Wednesday, June 3, 2020

52 Ancestors - WEDDING: The Honor of Your Presence or Presents


My grandaunt Helen Killeen must have had a lovely wedding. The invitation was embossed, not merely printed, on cream-colored card.
 
Helen and Herbert's wedding invitation https://jollettetc.blogspot.com
3 Nov 1927 Thursday morning wedding
Helen Martha Killeen and Herbert Webb Parker
For someone who saved a gazillion pictures of herself and friends at the beach and on camping trips, I am puzzled by the total absence of even one single wedding photo. With no photo of the actual ceremony or reception, I must wonder if Aunt Helen wore a wedding gown or a nice suit, if she carried a bouquet or wore a corsage, if she had a number of bridesmaids or just one witness. Judging by the formality of the invitation and the list of gifts in her wedding gift book, it must have been a beautiful event with many guests.
 
Helen's wedding gift book https://jollettetc.blogspot.com
The wedding gift book lists 65 gifts and guests
Some of Helen's wedding crystal
Pattern: Rose by Fry Glass
I have enjoyed researching the names of the guests in search of family connections and stories worth telling. But what I love best, though, is the list of gifts she received. Bedspreads and dresser scarves. Silver. Glassware. Those were the days. I doubt anyone asks for silver these days. Likely no one requests pickle forks, oyster forks, lettuce forks, preserve spoons or tomato servers, no matter what they are made of.

Helen and Herbert received lots of glassware: 3 dozen sherbet glasses, 18 goblets, 18 ice tea glasses, a couple sandwich plates, a couple mayonnaise bowls, some cut glass pickle dishes and sugar bowls, and any number of colored glass bowls. I was the lucky recipient of her water pitcher and matching sherbets, goblets, and ice tea glasses – not all 72 pieces though. I wonder if she exchanged some of the gifts. Who needs 36 sherbet glasses?


Amy Johnson Crow continues to challenge genealogy bloggers and non-bloggers alike to think about our ancestors and share a story or photo about them. The challenge is “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.

Wendy
© 2020, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.

3 comments:

  1. Lucky you, with a wedding gift book for FAN research! Enjoyed your post!

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  2. I don't think I ever used a sherbet glass! Does sound like a lovely wedding. Curious though with no pictures. Think something got lost a long the way?

    Betty

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  3. Must have been before the days of a registry where you could "check off" things which had already been purchased. It's funny, though, how people seem to get an abundance of certain things - for my wedding it was pyrex and I still have a few of those pieces today.

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