The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-08-16
Many Happy Memories Mark
Anniversary Of Mrs. Owen

On a day as beautiful as the
life whose anniversary it marked.
Mrs. Anna Foote owen celebrated
her ninety-sixth birthday, saturday,
at her lovely home on w. Forest
Ave. A few OF her closest friends
spent a pleasant hour with her in
the afternoon, talking over old days
and admiring the many beautiful
gifts, and bouquets OF flowers and
greeting cards that Mrs. owen had
received. The highlight OF the day
was the receipt OF a huge basket OF
dozens OF white gladioli the gift OF
Lieut.. Robert Dickerson, son OF Mr..
and Mrs. r. Dickerson, from Eng
land. 1t. Dickerson gave his order
10 the London branch OF the Chase
National Bank. which cabled IL 10
New York, and ii was sent TO the
Norton greenhouse by the bank,
which enclosed a note expressing
its pleasure at having part in the
gift. There was a decorated birth
day cake. with candles which Mrs
Owen blew out according to tradi-
ton. Later ice cream and the cake
were served by Mrs. Hiscock and
Miss Matilda Holmes. Although un-
able TO get about much. Mrs. Owen
is In good health and mentally as
keen as ever. She keeps up her
reading and current events and en-
joys calls from her friends.
II is well 10 record for the present
generation the part Mrs. owen
played in the life OF the city for
maSy years, when life In Ypsilant.
was truly worth living, and its many
clever and cultured people were
like happy family.
Born in Lockport. y. Y, Mrs.
owen as child came with her
parents TO Ypsilanti when her faith
err, Prof. r. NJ. Foote. became pro
lessor OF music in the newly estab-
lished state Normal School. In later
years he developed skill in music in
the city schools besides teaching
private classes, and in between
these years spread the love OF good /.
music through several states by |
holding winter singing schools |
which closed with cantata, "Esth-
or, the Beautiful Queen one.
in which Mrs. Owen took solo parts. |
Her glorious and welltrained voice /
drew attention Of Chicago must
clans when Prof. Foote was direc-
tor OF the Chicago First Baptist |
Church choir and arrangements |
were made for her to accompany |
musical friends TO Europe 70 study |
for grand opera. But just then she |
met the fascinating Tubal Cain |
owen, grandson o. the already lab !
ulous Capt. Eber Ward OF Detroit, /.
and the opera career was forgot
ten.
The wedding, by decree OF Mr.. |
Owens aunt, Emily Ward, a re-
markable woman known and loved .
throughout the Detroit area as
Aunt Emily" whose word was law
10 the Ward tribe. took place in
Aunt Emily's splendid home in
Marine City and was described in
ecstatic columns in Detroit papers |
as the most magnificent ever given /
III oil TINT a. ca. NC uIludl bONA
OF lavender satin with collar and
cuffs of pointe lace was set off by
the pearl pin and earrings given by
her parents. Among the eight mem
bers OF the wedding party were Mr. |
Owens charming sister and her |
future husband, later Congressman
Justin r. Whiting. AS climax the
passenger steamer Antelope, one OF
the great Ward fleet, on which Mr..
Owen was an officer, took the whole
wedding party, including the
brides family. on round trip TO
Chicago. Dancing on board was &C
companied by cabinet organ in
stalled for the trip by the groom.
On their return to Ypsilanti,
where Mr.. Owen became proprietor
OF the Eagle mills, they lived first
with the Foote's, where their two
sons were born, later in what is