Vital Statistics - Marriage: MESSMORE, Dr. John L. to TOWNSEND, M. Gene - 1910
Fayette, County, PA.

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Marilyn Tolentino

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MESSMORE - TOWNSEND
Friends of Dr. John L. Messmore and Miss M. Gene Townsend will be interested in
news of their wedding, which took place at 8 o'clock Wednesday morning, October
5, 1910, at Little Redstone Presbyterian church. It was a quiet event and the
ceremony was performed by Rev. T. S. Negley, of whose church the bride has been
a member for a number of years.
Dr. Messmore and his bride-to-be left Uniontown by automobile about 6 o'clock
Wednesday morning, accompanied by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. I. L. Messmore and
Miss Townsend's mother, Mrs. Alice V. Townsend. Following the ceremony the party
went by automobile to West Newton and the bride and groom took the train leaving
there at 9:07 for the east. They will visit Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia
and other places and be at home after Nov. 1 in Masontown, where Dr. Messmore is
engaged in the practice of medicine.
While friends of this young couple had known for some time that the wedding was
to be an event of the early autumn the date was kept a secret by the prospective
bride and groom, who preferred to get quietly married and slip away to avoid the
demonstrations of their friends. It was decided that the event should take place
on the bride's birthday, October 5, but she and Dr. Messmore vowed to keep the
date and their plans a profound secret.
However the preparations for departure could not be entirely concealed and by
some energetic and resourceful investigation some of the friends learned of the
plans and arranged a surprise for the bride and groom, which proved a complete
success. Dr. Harry Messmore and Fred G. Wadsworth were the advance guard and
drove Wednesday morning from Bellevernon to West Newton, secreting themselves
there until the arrival about 8:50 of the automobile bearing the wedding party.
After the groom had checked the baggage for the trip east Dr. Harry Messmore and
Mr. Wadsworth appeared on the scene to the complete amazement of the
unsuspecting bride and groom. In a few minutes the train from Connellsville
arrived bringing Dr. and Mrs. Walter T. Messmore of Smithfield, Mrs. Fred G.
Wadsworth, Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Tucker and Mrs. Armer Craig, Jr.
The Uniontown party were supplied with a generous quantity of rice which they
used freely. They also had several hundred printed bills, announcing, "We are on
our honeymoon; are we happy, well watch us smile: and much other clever
information. These bills were glued on the suit cases and when the train arrived
at 9:07 the reception party boarded it with the bridal party and rode as far as
Connellsville, scattering bills throughout the train and inviting everyone to
take notice of the embarassed bride and groom.
Dr. John Messmore is a graduate of the University of Maryland Medical College
and is a thoroughly qualified physician and excellent young man. The bride was
born and reared in Jefferson township and attended school at Pittsburg and at
California Normal. She taught school in the county and in Dawson and Uniontown.
She is a young lady of estimable character and popular among her acquaintances
all over Fayette county, hundreds of whom will join in hearty good wishes and
congratulation to this popular and worthy couple
(Oct. 5, 1910)