Hopkins CO. TX - Golden Wedding Anniversary, Wester Family From: June E. Tuck ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** From the historical files of June E. Tuck, who does not validate or dispute any historical facts in the article. (Edited) (Dailey News-Telegram. April 20, 1939) GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY OF WESTER FAMILY The following was written 61 years ago, a write-up of William and Lucy Wester^Òs Golden Wedding Anniversary, was received from Tennessee by the Westers and Pates of this place. They are parents of the late J. M. Wester and Mrs. Joseph Pate and Mrs. John Pate of Sulphur Springs, now deceased. William Wester was the youngest son of Fulgum and Edith Nooley Wester. Fulgum Wester was a Revolutionary War veteran who reared his family in Tennessee. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Dukedom, Tennessee, April 13, 1878 Editors Democrat: It having been some time since you have had anything from this locality I believe it would be interesting to many readers of your very excellent paper. I will give you a brief description of a dinner given by Squire Wm. Wester, living two miles southeast of Dukedom, on the 27th day of March, 1878, in commemoration of his golden wedding, it being the first that this, the thirteenth Civil District, has ever had the honor to boast; of coarse it was natural that such an occasion should create a lively interest, and it became more so when it became generally known that those who had been invited to be present upon the occasion, were selected principally from among the associates of his and Mrs. Wester^Òs early youth. The order of the table was left to be arranged according to the tastes of Mr Wester^Òs two daughters, Mrs. M. A. Pirtle and Mrs. Mary Gates, with this injunction from their parents, to have everything so arranged as to correspond with pleasant smiles and announced that dinner was ready, stating that the order of the table was that the gentlemen should be seated according to respective ages, facing their companions. Mr. Wester, 78 years of age, being the oldest gentleman present, took his seat at the head and Mrs. Wester, 68, was seated at the foot; Stephen Farmer, 72; Jas. A. Gates, 68; A. J. Cason, 63; T. J. Lovelace, 59; A. W. Olive, 57; just to the right of Mr. Wester and aged widow was seated, Mrs. Pollie Drew, 76; and another on his left, Mrs. Melinda Stone, 68; Mrs. Mahulda Cashon, 66; Mrs. Francis Cashon, 61, consort of A. J. Cashon; Mrs. Betsy Winstead, 61; Mrs. Kizziah Farmer, 54, consort of Stephen Farmer; Mrs. M. A. Lovelace, Mrs. M. J. Gates, consort of Jas. A. Gates; Mrs. Malinda Olive, consort of A. W. Olive; average of those above fifty seated at the first table was 67 ½ years. Thanks for the refreshments of the day were returned by Father Gates, after which all received polite and courteous attention from those who had been appointed to wait upon the table. I also noticed that the occasion was honored by two of Kentucky^Òs fair daughters, Miss Jemima Motheral and Miss Ida Sison, Graves County, whose sweet countenances in connection with their wit and beauty increased very much the pleasures of the day. Mr. W. Wester was born in Washington County, Tennessee, in 1801, moved to Christian County, Kentucky, in an early day and moved to this county in 1824. Mrs. Wester was born in the neighborhood of Athens, Alabama, in 1809, came to this county with her father, Capt. Jas. Sims, and settled near Boidsville, in 1826; she has still living two brothers and one sister who are older than herself. The following named persons are still living and were at their wedding: Jno. B. Sims, 80; Bartlet Sims, 70; Elizabeth Davis, 80; brothers and sisters to Mrs. Wester; Mrs. William, 86; Mrs. J.B. Sims, 60; Stephen Farmer, 72; J.B. Sims, 80. Stephen Farmer, J. B. Sims, Miss Jernegan and Miss Angeline Wester acted as waiters at Mr. & Mrs. Wester^Òs wedding, and strange to say, after the lapse of fifty years there are three of the four living. After the wedding was all over, I approached Mr. Wester and remarked that I thought his Golden Wedding had been a total success. I noticed his noble countenance beginning to cloud with sadness as he began to speak of his family, saying that as a large portion of his children lived in Texas, and the distance so great that he had naturally been deprived of the pleasure of their company on so importance occasion. The two old people have but two children near to cheer their declining (years) days, they are two kind and affectionate daughters, Mrs. M. A. Pirtle who lives with them, and Mrs. Mary Gates living near, often comes accompanied by her little ones. Long may you both live, Uncle Billy and Aunt Lucy.