Golden Wedding and the Golden Coins

The Evening Leader, Staunton, Virginia

Wednesday, November 15, 1922

   Mr. and Mrs. J. W. White celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at their home near Mt. Solon on Nov. 14, with their children and many other relatives present. The occasion was a delightful one, and a real old Virginia dinner was served to the large company assembled to greet Mr. and Mrs. White. Yellow chrysanthemums were used in profusion for house and table decorations. Many beautiful presents were received.

   Mr. and Mrs. White have six children, 40 grandchildren, and ten great grandchildren.

   Present at the golden wedding were Mrs. Clara Brown and two sons, White Throne, Va.; Mr. and Mrs. A. S. White and four children, White Throne; Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Clemmer and nine children, of near Staunton; Mr. and Mrs. B. B. White and daughter, Staunton; Mr. Ernest White, at home; Mr. Walter Sandy, a son-in-law, and two children, Mt. Solon; Mrs. I. S. Brown, Abilene, Texas; Miss Leila Brown, Waynesboro; Mrs. G. C McClain, Greenville; Mr. and Mrs. John Props, Mt. Solon; Mr. and Mrs. James Props, Mt. Solon; and the Rev. Mr. Harris.

The honorees, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. White, were my 2^nd Great Grandparents Mary (aka Mollie) Agnes Brown and John William White. I introduced my readers to Great Grandfather in post JOHN WILL WHITE, Father, Grandfather, GreatGrandfather – 52 Ancestors. It’s Good to See you, Grandma Mollie features Great Grandmother.

Mollie Agnes Brown married John William White near Waynesboro, Virginia Nov. 14, 1872. They lived in the Middle River District, Augusta County, VA with their children—Clara Louise, James William, Arthur Stuart, Ella Virginia, Olive Leora, Bernard Brown and Ernest Boyd White.

So who are these folks that spent an enjoyable Sunday at the Great Grandparents’ place?

The first five guests listed above were the White siblings who celebrated their parents’ golden wedding anniversary along with children and spouses. Olive Leora (White) Sandy died in 1919 but widower Walter Sandy attended the party.

                                                                                                                        

Mrs. I. S. Brown from Abilene, Texas was Lou Brown--the wife of Great Grandmother’s brother, Isaac Stuart Brown. The family called him Uncle Ike and they traveled from Abilene to be at the golden wedding. Uncle Ike left Augusta County for Texas years before. His Virginia family called him their millionaire uncle because he became wealthy in the sheep and cattle business. While remembering Uncle Ike in the Clemmer History, Uncle Casper Garber wrote “On the occasion of Grandfather and Grandmother White’s 50^th anniversary, he and his wife came back, and the family remembers that he left them some gold coins for the occasion.”

Miss Leila Brown and Mrs. G. C. McClain were sisters and nieces of Grandma Mollie. Leila and Alma’s father, Henry Weed Brown, passed a few months earlier leaving Uncle Ike and Grandma Mollie the surviving Brown siblings.

I don’t know of any connection to Mr. and Mrs. John Props nor Mr. and Mrs. James Props. Perhaps they were neighbors.

Clergyman Rev. Mr. Harris completed the Evening Leader’s guest list.

Ignace Henri Jean Fantin-Latour