Republic County KS Archives Photo Person.....Blanchard, Edwin And Elizabeth (Betsy) Barrington ca 1890 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Debra Crosby http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002467 December 10, 2021, 9:21 am Source: The Belleville Freeman Thur Jan 5, 1905 Pg 1 Name: Edwin And Elizabeth (Betsy) Barrington Blanchard Date Of Photograph: ca 1890 Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/republic/photos/blanchar196nph.jpg Image file size: 381.3 Kb 60th Wedding Anniversary of Uncle Ed Blanchard and Wife The Day Was Made a Happy New Year to Them Herewith wit print pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Blanchard of this city as they were fifteen years ago. It was our intention to get photographs of them on the day of their 60th wedding anniversary to show the young people of the county how this couple look after 60 years of married life, but owing to the change in the photograph gallery, it was almost impossible to do so. However we can say that they look about as well as they did then, in face we believe they are improving a little in looks every year and by their 75th anniversary they will be really handsome. It is very, very rarely that we country editors are invited out to banquets of the 60th anniversary of a wedding and we feel a little proud to have had such an honor conferred upon us this week especially so when invited to the home of such excellent people as Mr. and Mrs. Blanchard. This couple were married in a little town in York State 30 miles east of Buffalo on January 1, 1845. Mr. Blanchard was just 17 year 11 months and 4 days old and Miss Barrington was only 2 months and 2 days over 16 years of age. Uncle Ed said Sunday in relating the story of their marriage that just 60 years ago that afternoon they started for a dance but before they arrived there they decided to get married and proceeded at once to the Probate court and had the ceremony performed. In a short time they moved to Wisconsin and lived there until 1878 when they settled in Republic. Since that time uncle Ed Blanchard and wife have been honored and respected citizens of this county; for 21 years they have been residents of Belleville and the regard which their friends and neighbors have for them was best shown at the reception tendered them last Sunday afternoon. Mr. Blanchard has been a member of the Masonic lodge for over forty years, he has been a member, in good standing, of Belleville Lodge No. 129 for 22 years and probably no other member of the order has lived a more consistent Masonic life. In appreciation of this fact and in honor of his 60th wedding anniversary the lodge secured a very handsome chair, fastened a plate to it with the inscription 1845 1905 The 60th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Blanchard presented by Belleville Lodge 129 A. F. & A. M. and at 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon about 20 of the Masons went down to the house and presented the chair to this "happy couple." The presentation speech was short and concise and made in Mr. Cheeney's usual excellent manner. Uncle Ed attempted to answer, the room grew deathly still, everybody waited silently but the poor old man couldn't say a word, his lips quivered, the tears flowed down his cheeks and his very failure was the most eloquent and effective thing he could have done. He tried the chair, everybody joked with him for a few moments and in the course of time when uncle Ed got the frog out of his throat he made a pretty good speech of acceptance. We will say that Mr. Blanchard asked us to "fix it up in the paper" and "thank the boys" but there is no pen, no tongue, no power under the high dome of heaven that can thank those boys as they were thanked by uncle Ed himself last Sunday afternoon. It was only a short time after the Masons left that the immediate neighbors came in with a table and a host of hearty welcomes and happy New Year greetings. Mrs.W. T. Dillon presented the table in a very touching manner and uncle Ed had squared himself by this time and received it quite graciously. In the silence which followed the acceptance Dr. Bilingsley said, "Well we want to know if after 60 years trial you think that marriage is a failure." Quick as a flash came the answer, "will I'd say it wa'n't." The doctor considered this very excellent and flattering testimony from a man who has 60 years expeerience. Mr. Blanchard entertained those present for some time with the story of his early life, his experience in the frontier of Wisconsin, his fear when he left that, that he was too old to again gain the good will and friendship of his neighbors as he had gained theirs and his thorough conviction that those fears were not well founded. He said that he was convinced and especially proud and happy to believe that he has here gained the very highest esteem possible. The burden of Mr. Blanchard's thoughts all afternoon was the pleasure and the happiness of having the kindly feeling of his brother Masons and his neighbors. Mr. Blanchard is a man who has acquired sufficient of this worlds good's to put him past the place where he needs more presents but as he said no man ever arrives at the place where he will not appreciate and need and long for the good will and kindly feeling of his neighbors and this is a lesson which some of us younger people should carry with us. The Freeman wishes Mr. and Mrs. Blanchard many pleasant anniversaries such as they enjoyed last Sunday. Additional Comments: These photos appeared in a newspaper article and this image is the article in it's entirety. I have also posted the individual photos for a larger version. 1910 Freeman, Republic, KS Henry M Blanchard 54 Head PA NY NY Ella R Blanchard 55 Wife WI NY PA Edwin Blanchard 83 Father NY NY NY Bonnie L Neider 9 Grdaughter KS NE KS 1900 Belleville, Republic, Kansas Edwin Blanchard 73 Head Jan 1827 NY PA PA Betsy Blanchard 71 Wife Oct 1828 NY NY NY 1880 Liberty, Republic, KS Edward Blanchard 53 Head NY NY NY farmer Betsy Blanchard 51 Wife NY NY NY 1870 Wiota, Lafayette, WI E Blanchard 43 NY Betsey Blanchard 42 NY Moning Blanchard 15 PA [Monroe] U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865 Name: Edwin Blanchard Birth Year: abt 1827 Place of Birth: Wyoming, New York Age on 1 July 1863: 36 Race: White Residence: Wiota, Lafayette, Wisconsin Congressional District: 3rd Class: 2 1860 Wiota, Lafayette, WI Edwin Blanchard 35 NY Elizabeth Blanchard 33 NY Amanda Blanchard 14 PA Monroe Blanchard 5 PA Daniel Smith 19 NY David Bennett 28 PA 1850 Alden, Erie, New York Edwin Blanchard 23 NY Betsey Blanchard 22 NY Amanda L Blanchard 4 NY Isaac N Blanchard 1 NY This submitter is not related and has no further information File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/republic/photos/blanchar196nph.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ksfiles/ File size: 7.3 Kb