I believe the celebration of a golden wedding anniversary – 50 years spent living together through good times and bad – is a milestone for any couple.  My paternal grandparents lived to celebrate their 62nd anniversary; my maternal grandparents their 40th.  For my great-grandparents it was 51st, 52nd, 49th and 37th.  Not bad!  Ritchey and I were married 37 years March 22nd, well on our way to make it for many of the monumental anniversaries!

An interesting note, the writer of this story, in 1928, talks about how nice it is in these days to see a couple who did not opt for the ‘trial marriages, quick divorces and again quick marriages.’  Sounds like our time of 2018.

Forestus Reid and Catherine Withers were married in 1878.  They were the proud parents of seven children – Virgil, Catherine, Dorothy, Mrs. Henry Banford, Mrs. Robert Hogsett, Forestus and Horace.

The Kentucky Advocate, Danville, Boyle County, Kentucky

Tuesday, September 11, 1928

Brilliant Golden Wedding Anniversary

Yesterday afternoon from the hours of 5 to 7 p.m. the Golden Wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Forestus Reid was duly celebrated at their hospitable home on Main and Fifth Streets, when a goodly number of their sincere friends of long standing called to pay respect, homage, good wishes and congratulations.

The home was made unusually pretty by a wealth of beautiful flowers, most of which were yellow, carrying out the golden thread of the golden wedding.  These flowers came from far and wide, sent in by loving friends, whose cards bore words of cheer and greeting.

All of the daughters, sons, daughters-in-law and sons-in-law were present, with one little grandson and other relatives to lend their presence to the happy occasion.  Each one of these helped to make the welcome guests more welcome.

The bride and groom did not look like the bride and groom of fifty year ago, but of today.  Mrs. Reid, carrying a beautiful bridal bouquet of lovely yellow roses, looked strikingly handsome and she has carried more than her share of beauty down through this long reach of time – she seems to have the beauty and grace that do not fade, but grow more charming with the fading years.  The groom is also holding his own well and he had a warm, cordial, handshake for all who entered their happy abode.

The long years, that have lived so splendidly and so happily, have left a pleasing impress upon this couple – God has blessed their union not only with long, peaceful, fruitful, happy years, but given to them children whom they can point to with justifiable pride; children who are daily reflecting honor upon Father and Mother and the same may be truthfully said of the sons and daughters-in-law.

In these days of strange ways, where old, honored customs are thrust aside, to give way to trial marriages, quick divorces and again quick marriages, it is really a relief to find a couple who have lived under the old, respectable and honorable regime all of these years and who can now almost hear in the dim distance the blessing fall from heaven, ‘Well Done, Thou Good and Faithful Servants’ – of such, truly, is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Mr. and Mrs. Reid, the bride and groom of fifty years ago, richly deserved all of the homage, all of the good wishes, all of the congratulations that were so genuine and so generously bestowed upon them yesterday by their hosts of sincere and loyal friends.

Dainty ices, which carried out the color scheme, were served throughout the evening to those who called to pay their respects.

The occasion, a most splendid one, will long be remembered by those who were present.  May the happy bride and groom of fifty years ago and of yesterday live to celebrate their Diamond Wedding is the wish of all in this vicinity.