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Morrison/Cherrington Golden Wedding Anniversary
Happily Celebrated Their Golden Wedding Anniversary
Tuesday, September the twelfth, nineteen and sixteen, was an ideal early autumn day. If all the powers of nature had assembled for the occasion it could not have brought a day more to the liking of a number of friends of J.H. Morrison and his good wife at their beautiful home to join with them in the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage.
It was just when the great war clouds that had so long threatened our country and had at last been scattered, in 1866, that J.H. Morrison was united in marriage to Cynthia Cherrington in the home of the bride's father, the late Wm. Cherrington of Evergreen.
Mr. Morrison had earned a peaceful place in which to build a home by long service in the Civil War as a member of the 23rd O.V.I., and many who have known him through the 50 years and who have enjoyed the splendid hospitality of that home, realize how grandly he and his good wife have succeeded in the great enterprise of home making.
With the exception of a few years, they have lived their entire married life at Evergreen. Here they reared a family who have grown up to call them blessed and to be an honor to their father and mother and a blessing to their associates. William A., the oldest of the family, who was married to Miss Carrie Womeldorff, has for many years taken front
rank as a business man. A few years ago he launched the enterprise that resulted in the
establishment of The Delaware Garment Co., and the building of their factory at Delaware, Ohio. This concern has one of the best equipped factories of its kind in America. They manufacture ladies' garments and by selling direct to the retailer they have done more to reduce the high cost of living to common people than all of the far-fetched political theorizing in the whole country. William has one son, Lawrence A., who is a promised musician of Delaware and who is rapidly moving to the front in the business world.
The second son is Edward T. of Bidwell, Ohio, whom every one in Gallia and adjoining counties knows as one of the most enterprising merchants of southeastern Ohio. He was married to Miss Clara Watts of Springfield Township. They are the parents of a most excellent family of two sons and two daughters. Sallie is the wife of District Supt. Alfred
Berridge; Cynthia and Paul are teachers in the public schools of Gallia County, and Otho is in High school at Bidwell. This family stands for the very best social, moral, and religious life of Bidwell, where they have resided over many years.
The third son, Harry died in childhood.
The fourth child is Elizabeth, who was married in 1899 to Horace M. Bing. They have lived for a number of years in Delaware, Ohio, where Mr. Bing is rapidly building a good insurance business, he being District Supt., for the Banker's Life Co. of Des Moines, Iowa. They have one child Margaret, a very pleasant little girl of about twelve years.
The children and grandchildren with Mr. and Mrs. Morrison had planned for the Golden Wedding for some time and the joy was all the greater that all were present together with fifty-five other friends and relatives.
The tables for the noon-day dinner were spread under the beautiful maples on the lawn and the decorations were entirely appropriate in golden and white. Professional caterers would have been out of place, for the ladies of the Morrison family have acted upon the belief that delightful dinners and correct serving are a part of the training of all who "look well to the ways of their household." So splendid was the dinner in every respect
and so pleasantly was it served that it equaled in every particular the perfectly beautiful day.
After the feast, E.T. Morrison presented his older brother, W.A. Morrison, who acted as toastmaster. Toasts were responded to by J.H. Morrison, S.J. Kerr, S.H. Bing, James Bailey, Will Donnally, and Rev. Arthur Cherrington, while Horace M. Bing, Lawrence
Morrison and Paul Morrison put in the embellishments with some real music. The address of Rev. Arthur Cherrington is worthy of special mention. He was a frequent visitor of the Morrison family in his childhood and was able to recall several incidents of more than ordinary interest.
In closing he quoted from Browning's Rabbi Ben Ezra:
"Grow old along with me
The best is yet to be
The last of life for which the first is made." |
Among the guests were five who were present fifty years ago, namely, Samuel J. Kerr, often referred to with Mr. Morrison as the "David and Jonathan" of Springfield Twp.; Mrs. Janet Booth, Mrs. Eliza Watts and W.T. Cherrington, sisters and brothers
of Mrs. Morrison; and Mrs. C.S. Mills.
Thirty-six of the guests who are by birth or marriage members of
the William Cherrington family remained until evening and had supper together.
Many such occasions are dominated by reminiscence; but this one,
while many events of the past were referred to, was ever alive with the brightness of the look ahead. The past has brought many achievements, but the future still holds the best for this truly excellent man and his good wife. The whole truth is summed up in the statement of Mr. Morrison that "he has nothing in his family life to regret" and that of Mrs. Morrison, when she recently said to her daughter that "this has been the happiest year of my life."
Those present were Mr. and Mrs. S.J. Kerr, Mr. and Mrs. C.S. Mills, Mr. and Mrs. Elza Mills, Mrs. Janet Booth, Mrs. Eliza Watts, Mr. and Mrs. W.T. Cherrington, Mr. and Mrs. E.T. Morrison, Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Morrison and son Lawrence; Mr. and Mrs. James Bailey and children Ruth and Helen, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Berridge, Mr. and Mrs. S.H.
Bing and children, Grayum, Mariana and Janet, Frank Allen, Mr. and Mrs. T.H. Bailes and son Perry.
Rev. Arthur Cherrington, Mr. and Mrs. M.L. Donnally and daughter Esther, Mrs. S.C. Reed, Mr. and Mrs. M.C. Daubenspeck, Mrs. Jennie Cherrington, Mr. and Mrs. L.
Gaston, Rev. and Mrs. J.H.F. Parkins, Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Donnally, Alice Donnally, Mrs. A.L. Howell and son Donald, Mr. and Mrs. J.D. Mossman, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Delille, Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Neal, Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Shawver, Janet Bailey, Mr. and Mrs. H.M. Bing and daugher Margaret, Cynthia, Paul and Otho Morrison, Wanita Booth, Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Booth. S.H.B.
Gallia Times
September 20, 1916
Transcribed by Henny Evans