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Hand In Hand For Fifty Years

Hand In Hand For Fifty Years image
Parent Issue
Day
30
Month
October
Year
1903
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

HAND IN HAND FOR FIFTY YEARS

MR. AND MRS. JOS. WHITLARK TRAVELLED LIFE'S PATHWAY

Many Friends Gather to Congratulate Them Upon Their Long Wedded Life

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Whitlark, of Catharine Street, celebrated their golden wedding Saturday, October 24.

One hundred invitations, printed in gold, were sent out to friends, who from three to six came and went, bringing their congratulations to this bride and groom of fifty years.

No longer in bridal white, but in black silk and precious lace, the bride beside the bridegroom welcomed their guests. They were received by Miss Laura Bilbie, Miss Winifred Orcutt, Miss Louise Gerstner and Miss Eva Hill, who wore, on their white gowns, long streamers of yellow ribbon with a yellow chrysanthemum thrust in.

The rooms were decorated in yellow, yellow asters, golden glow, dahlias, chrysanthemums and velvety marigolds abounded, everywhere. They were on the dining room table, mixed with smilax and surrounded by yellow candles which gave a yellow glow.

The refreshments were served by the young ladies with the yellow "wedding favors."

Mr. and Mrs. Whitlark were both born in England, and in 1836 Mr. Whitlark came to America which was then only a territory, not having reached the dignity of a state. Mr. Whitlark, since coming here, has never lived outside Washtenaw county and, since his marriage in 1853 to Miss Lucy B. Bilbie, which took place in Ypsilanti, he has always lived in and about Ann Arbor. For nine years Mr. and Mrs. Whitlark lived at Whitmore Lake, for over thirty years on the farm just outside Ann Arbor and for five years in the city. They were pioneer members of the Unitarian church, having helped to organize the church here.

They have one child living, out of four sons, Arthur H. Whitlark, money order clerk in the post office in Detroit, who has recently moved there after fifteen years of service in the post office department at Washington.

The son and three grandchildren were present at this anniversary. The gift brought were beautiful, being of silver, Venetian ware, cut glass and gold. The Unitarian church presented Mr. Whitlark with a goldheaded cane with an ebony stick, and the ladies gave to the bride a set of handsome spoons.

The homage of the guests and the appreciation of the bride and groom was sweet to behold as they stood among their friends receiving again congratulations--after fifty years.