Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 October 1901 — A Great Golden Wedding. [ARTICLE]

A Great Golden Wedding.

On October 23rd 1851, Joseph V. Parkison and Miss Fannie Kenton were married at the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Kenton, on the old Kenton homestead, a few miles north of Rensselaer. We can’t say at their “palatial residence,*’ bet it was a good log house, like nearly all the early settlers occupied in those days. And they were early settlers indeed; the bride’s father, universally called “Coon” Kenton in those days, from his proclivities for killing coons and other wild denizens of the forest, and the groom’s father John G. Parkison, both being pioneers of pioneers and among our very earliest , settlers. < Both were directly descended from the most distinguished pioneer ancestry. Mr. Parkison being a grand-son of no less a person than Gen. Simon Kenton, the great scout and Indian fighter, and partner of Daniel Boone. His wife was his 2nd or 3rd cousin and a grand daughter of Mark Kenton, a brother of Simon’s. The marriage ceremony was performed by Rev. Samuel Benjamin, a ‘-hard-shell” Baptist minister and a brother of Jared Benjamin and Mrs. David Nowels, still residents of Rensselaer. Mr. and Mrs. Parkison lived for a year or two with his father, in Barkley Tp., and then in their own home, in the same township, for nearly 25 years, and since then in their present home 4 miles east of Rensselaer, near the small station of Pleasant Ridge. They very lately sold that home, and next year will build them a new house, just outside the corporation line of Rensselaer, where their declining years will be passed in the peace and quietude their busy but honorable, gentle and kindly lives have so well merited. They are abundantly rich in the love of children, grand-children and great grandchildren. They also are excellently well to do in this world’s goods of the more obvious, but not more desirable kind, and can well afford to take life easy henceforth. Of those present at the original wedding 50 years ago, the only survivors, besides the couple themselves, are Addison Parkison, Uncle Joe’s older brother, Mr. and Mrs. David Nowels, Simon and Jasper Kenton, the bride’s brothers, the latter, no doubt, being the “irrepressible kid” of the affair and Mrs. Cynthia Weathers, of Howard, Kans, Of these only “Uncle Ad,” Simon Kenton and Mrs. Weathers were present at the golden wedding, Mrs. Nowels being too feeble to attend, and Jasper Kenton being out of town. It is a most notable fact, which may be mentioned in this connection, that there are not less than ten grand-children of old Gen. Simon Kenton still living: Namely, Addison Parkison, Mrs. Margaret Robinson, Mrs. Mary J. McCoy, of Rensselaer, Joseph V, Parkison, of Pleasant Ridge, Wm. W. Murray, of Barkley Tp., Jasper Co,, Henry L. Murray, of Monon, Mrs. Isabel Parker, of Frankfort, Loweßyn Kenton, of Monticello, Mrs. Mary Tyler, of Delphi, and and Joseph Kenton, of Kansas. The celebration Wednesday was no doubt, the greatest affair of the kind ever held in Jasper county, and participated in by not less than 225 persons. All of their six children were present, as follows: Mrs. Matilda Collins, Wallace Parkison, Mrs. R. B. Porter, Mrs. W. V. Porter, Mrs. Josie Milligan of Garnett, Kans., and Mrs. Maggie Yeoman of Cbickashaw, I. T. There were also present sixteen grand-children and four great-grand-children. Five brothers and sisters of either Mr. or Mrs. Parkison also came to do them honor.

Among the guests from outside the county, not mentioned above, were Henry Murray and wife of White ! Co., Erastus Smith and wife of Tippecanoe Co., Mrs. Elizabeth Kauffman and Mrs. Jennie Dugan, of lowa, Mrs. flattie Rinehart, of Buffalo, Mrs. Sarah Wood, Miss Mary Wood, of Lee, Miss Ada Maj-hew, of California. About one hundred and twenty ; relatives of all degrees weie in the company. Besides these there are one hundred or more of friends, many of whom were old settlers and life-long acquaintances. In all there were 207 person partook of the elegant dinner besides such children as were held in the arms ) of others. The dinner was served in a large tent that was erected for the occasion and a wonderful dinner it was, as all present will testify. Full justice was done to it and we are sure that more than the traditional twelve basketfuls were taken up after all had “eaten and were filled.” As a preliminary, however, to the meal came the formal presentation of the presents, This was done by Rev. C. D. Royse in behalf of the assembled guests and then Matilda Collins on behalf of the children to each of their parents a handsome gold watch, chains also were presented by their grand-children. Both watches and chains were as nearly alike except in size as could be secured, and the watches were each engraved with the initials of the recipients. The presents from -others were both numerous and handsome. Space will not admit of special mention of any individual gifts. These included various articles of artistically decorated chinaware, pictures, gold and pearl handled umbrellas, gold spectacles, a gold thimble, knives and forks. But no attempt has been made to even enumerate the different articles. The family of Wm. Parkison, a deceased brother, presented a handsome set of china dishes. In connection with the dinner festivities a touching incident was i the reading of the following verses prepared for the occasion by Miss Josephine Kenton, and read by her: Their Golden Wedding Day. Just fifty years ago dear wife Since you and I were wed, Today’s our golden wedding day Where can the years have fled? Am I that shy and awkward youth? Are you that maiden fair With silver threads among the curls, That once was jet black hair? Our children number six just even Among the living here, While three we trust are safe in heaven, Away from care and fear. Our children, brothers, sisters, friends, Have met to cheer us on While our grand-children, too, attend To make our joys all one. Dear friends all pray that you and I May walk life’s golden sands, Until we reach that better place The house not made with hands.