Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 212, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1916 — ONION KING WEDS MARGUERITE SPRINGER [ARTICLE]

ONION KING WEDS MARGUERITE SPRINGER

Ed Oliver, Newland Onion Grower, Married Wealthy Widow of Warren Springer Saturday. The 8 o’clock edition of the Chicago Sunday Tribune contained an article that will be of much interest to Rensselaer and Jasper county people in general. On page one, part two of the Tribune, the pictures of Marguerite Warren Springer and Edward Oliver are shown, under the heading “Onion King and Queen.” Mr. Oliver and Mrs. Springer were married Saturday, the wedding taking place at Unity Church, Warren aVenue. Mrs. Springer is reputed to be very wealthy and is noted for her philanthropic plans. According to the Tribune Mr. Oliver’s fortune is rated at three million dollars. There is no use of The Republican discoursing at length on this couple, as they are well known to all Jasper county people, having spent many years in this vicinity, in which Mr. Oliver gained fame as an onion grower, so we will print the article as it appeared in the Tribune:

Mrs. Marguerite Springer, who is the widow of the late Warren Springer, and w'ho gained note for the number of benefactions she has announced, was married yesterday to Col. Edward Oliver, the Indiana and Wisconsin “onion king.” The wedding took place at Unity church in Warren avenue. It was a surprise wedding and an extremely quiet one. x The Rev. Fred V. Hawley conducted the ceremony. He is an old friend of Col. Oliver. The only witnesses were the daughters of the bride and groom, Mrs. Edward D. Keith, of Chicago, and Miss Julia Oliver, of Waupun. Col. and Mrs. Oliver were an impressive looking couple. They are nearly the same age. Both have snow white hair. Col. Oliver is a big man, most- of whose life has been spent in the open air. He is not so well known in Chicago, although he has spent a good deal of time in Chicago during the last few. months. It was known only to the family ol the two that they were to be married. The date has been uncertain. In fact, it was only on Friday that it was determined definitely that the wedding would take place yesterday. It was the delay in getting the residence of Col. and Mrs. Oliver ready that caused a number of postponements of the wedding. They will live at 1306 Astor street, the old home of James L. Houghteling. The bride and groom have not known each other for a long time. Col. Oliver recently purchased the farm of Mrs. Springer in Indiana. It was near some’ of his own land there and he wanted more room for onions. Practically all of the big hotels in the country use his choice varieties. After the wedding Col. and Mrs. Springer held a quiet dinner at theii home. In the evening they went visiting. Mrs. Springer-Oliver <ook her handsome husband around to her friends on the north side and surprised them. “It was an extremely quiet wedding,” she said. “We are going to remain in Chicago for our honeymoon. Our daughters will be with us and 7/2 shall love to remain right here.” Early in the winter they expect to go to Florida. • Warren Springer died in February, 1912. Immediately thereafter Jiis widow exhibited great anxiety for the whereabouts of William Springer, tae son, and offered a reward for information leading to the discovery of William. Mrs. Springer has long been a we 1 known figure in Chicago. Some of tae incidents follow: November, 1901—Announced $lO - 000 for art institute site. May, 1909 —Announced SI,OOO home for consumptives in the mountains. February, 1912—Offered $5 for information about William Springer. March, 1912 —Announces psychotherapeutic citji to cost thousands. March, 1914—-Sued by Architect J. D. York for SIO,OOO for failure of colony plans. March, 1914 —Announced donation of automobile for charity raffle. June, 1915—Sued by C. A. Murphy for $50,000 in “mystery case.” July, 1915— Narrowly escapes bandits in Mexico. December, purchase of Muncie Normal institute for $143,000. December, 1915—Burglars loot her apartment. Col. Oliver is reputed to possess an estate valued at $3,000,000 or more. He is said to be a monarch of onion growers, in the cultivation of which fragrant vegetable he is declared .3 devote many acres of Indiana and Wisconsin land. Mrs. Springer-Oliver has continue! in the management of her late hus-