The Carthage Republican
Carthage, Illinois
Wednesday
October 8, 1919
Page 4
Columns 1 & 2WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
Popular Webster Couple Observe
Their Thirty-fifth Wedding
Anniversary with Friends
and NeighborsThursday, September 24, 1884, was a lovely autumn day. All nature seemed to smile in happy unison, but in the "house on the hill" at the west end of the little city of Webster, owned at that time by the late Mrs. Mary J. Reed, there was a scene being enacted that for happy smiles, far outshone the beauties of nature, for here at the hour of 10 o'clock a. m. was the marriage of the youngest daughter of the family, Miss Ada H. Reed and Mr. A. L. Callihan, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Callihan of this city, being solemnized by the Rev. Mr. Covert, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Fountain Green.
The ceremony ended and congratulations being over, the happy young couple left at once for Colchester, to take the train for Avon, Ill., whither they went to spend the first week of their happy honeymoon. The trip to the train was made in a carriage, accompanied by the bride's oldest brother, Stephen Reed, long since gone to his reward, and Miss Hattie Howd, now Mrs. Frank Emerson, of Canon City, Colo.
The bride was a native of Vermont, Ill., but the groom was born here. Both bride and groom grew to years of maturity in this town, as she was but six years old when her parents moved here. So this little village has always since that time, been their home.
After a few years they purchased the home where they now reside. Here is where their children, one son, Chester, and one daughter, now Mrs. Agnes Spangler, grew to manhood and womanhood. It might be said right here is where they've spent the happiest twenty-three years of their lives. But one cannot have all sunshine and no shadow, for the poet wisely has said:
"Had earth no thorns amongst its
flowers,
And life no fount of tears,
We might forget that better home
Beyond this vale of tears."However, no shadow dimmed their sky until about five years ago, when the wife, the mother, was stricken with diabetes, which necessitated the amputation of her left limb. We shall not attempt to describe these years of patient suffering. No pen picture is needed to tell to all who have visited her, that she has made the best of her sad lot, to the best of her ability, always trusting, never halting, ever waiting His command. It was during these long years when friends from far and near visited her, often leaving tokens of love to cheer her, that she at last, came to a happy conclusion that it would give her great delight to reward those who had been so kind, and there was no better way than to invite as many as possible to help celebrate their wedding anniversary, now approaching. Accordingly invitations were issued to which just 127 responded, all told.
They came in autos, in buggies and on foot, until the house and the grounds around it resembled one busy hive during a big swarm. They came with well-filled baskets from every town and country round, within a radius of ten miles and some even farther, and were spread upon the long table beneath the old locust trees, it was a sight to behold. Everything eatable one could think of, was to be found.
The bride and groom of thirty-five years were seated near the center of the table with thirty-four other relatives and friends around them. Just in front of the couple was a lovely bride's cake, on top of which was thirty-five small candles, also an angel food cake, bearing the dates in red-- 1884-1919, Sept. 24th, and decorated with a wreath of purple lilies of the Nile. The bride's cake was presented by one of their nieces from Bushnell; the angel food by a friend.
After this feast was devoured it would seem incredible that any one could eat again, that day, and yet, when at 4 o'clock, Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Callihan, the son and daughter-in-law, brought forth that ten gallon freezer of delicious ice cream, and that elegant display of cakes of every kind, it was a temptation too great to resist. How weak is man!
Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Hobart, who has just arrived from Pueblo, Colo., and whose sixth wedding anniversary it also happened to be, were among the happy guests. In all that vast crowd there were seven guests present who also witnessed the marriage ceremony.
It was a gathering never to be forgotten by all present, on account of the good fellowship which existed throughout the day. No formality -- all that was cast aside. "Mr. and Mrs." were left at home on the shelf and everybody was known as "John" or "Mary", "Joe" or "Jane", as the case might be. An old-fashioned, good cheer meeting and everybody was happy!
Mr. and Mrs. Callihan received a number of lovely and costly gifts, as well as a purse of silver, containing a dollar for every year and then some, as tokens of the love and esteem in which they are held by their scores of friends. They have always lived among us, have shared our joys and our sorrows on many occasions, and it was with a satisfied feeling that it had been a day well spent, that we had to bid them at last, adieu, and leave our good wishes that God would spare them to each other at least, until they reached the "golden wedding morn."
Many cards and letters of congratulations and regrets were also received from friends unable to attend.
Numbers of snapshots were also made of the jolly ones present.
Too much praise cannot be given the daughter-in-law, Mrs. Ethel Callihan, who seemed to be the "main spoke in the wheel," and the daughter, Mrs. Agnes Spangler, who also assisted with unabated energy, till the last dish was washed.
The Carthage Republican
Carthage, Illinois
Wednesday
March 16, 1921
Page 6
Column 3Never in the history of our town has there been more sorrow and more regrets over the death of one of its citizens, than has been expressed since the death of our life-long friend and neighbor, Mrs. Ada Callihan. From the beginning of her affliction, which led to the amputation of her left limb seven years ago this coming July 7th, there has been a feeling of deepest sympathy by all who knew her. Many times have we heard her speak, with tears in her eyes, of the many acts of kindness shown her by both old and young. There was scarcely a day, summer and winter, in all these years, but what fresh flowers, or other tokens to help lighten her affliction, found the way to her room. But while we loved her and will miss her -- oh, how we will miss her -- yet we could not ask to have her given back, for we, who have stood by and seen her suffering and have heard her pray to be relieved from this bodily affliction, feel that she is now free from all pain, happy in that home on high, "whose builder and maker is God." We mourn her death, we sympathize with her lonely companion and children, we mingle our tears with theirs, but we also bow with them to the will of "Him that doeth all things well" and calmly say "Thy will be done." "Not now, but in the coming years -- Some time we'll understand."
Among the relatives from a distance who attended the funeral of Mrs. Callihan Saturday, we noticed: Hon. and Mrs. O. F. Berry, Mr. and Mrs. Archie Reed, Mrs. Sue Wallsmith, W. R. Dale and Fred Ervin, Mr. and Mrs. Sam'l Curry, Miss Evelyn McConnell of Carthage; Mrs. George McClure of Denver, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Sam'l Urton, Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Ebert and Mrs. Maggie Ebert of Hamilton; Chas. McElvane and daughter, Mrs. Chas. Douglass, of Bushnell; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Meyers of Joetta.
Parents: Isaac Reed & Mary Jane McConnell
Husband: Abraham Lincoln Callihan
