Marriages (November 2)

A very pretty, quiet wedding took place at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Tracy H. Morse, Prospect Avenue, Unadilla [Otsego Co., NY], Wednesday evening, June 10th, when their daughter, Edna Mae, was united in marriage to Charles M. Oles, of Unadilla, the Rev. Granville Rathbone, of Oneonta, officiating.  The bridal party consisted of four ushers, Messrs. Ralph D. Morse,  Harry Morse, Ezra G. Rowley and Harry Oles, the little pillow bearer, Master Frederick Morse, the matron of honor, Mrs. Ezra G. Rowley, only sister of the bride, and bridesmaid, Miss Isa B. Hanford, of Walton, cousin of the bride.  [Bainbridge Republican, June 27, 1907]

 

In perfect harmony with the beautiful month of June, was the marriage of Miss Mary Louise Briggs to Mr. John Erle Roberts, which took place Wednesday morning, June 26th, at the First Presbyterian church of this pace [Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY].  The interior of the church was tastefully decorated with palms, ferns and flowers.  Extending across the entire front was a solid bank of palms and ferns, relieved by bunches of daisies.  The windows were banked with maiden hair ferns and butter cups.  A large number of people assembled to witness the ceremony and promptly at ten o'clock the bridal party entered to the strains of Lohengrin's wedding March.  The bride leaning upon the arm of her father, preceded by the ushers, was met at the altar by the bridegroom.  The ceremony was performed by the Rev. W.A. Carrington using the entire Episcopal service with the ring.  During the ceremony the organist, Miss Janet Juliand, played "Evening Star," from Tannhauser, and Mendelssohn's Wedding March as they left the church.  The bride was charming in a dainty traveling gown of gray French voile and carried a white prayer book.  She is the daughter of Chas. R. Briggs, and is one of Bainbridge's attractive and highly esteemed young ladies.  The bride groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Mitchell Roberts, and is a young man of sterling qualities, possessing firm business talents.  He now holds a responsible and lucrative position with the D.&H. company in Superintendent Kemper's office, Albany, N.Y.  Both Mr. and Mrs. Roberts have always resided in Bainbridge where they are exceedingly popular.  The bride received over 150 gifts, all costly and useful:  A beautiful cut glass salad bowl from the employees at the D.&H. office at this place; an expensive oak dining table and chairs from Mr. Geo. T. Campbell; a large library table, mission style, and drop electric lamp from Mr. and Mrs. W.W. Hovey; a set of handsome cut glass sherbet glasses from Dr. and Mrs. H.E.J. Hammond.  There were many gifts of cut glass, beautiful silver, and choice Haviland pieces.  The cash gifts amounted to about $200, among them being $100 in gold from Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Roberts, and a $50 check from Mr. Ransom Mitchell, Oneonta, an uncle of the groom, The entire value of the gifts received is estimated at $1,000.  A concourse of friends collected at the depot, and Mr. and Mrs. Roberts left on the 10:53 train amid a shower of rice and congratulations for a trip through Canada and the Great Lakes. They will be at home September 1st, 14-15 Broadway, Rensselaer, N.Y.... [Bainbridge Republican, June 27, 1907]

 

Mrs. Ellsworth Ward of this village [Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY], has been granted an interlocutory judgment of divorce and the right to resume her maiden name, by Justice Albert F. Gladding, through her attorney, I.J. Tillman, formerly of Bainbridge, on June 22nd, at Norwich.  The grounds for this divorce is the conduct of her husband, who married in November last, Miss Ella A. LeSuer, of Afton [Chenango Co., NY], and with whom he has since been living as his wife in various places.  In July, 1904, Ellsworth Ward married Mabel Springstein, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eli K. Springstein, of Bainbridge.  They were school friends in Binghamton, both parties formerly residing in that city.  Later Ward came to Bainbridge and opened a photograph gallery, where he continued doing a good business until last November. During last fall he met Miss Ella A. LeSuer who came to Bainbridge frequently from Afton.  Presumably she came to have her picture taken and Ward became enamored with her.  His fascination for her was not known or surmised at that time.  Last November he announced he had a position in a studio in Buffalo and would give up business here, consequently he gave up housekeeping in the Duncan Copley house, on North Main street, stored his household goods with his father-in-law, Mr. Springstein, and left his wife with her parents, saying that as soon as he became established in his new place he would return for her and their household effects.  He left Bainbridge for Buffalo stopping at Hornell where he joined the LeSuer girl and they were married at that place.  They lived together in Buffalo until in January this year when Ward returned to Bainbridge and joined his wife, No. 1.  He remained here four weeks, keeping up his husband like relations with her, having announced that he found Buffalo business unprofitable.  His wife, No. 1, did not at all surmise the deception being practiced by him.  He wrote her frequently from Buffalo and appeared devoted to her.  Ward next went to Norwich and was there joined by the LeSuer girl.  They obtained board and rooms in a house on Academy street.  Ward first secured employment in the silk mill, later he changed to the Hammer Factory and finally was employed in the grocery store of Hoffman and Windsor.  During all this time in Norwich he lived with the LeSuer girl and represented her to be his wife.  Frequently he made trips to Bainbridge to see his wife here.  He continued this dual matrimonial existence up till about April this year, when Mrs. Ward, No. 1, was apprised of the situation.  The news came with such suddenness and shock as to cause prostration and she was under the care of a physician for a period.  Early in the winter rumors of Ward's unfaithfulness kept coming to Mrs. Ward's parents but they were loath to believe them as they never had observed in him otherwise than complete devotion.  Mr. and Mrs. Springstein had been exceedingly kind to Ward having provided a home and board that he might get a start in business and concluded for a while that the rumors were idle.  An investigation was finally started and through the Town Clerk they secured from the State Board of Health a copy of the marriage certificate of Ward to the LeSuer girl which told the truth.  Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth Ward are young people about the age of twenty-two.  Mrs. Ward, proper, was born in Bainbridge; her parents moved to Binghamton some years ago returning to Bainbridge to live about four years ago.  She has lived most of her life in this village and is known as a fine and excellent young lady; pleasant and womanly and is a prominent member of the Methodist church.  Up to the time Ward fell in with the LeSuer girl he bore a good reputation.  He attended the Methodist church and was a man of good habits.  It was a surprise to this community to learn of this crime and the contemptible and shameful desertion of his wife.  About a year ago Ward's father committed suicide in Binghamton, and the son came into possession of $1,000 insurance money. As a result of the testimony brought out at the divorce proceedings a warrant has been issued for the arrest of Ward. He has left Norwich and has not yet been apprehended.  [Bainbridge Republican, July 4, 1907]