NELSON / BOWEN WED
Charles F. Nelson and Miss Alice Bowen were married about nine o’clock last night, at the old Nelson homestead, on River Street.
The words that made the twain one according to the laws of Idaho, were spoken by Judge T.T. Redsull, of Bellevue, who has been a friend of the bridegroom over thirty years. Samuel Friend, foreman of the Jumbo mines, also an old friend of the groom and Mrs. Shirley, an intimate friend of the bride, were the attesting witnesses.
The ceremony took place in the parlor of the homestead, in the presence of a number of invited guests and a larger number of welcome but uninvited witnesses who crowded onto the outside porch and lawn or who stood in the street opposite the front door, which was opened to enable them to see the “knot tied,” as some of them expressed it. The rooms of the homestead had been very tastefully decorated, and evinced much labor and ability on the part of the decorator. The marriage was performed under a double horseshoe four feet high by three in width, with horseshoe. Upon the larger horseshoe were the across the greatest diameter of the horseshoe “Welcome.” A cherub stood over the bell as if The central feature from within the smaller words “Good Luck," and was the greeting in the act of ringing it. of the scheme of decoration appeared alike from a wedding bell suspended both sides, all the work being very artistically done, and finished in cream and gold. It was suspended from the ceiling by gilt wires entwined in ribbons of the national colors. From the rosette above were suspended garlands reaching to various points in the walls of the room, at which emblems such as cherubs, stars, hearts, and so forth, were fixed. The whole was resplendent with tinsel and bullion cord and thread, and bedazzled the beholder.
The sitting roo , the dining room, the ladies dressing room, the bridal chamber, and even the kitchen and breakfast room were also tastily decorated with tinsel and vari-colored ribbons and paper.
The bride was gowned in a cream colored china silk trimmed with silk lace, rhinestone buttons and watered ribbon. It was made waling length, with puffed sleeves, At the conclusion of bride and groom, the bridal couple headed and short basque. the ceremony the invited quests congratulated the front door was shut because of the cold, and the the march to the dining room followed by Mrs. Schwamb and her husband, Mrs. Shirley and her husband, Judge Redsull and Mr. Friend, Mrs. J.J. 0'Brien and her husband, Mrs. Lewis and her son --constituted the immediate bridal party and accompanied by about twenty four of the invited guests. The horseshoe shaped table really bent under the load of delicacies.
FEBRUARY 17 1897 NELSON BOWEN WED
Secretary Riddle of the Miners' Union and Mrs. Seymour and Riley were excused at this time while they went to interview the boys and girls of ages ranging from ten to twenty years, who were outside in great numbers, and accompanied by French horns, sleigh bells and tin cans. All of these who accepted were given a dime a piece, and everybody invited to the kitchen and breakfast room, where attendants would wait upon them. Over 150 accepted this invitation many men and women among the number, besides about 25 from Bellevue. The preparations for the strengthening and refreshment of the inner man were on an elaborate scale. It is stated that four turkeys and twelve chickens were cooked. At any rate all who visited the homestead last night had all they wished to eat and all the wine, beer, porter and whisky they wished to drink, while even candy, nuts, raisins, etc. were handed out to the youngsters whom the attendants deemed of too tender an age for the stouter refreshments.
The scheme of ornamentation was mostly planned and carried out by Mrs.Schwamb, daughter of the bridegroom.
The double horseshoe, wedding bell, etc. was the production of Harry Schwamb, son-in-law of the bridegroom and was a very artistic piece of work.
THE PRESENTS
The presents occupied a table in the corner of the parlor, and were of unusual value. One a sofa pillow with the legend “Rest on Me" in old English script in Kensington stitch was especially noticeable. Another a bronze statuette about twenty inches high and as long of a cowboy on horseback about to throw his silken lariat was also greatly admired because of its appropriateness, the groom being a horse fancier as well as the prosperous owner of a large livery stable.About eleven o'clock the party went to Armory Hall, to round out the night with a hop. The hall had also been suitably decorated, the same unstinted liberality of expenditure being noticeable there as at the house.
Newspaper Title: Wood River Times
Publisher: T. E. Picotte
Date Published: 17 Feb 1897
Article Title: Nelson/Bowen Wed
Extracted By: Charlotte Slater [lotties@xxxxxx.xxx
]
Sent:Sunday, January 25, 2004 4:41 PM
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