she was a girl of seven.
The father passed away three years
after coming to this county. The
family settled in Madison township
and the name was will known to the
early corners of that day.
This union was blessed with five
children all of whom were present
with father and mother CruZen at the
celebration Thursday. The children
are Marion j., cashier of the Oska-
loosa Savings Bank, Mrs. Cora A,
wife of F. F. Coffin. of Madison town
snip, JOllH L., pHy SlCldH anu buSl-
ness man located at Lacona. Iowa,
Carl B., who is manager of a string of
elevators in the Dakotas with head
quarters in Oskaloosa and George T.
CrUZen, operator of several business
enterprises in OskaloOsa. all well to
do and prominent in the affairs of
their time and locality.
! Father and Mother Cruzen have re-
tired from active life of the farm and
are residents of Oskaloosa. But theirs
has been a full measure of the know
ledge and experience of the pioneer.
They have known of the struggle of
the early day. They have tasted of
the cup of want and privation. but
they were brave and fought good
! fight. Blessed with good health they
plodded on and through frugality and
thrift they have succeeded and are
to-day enjoying the reward of their
! efforts and are blessed in the posses.
sion of goodly share of the things
desired in this world But both Mr.
and Mrs. Cruzen are active and busy.
-, - Al, r>t.; ..4.