Happy 117th Anniversary

My first review for 2017 is that of the marriage of my great grandparents.  Estella Vorhies married Hiram Smith on January 1, 1900.   (117 years ago)  Their newspaper wedding article was featured in the post of  March 22,  2015. I hope you enjoy reading it again. Just click on the highlighted text.

The next review post will on the two brothers of Estella Vorhies Smith, Eugene and LeRoy.

Nina Lorene Smith Grisso ( 1901-1984)

The first child of Hiram and Estella Smith is the last one I am writing about in this family group. Nina was the oldest of seven children, six of whom grew to adulthood.  She was a sweet kind soul, and she was my grandmother.  In 1920 on January 31, she married Bert Roscoe Grisso.  They were married in her parents house, which to this day is a lovely home. I don't know the circumstances but Nina and Bert went to Oklahoma following the marriage. I once saw a card that Nina sent to her parents. She signed it " Mrs. Bert Grisso". One could almost feel the joy and happiness in that signature. She was no longer Miss Smith, she was "Mrs. Bert Grisso".

A little further research in those digital newspapers that I love, I found this:

March 31, 1920
    
     Mr. and Mrs. Bert Grisso returned Friday evening from their winter sojourn somewhere in Oklahoma.  Mr. Grisso says no more of the southern life for him. Mrs. Grisso was formerly Nina Smith, daughter of H.L. Smith south of town.
     www.Jefferson.advantage-preservation.com

I think he was referring to Oklahoma not Missouri where he grew up.

Bert was from Moody, Missouri which sits just north of the Missouri/Arkansas border. His family goes back through four generations in Fulton County, Arkansas. Three Grisso brothers and wives migrated from Virginia in the mid 1800's. There has been a huge amount of Grisso research already done. (More on that to come).  So, how did this young Grisso man end up in Greene County, Iowa? Some family lore says he came to Iowa to work. Picking corn (by hand)  was a common source of employment in those days. It was hard work suited to strong young men.  It is possible Bert's future father-in-law, Hiram Smith, came to the area for the same reason many years earlier.

I don't know much about grandma Nina's formative years. I imagine she was busy helping her mother with babies. She was approximately  8, 9, 12, 13, and 16 when new babies joined the family. She always loved kids. Maybe this is where her training came from. Her grandmother, Ginevra Vorhies and her great-grandmother, Sarah Jane Withrow lived nearby. I imagine they taught her many things.

She attended country school with her brother, Merroll.   I love this keepsake. It is probably my teacher side showing.

 

 

With pleasant memories of

happy days

spent together in the schoolroom

this souvenir

is presented to you with the

best wishes of your teacher

 

As I was working on this post, I found the following letter. I have    no idea what grandma Nina was asking for, but I do think this must have been from her teacher, W. C. Henning. I love the beautiful penmanship.  I scanned the envelope as well as the letter. Notice the 1 cent stamps.



January 1, 1900

   

     At the turn of the century, Ginevra and John Mac Vorhies were about to see the first of their three children marry.  Estella, my great grandmother, was married on January 1, 1900 to Mr. Hiram Smith.

     When my husband and I lived in Springfield, Illinois, we had a friend who was a judge. He preferred not to marry young couples that wanted to marry on January 1, 2000 thinking it was too faddish.  Personally, I thought it was cool that my great grandparents were married on the first day of the 20th century.

     I wonder who witnessed this marriage. Were Estella's grandparents, Sarah Jane and Joseph Withrow in attendance? My guess is that they were since they lived so close.

     The following is the newspaper article about the marriage:

      "Mr. Hiram Smith and Miss Estella Vorhies were married at the residence of the bride's parents Monday evening at 7 p.m., Rev. Snodgrass  pronouncing the ceremony.  This union is in every way a strong and happy one.  Mr. Smith is one of Scranton's exemplary young men.  His character is irreproachable, his industry indefatigueable and his manner that of a gentleman.  His wife has been one of the community's most highly esteemed girls.  In her youth she has borne well her part in society and church work, and she is especially well qualified for the responsibilities of womanhood.  Her parents rank amount Greene county's best and most substantial citizens, and it goes without our saying that Mr. Smith has drawn a splendid prize from the matrimonial lottery.  From such an auspicious beginning it is not enthusiasm to predict a happy and successful married life for these new sailors upon the matrimonial voyage.  May their bark sail in pacific waters for many years, and anchor, when anchor it must, in the harbor of comfort, safety and blessedness is the wish of their many friends amount whom The Journal wishes to be permitted a humble place."

      Wedding write ups were somewhat different a hundred plus years ago. I think you would agree.