Saturday, February 13, 2010

The Golden Wedding Aniversary

Well it finally happened. Josiah and his wife, Joanna, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary! Josiah had been writing to Sarah Cummings about the plans for this grand event for more than a year. His letter dated 17 Feb 1875 gives Sarah all of the details.

His brother Milton Holden came from New Hampshire. Josiah mentions that his sister Lucetta sent a poem which was read at the festivities. He mentions that he had sent Sarah a copy of the poem, unfortunately it doesn't seem to have made it into the box of letters I have.

Josiah mentions he and his wife received $254.38 in gifts of money. My trusty inflation calculator says that would be the equivalent of $4788.16 today. Not bad for a present. Josiah writes, "the whole thing passed off in the most pleasing manor at the Morton House." I found a photo of the Morton House on the online collection of the Grand Rapids Library. It was taken in the 1880s.

I look at this image and wonder what the 78 year old Josiah was thinking as he walked into the lobby of this grand hotel with his wife of 50 years. He was surrounded by friends and family.

He again tells Sarah that he has lived too long. He states, "I used to think a person at that age (78) was a pretty old person and now when I look around and find so few of that age it causes me to wonder why I have been left here so long." He then mentions that if he could go back and tread over the ground one more time, he would try to mend all the bad plans.

He then mentions the grasshoppers in Kansas...

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