fifty-fourth
wedding anniversary celebrated
Sunday, 11 Nov 1919 the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Hallum Woodward was the scene of a pretty
dinner, the occasion being their 54th wedding anniversary.
The long table was decked
with mauve and yellow mums and was loaded down with all the
sumptuous foods prepared by the motherly and loving hands of the
bride, whose half century of experience has made her one of the
most capable cooks in the county, resulting from the success of
one of the best farmers of Norfolk County in the person of the
groom.
A novel feature of the
dinner was the stacked wedding cake which was topped by a miniature
bride and bride-groom, hand in hand, and attired as were the bride
and bride-groom upon that happy occasion 54 years ago.
The bride's cake and the
wedding cake were cut by the bride and groom who were seated at one
end of the long table, surrounded by their happy family of children
and grandchildren.
The bride was Miss Helen
Dease, youngest daughter of the late William and Emily Dease. Mr.
Dease will be remembered by the elderly people of the community as a
highly respected business man in the village of St. Williams. Mrs.
Dease was a kindly soul, noted for her goodness to the poor and
needy, and always ready to lead a helping hand.
The groom is a son of the
late Paul and Ann Woodward, a good old English family who came from
England in 1827, and clearing the land, settled in Walsingham not
far from the village of St. Williams, being early settlers and
pioneers of our country.
The happy couple were
wedded Sunday evening, 1869, by the Rev. Mr. Wood, in the old home
of the bride, which is situated on the Front Road, not more than
one-half mile from the home of the groom, the places adjoining.
After the ceremony the happy pair left by horse and buggy for
Houghton, where they spent their honeymoon with the groom's
sister, Mrs. U. Reynolds.
Later they settled on the
farm known as the Troyer Flats on the Front Road, east of Port
Rowan. A couple of happy years were spent here, then they moved to
the old Gillespy farm situated directly across from the St.
Williams station, and now occupied by their elder son, Charles.
Here they resided for 47
years until they retired to the village of St. Williams, where
they now enjoy the happy peaceful life which maturity brings,
their brows crowned with the quiet, peaceful hope for many more
loving years together.
Their marriage was been
blessed with four children --
Mrs. Chas. R. Fenton of Hamilton,
Chas. H. Woodward of St. Williams,
Milton A. Woodward of Hamilton,
Mrs. Wm. H. Jewell of St. Williams,
and 10 grandchildren.
The family were all able to
be under the parental roof on this happy occasion.
[Compiler's
Comment: Their 50th anniversary dinner took place at their
youngest daughter's home. In 1919 both sons lived at St. Williams.]
