OLIPHANT-URBAN LETTERS, Smith County, TX ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by - Quinn Elizabeth Urban-Dahlstrom quinn-e@juno.com 17 March 2001 ***************************************************************** Oliphant Information Letters from Mrs. W. B. Urban, PO Box 135 Tyler, Texas. Postmarked Bullard Dec 18, 1926 with a 2-cent stamp on envelope. Addressed to Mrs. M. E. Oliphant Box 307 Marietta, Okla. The 2nd letter is their 50th Wedding anniversary invitation sent to Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Oliphant, Marietta Okla still in the original envelopes. (Helen Oliphant Madison daughter of M.E. Oliphant sent this to me on 4/3/1978 Tyler, Dec 17, 1926 My dear cousin Mattie, I am grieved to know that cousin Andrew is gone, he wrote me several years ago to get all the history he could of our family. The Oliphant family I mean he was going to write up our history he said and I knew nothing of any of them except my fathers family had not heard from Andrew or any of his fathers family since I was married, his fathers family Uncle Sol Oliphant lived in Bell county a year or two moved and I had lost them til cousin Andrew wrote me. I may have sent him the announcement of the marriage of our baby boy K. Bonner to Carol Smith. Brother smith had been our pastor at Bullard. K and Carrol were students in the state university at the same time. We made a doctor of him he lives in Crystal City, Texas where oranges grow, has a good practice there his son is our 12th grandchild. Nora Tindel oldest son married young and we have a great granddaughter in school. My how time flys. Would you do at Christmas if there were 22 of your offsprings and in-laws and good luck for us? We love our in-laws dearly all four of our children Nora, Quinn, Fannie and K. Bonner are married. They give us no trouble only when one gets sick. Quinn’s oldest girl is married lives on same block that we and Quinn does, Nora and Mr. Tindel visited you once still live in Bullard 76 miles from us and where we lived 34 years. Fannie married a merchant too and lives in Jacksonville 30 miles from us both and cotton belt RR, now if K. B. only were nearer we would be fixed. If every any of you get into Texas be sure to land in Tyler enquire for Quinn Urban and come right out. Quinn and Horner runs cleaning and pressing shop between the station and the square. We’d be glad to meet kinsfolks anytime, am sending a clipping of our anniversary, am so glad you wrote us loving good wishes for a happy xmas and prosperous new year. Cousin Dixie Urban (The spelling is near as I can get to the words in the letter-qed) She sent Tyler Daily Courier-Times dated Sunday October 31, 1926 Mr and Mrs. W. B. Urban celebrate their Golden Wedding Last Friday evening Mr and Mrs W.B. Urban celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary at their home on Fleischel Avenue, 75 and more relatives and friends joining in the happy and most charmingly planned event. The decorative scheme of white and gold was achieved by an artistic arrangement of stately yellow chrysanthemums and masses of roses. Appropriate music by the Victrola was played while the guests were assembling, each one pausing to register a good wish to the beautiful gold and white memory book, which was later presented. The principals in the “wedding” celebrations. Ushers were Misses (should be Mrs.) Fannie Bae Rosenstein and Nona Tindal. The “bridal couple” entered to the strains of Mendalsachn’s Wedding March played by Miss Helen Tindal, Mr. Robert Tindel and Miss Mildred Urban were the attendants. In an impressive “ceremony” by the Rec. McCary, a beautiful delineation of the long and useful lives of the couple was given. After which the favorite and ever appealing old song, “Silver Threads among the gold”, was rendered by Mrs. Ruth Allen accompanied by Miss Grady White. “When You and I were Young, Maggie” was the next number, contributed by Henry Quinn Urban, Jr., cornet, Miss Dixie Gilchrist, violin, Mrs. Gilchrist, piano. Several charming readings were given by Mrs. Zack Norton, the feature number being “That Old Sweetheart of Mine”, with the piano accompaniment by Miss Grady White. Master Frank Gilchrist entertain with an appropriate reading presenting “Fifty Years Ago” a poem composed by Mrs. Charles Tindal of Bullard a daughter of Mr and Mrs W. B. Urban. The verses which are especially interesting: A handsome young man live in Belton town, For the country, quite often he was bound, The daughter of a farmer, so straight and slim, Lived across the river…right opposite to him. The father soon said the young man must stay away, To lose his daughter, he’d surely say nay! They at once began to plot, plan and try, To find how from the old folks they might fly. Hounds on a farm will bark and howl, Causing the master to getup and prowl At last, finding no one, He falls asleep And the daughter slips out before the suns’ peep. The faithful young man was waiting at the gate Now they were ready to share any fate They galloped into town, a sunrise ride! At the home of a friend she became his bride. Now what is all this to me? Those dear lovers became…can’t you see? First they were only mother and father About all that I can’t bother. But now, to eleven of us they are grand father and mother And they great grand to one other, To each of us this means much you see Having Dad and Mother makes us happy as can be. When the family wants a friend, it trouble or in need Dad and mother are ready with both word and deed They have never failed us from the first child to the last And in our hearts, we hold them dear and fast. Following the program congratulations’ and good wishes were showered upon the happy couple and delicious white and gold cake and golden punch were served by Misses Nona Tindal; Fannie Bae Rosenstein, Helen Tindal, Mildred Urban, Dixie Gilchrist and Marion Urban assistedly by McHumes Drew Horner, W. N. Hill and J. L. King. The bride cut the beautifully decorated wedding cake which was surrounded by garlands of pink roses and fern and held as central adornment 2 dolls dressed to represent a bride and bridegroom. The honored couple received many exquisite gifts, among which was a tall, gold-line silver loving cup for the Urbans’ of Houston, Texas. The guest list included, among others Mr and Mrs. Urban’s children, grandchild and one great grandchild Out of town guests were Mr and Mrs. E. A. Urban and their daughter, Marion of San Antonio, Mr and Mrs. L. L. Urban, Mrs Clayton Urban and their son Richard and Miss Helen Tindal all of Ft. Worth, Mrs. M.C. Urban and Mr and Mrs. J. F. Urban of Houston, Dr. K. B. Urban of Crystal City, TX, Mrs. Jno W. Gilchrist and children of Jacksonville and Mr and Mrs C. R. Tindal of Bullard.