Hopkins Co TX - William & Lucy Wester



From: June E. Tuck 1224be@neto.com>

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From the historical files of June E. Tuck, who does not validate or dispute

any historical facts in the article.



Golden Wedding Anniversary



The Golden Wedding Anniversary of William and Lucy Wester. They were the

parents of J. M. Wester and Mrs. Joseph Pate, and Mrs. John Pate, all of

Sulphur Springs. William Wester was the youngest son of Fulgum and Edith

Nooley Wester. Fulgum was a Revolutionary War Veteran who reared his family in

Tennessee.



Article dated: Dukedom, Tenn., April 13, 1878, to the Editors Democrat:



I will give you a brief description of the 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 as 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’s early youth. In consequence of the unfavorable aspect

of the weather in the early part of the morning, and, Mr. Wester, being

sensible of infirmities of old age, looked somewhat disappointed, lest that

many of the aged ones looked for, would not be able to arrive in time for

dinner; but however, the rain in the course of a few hours, ceased falling so

rapidly, and the veterans began to come in quite lively they commenced

friendly hand-shaking with each other, so soon as the enquires of one another

was over, they seemed anxious to go back to the days of their youth, in order

that they might converse with each other, relative to the many incidents that

took place in the first settling of our country, and to me it was quite

interesting, to notice the animation of each one, as he would be speaking of

the customs of the early settlers or telling the many bears he killed or

helped to chase. Uncle Stephen Farmer said, (speaking) in giving an account of

himself as a hunter, that the first thing he ever shot and killed was a

panther, which came up to a neighbor’s house in Illinois in open daytime.

While the gentlemen seemed to be enjoying themselves as pleasantly listening

to the many interesting accounts of what took place in the past, I became

desirous to ascertain it possible, how Mrs. Wester and her lady friends were

getting along, so I betook myself to the parlor and I soon learned that they

too had boarded the fleeting cars of reflection and went back to the days of

their girlhood, to resurrect the history of the many little incidents that

took place among the first settlers; their countenance seemed all aglow with

pleasant smiles as if they had just emerged from some fairyland; noticing that

each one took in the conversation, made me think of the common saying, that

when a man becomes old, he becomes young again.



The order of the table was left to be arranged according to the tastes of Mr.

Wester’s 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 the customs of the times when they were married; at 11 o’clock Mrs.

Pirtle made her appearance 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 age, 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. Cashon, 63; T. J. Lovelace, 59; A. W. Olive, 57; just to the

right of Mr. Wester, an aged widow was seated, Mrs. Pollie Drew, 76; and

another on his left, Mrs. Melinda Stone, 68; Mrs. Mahulda Cashon, 66; Mrs.

Frances Cashon, 61, consort of A. J. Cashon; Mrs. Betsy Winstead, 61; Mrs.

Kissiah Farmer, 54, consort of Stephen Farmer; Mrs. M. A. Lovelace, 50,

consort of T. J. Lovelace; Mrs. M. J. Gates, consort of Jas. A. Gates; Mrs.

Malinda Olive, consort of A. W. Olive; average age 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. There was

everything present, in the way of eatables that could be though of or could be

prepared by the ingenuity of their excellent daughters, who seemed to have

used every exertion to render every one present. After dinner was over, all

renewed their conversation with each other. Late in the evening, when all

after bidding each other kind farewell, returned to their homes.



I also noticed the occasion was honored by two of Kentucky’s fair daughters,

Miss Jemima Motheral and Miss Ida Sison, from Graves county.



Mr. W. Wester was born in Washington County, Tennessee, in 1801, moved to

Christian County, Kentucky, in 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: Jim B. Sims, 80; Bartlet Sims, 70; Elizabeth Davis, 80; brothers and

sisters to Mrs. Wester; Mrs. Williams, 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. and Mrs. Wester’s wedding, and strange to say, after the lapse

of fifty years there are three of the four living.



After it was all over, I approached Mr. Wester and remarked that I thought his

Golden Wedding had been a total success, his pleasant manner toward me was

such that I almost envied him the apparent pleasure he seemed to be enjoying,

but alas, happiness on earth, is seldom, if ever, complete, for my every

sympathy seemed to be forcing us to further cheer his feelings as 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. 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 is ever ready to attend the wants of her

aged father and mother, and Mrs. Mary Gates living near often comes

accompanied by her little ones.



Long may you both live, Uncle Billy and Aunt Lucy.