My great-grandparents married on New Year’s Day, 1906. Here are a few things that happened the prior year, to put that into perspective:
- March 17, 1905: Albert Einstein introduces the Theory of Relativity. Eleanor Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt marry.
- September 5, 1905: Treaty of Portsmouth brings an end to the Russo-Japanese War. (President Theodore Roosevelt crucial in those negotiations).
- October 5, 1905: The Wright Brothers’ third airplanes stays in the air for 39 minutes.
As for women’s fashion, you can see that high collars, frilly blouses, long skirts and cinched waists are in. Hair is worn in the “Gibson Girl” bun and smiling for pictures is out.
I’m kidding about the smiles but, truly, this would be a “do over” picture if taken today. Only three of the bridal party are even looking at the camera and the bride and groom are in the far back, covered by shadows.
This makes me appreciate the picture even more, in a way. These days wedding photos are highly curated with the bride as the center of attention. Here it’s an imperfect family affair. My great-grandmother didn’t spend hours debating which pictures to put in the album: this was it!
I can’t identify everyone but the little girl in front is Evelyn Sly, presumably with her parents behind her. Cousin Flora Sly stands on the right side with (I think) her husband. The lady with glasses is the groom’s sister, Louise Dunning. It sounds confusing but fear not! I’m working on a family tree for the blog to help sort out all these relatives.
To my delight, the marriage was written up in the Orange County Times on Friday, January 5th, 1906.
HYMENEAL
Dunning – Sly
(From our Amity Correspondent)
A quiet home wedding took place at the residence of Mrs. Jacob Sly, of Florida, on New Year’s Day, at high noon, when her only daughter, Miss Eleanor Dusenberre, was joined in marriage to Merit Emmit, third son of Horace Dunning, of Middletown, by Rev. Dr. Robert Houston Craig of Amity, pastor of the bride, assisted by Rev. Walter Rockwood Ferris, of Middletown, pastor of the groom.”
A number of phrases from this article make me chuckle, starting with “high noon”. If you’re like me, the phrase sounds more like the hour for a cowboy shoot-em-out. Pre-1950’s, though, this was a perfectly reasonable phrase for “mid-day”. (It may also have signified the ‘zenith’ of their relationship together).
I dutifully researched Rev. Dr. Houston Craig and found that he served at Otisville Presbyterian Church starting in 1875, and moved to Amity Presbyterian Church by 1902. Meanwhile, Rev. Rockwood Ferris became the minister of First Presbyterian Church in Middletown, New York from 1902-1908.
I love the idea that both pastors were invited to their wedding; clearly these were important people in my great-grandparents’ lives. What’s more, Merit Dunning’s son is “Walter Ferris” so – unless of some extraordinary coincidence – it appears that he named his first-born son after his pastor!
The ceremony was performed with a ring. Only the members of the two families were present.
The bride looked charming in a traveling suit of blue broadcloth. She carried a boquet of white roses.
The bridal couple left early in the afternoon by carriage to Goshen to board the express on their bridal trip.
Here I laughed at “the ceremony was performed with a ring” because it seemed obvious. Little did I know that the diamond wedding ring only became a ‘thing’ after a big De Beers campaign in the 1940s. Also, the fact that their big honeymoon getaway possibly took place on an express train to Manhattan made me pause. (My daily experience on that train is far from an idyllic excursion).
The groom is prominently connected in Middletown and is a ruling elder in the First Presbyterian Church of that city, and the bride is a most estimable young lady related to all the Sly and Dusenberre families in this locality.
Many beautiful, valuable and useful presents were sent to the bride by the many relatives and friends of both bride and groom.
The home was tastefully decorated with evergreens and potted plants, and the wedding breakfast served by Mrs. Sly was sumptuous.
The fact that the decorations were “evergreens” (Christmas decorations?) and “potted plants” (overwintering?) made me smile. Then I checked out Eleanor Roosevelt’s wedding announcement from the New York Times where “the house was decorated throughout with ferns, palms, and pink roses.” If it’s good enough for the Roosevelts…
In sum, a limerick:
Should you wed in ’06 what a cinch
No hall and no band must you clinch
Just a pinching of waist
As mom’s breakfast you taste
But money? You won’t waste a pinch!