The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-06-23
MANY PRESENT FOR
GOLDEN WEDDING

Pioneer residents and those of more
recent days Joined Monday in paying a
tribute to Rev. and Mrs. Troy Shelley.
pioneers of the Odell district, in cele-
bration of their golden wedding ami.
versary. Brookcherith, as they named
their forest-enclosed home in 1882,
when they settled there, Was the scene
Monday morning of family reunion,
and in the afternoon friends from all
parts of the valley motored to the pi-
oneer home for reception in charge
of neighborhood women.
With M. ID. 0dell. neighbor and the
oldest Oregonian born in Hood River
county, presiding. the following pro.
gram was rendered: Singing OF
"Auld Lang Syne led by Mrs. E. o.
Dutro; talk by Leslie Butler; reading.
Miss Martha Ferguson; talk. Rev. W.
S. Gleiser; song, "Silver Threads
Among the Gold, Mrs. r. S. Caughey
song by Mrs. David Pence, of Baker,
daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Shelley.
No Hood River valley couple is more
beloved than Mr.. and Mrs. Shelley.
Mr.. Shelley for so years has been a
minister. He established the first
union church in the valley. In the
early days he and Fred II. Balch, the
latter author of the "The Bridge OF
the Gods" conducted revival meet
ing at Odell's first church. Mr.. Shell
ley made a living from the cultivation
of his frontier ranch. He never drew
any pay for his work of preaching the
Gospel. His wife was his earnest
partner in all of his endeavors, and
they raised large family of children.
Twelve children were born to Mr.. and
Mrs. Shelley. Seven survive. They
are:
Mrs. o. L. Walter and Percy 7.
Shelley, of Hood River; Ralph 5. Shell
lev, supervisor of the Siuslaw National
Forest, of Eugene; Mrs. Pauline Tai
madge, of Seattle; Albert b. Shelley,
of The Dalles; J. M. Shelley, of Free
water. and Mrs. David Pence. of Port
land. Twelve of Is grandchildren were
present.
Mr.. Odell paid touching eulogy tC
Rev. and Mrs. Shelley, as did Mr.. But
Ter. declaring that they had performed
a service, the value of which cannot be
estimated, in directing the paths OF
young men and women of the commun
ity toward upright, Cody living. Mr.
Gleiser compared them to the noun
tains, sometimes hidden by the clouds
and the forests of their bases some
times smitten by storms, but always
shining forth with nobler effulgenct
when the troublous times were ended.
Mr.. and Mrs. Shelley were presented
by their friends and neighbors with {
bag of gold coins. A luncheon Of cake
and ice cream and coffee, following the
program, was served by young girls
of the neighborhood. A huge wedding
cake was presented by Mrs. u. f.
Bowerman, while a brides cake was
baked for the occasion by Mrs. j. M.
TAYLOR. The committee Of women In
charge of the reception included: Mrs.
Bowerman, Mrs. M. ID. Odell, Mrs.
Will Kemp, Miss j. E. Ferguson; Mrs.
j. M. Taylor, Mrs. Ben Krohn; Mrs
Harry Connaway.
For a half century the devotion OF
Mr.. and Mrs. Shelley for each other
has been an inspiration to their friends.
No honeymooners ever appeared hap.
pier than did this bride and groom OF
SO wears Monday. Each them of gave
advice that might we'll be needed by
Young men and women of today.
at appears to be the custom OF
Young people today" said Mr.. Shell.
lev, "to have good time and to play
with the most sacred affections OF the
human heart. You cannot do this and
live happy married lives afterward.
Whatsoever thou sowest, that shalt
thou also reap My wife and | held
our affections safe for each other.
Mr.. Shelley told of his trip to Ore
gon with his parents in l848 when he
was not yet four years old. He de-
clared that he was one of the first to
travel over the Loop Highway, the old
Barlow trail as it was then known.
"The wagon had to be let down
over Bald hill by ropes" said Mr..
Shelley, 81 remember that bit of the
trip very we'll. My mother carried me
down the dangerous grade in her arms.
Continuing Mr.. Shelley told of his
courtship. He went to California to
attend normal school near San Fran
cisco, and there met Mrs. Shelley,
Annie II. Lewis, a schoolmate, who
had come from Westfield, Mass, in
1866, making the trip by way of Pan
anna, to make her home with an uncle,
Albert Brayton.
81 returned to Oregon" he said.
"and most of my courting was done by
correspondence. Finally reached a
point where | gathered enough courage
to ask the momentous question. The
mails were poor in those days and
slow. My letter went astray. Nine
months after | had written it got il
back from the dead letter Office. I'll
bet those dead letter clerks had good
laugh at my expense. But | immedi-
ately readdressed it to Miss Lewis,
and after another short wait received
a reply, favorable reply. She came
north and we were married at Rick
reall at camp meeting"
Mr.. Shelley paid a glowing tribute
to his wife, declaring her truly his
life's partner. He said that many
times it was she who had held sloft his
hands when he was tired and dropped
from daily conflicts.
Mrs. Shelley urged young women
contemplating matrimony to fully
make up their minds that they were
going to live with their husbands.
divorce was something we didn' (
consider much when ! was young. "
she said, land then we thought of il
as something terrible Ii wasn't as
fashionable then as nov.
Girls should demand that their fu-
ture husbands be honorable, honest
and God fearing. And another thing
70 remember. when you start TO keep
ing house you must have menagerie
YOU must have bear and forbear.
Never get angry, at least, not both Of
you at the same time.
Mr.. Shelley is a native Of Iowa. born
January 6, ls45. His wife was born
February Is, 1857. al Westfeld, Mass.
The family Of the former settled on
Pleasant Hill, ten miles southeast Of
Eugene. Liter they moved to Mon
mouth. Following the return Of Mr..
Shelley from California normal school