(From St. Petersburg "Independent" - April 16, 1926)
One of the most delightful and attractive social events of the season was enjoyed Monday at the spacious North Shore residence of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Campbell, E-405 Eighteenth Avenue North. The occasion was the anniversary of their wedding, which took place in Nelson, Pennsylvania, fifty years ago.
During the afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Campbell received their guests in a charming manner. They were assisted by their daughters, Mrs. O.C. Shewman and Mrs. Merritt M. Mitchell of this city; also Mr. Campbell's sister, Mrs. George Shipman, Mansfield, Pa., who was present at their wedding fifty years ago. Mrs. Campbell's gown was of imported lace over white satin. Mrs. Shewman's was of lace over orchid satin, and Mrs. Mitchell wore green georgette, fashioned with gold lace.
The rooms were artistically decorated with gorgeous baskets of flowers which were the gifts of friends, and during the afternoon more than two hundred called to extend their congratulations.
Mrs. L.B.Shaw, Miss Frances Shewman, Mrs. Ford Pratt and Miss Edna Barrows assisted in serving the guests with dainty refreshments in the dining room, which was beautifully decorated with yellow flowers. The centerpiece was a large basket of gold filled with roses, ferns, and babybreath, the gift from friends at the Campbell hotel. The buffet was graced with baskets of roses and tall golden tapers.
At 7 o'clock Mr. and Mrs. Campbell entertained over fifty of their friends and relatives with a dinner at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. The guests were seated at tables arranged in the form of an "H" and decorated with beautiful flowers and favors.
Mrs. L.B. Shaw, Mansfield, Pa., a niece presided as toastmistress, and in a very gracious manner between the courses introduced the eight speakers of the evening. Arthur Simmons, Westfield, Pa. was the first speaker.
L.B. Shaw, Mansfield, Pa., was very clever in his remarks which were interspersed with amusing stories appropriate to the occasion.
Spencer Pratt, a brother-in-law, congratulated the host and hostess on their remarkably youthful appearance and recounted earlier days, the original wedding and the trip they young couple took to his home in Geneva, Ohio, fifty years ago.
For several years Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have been members of the Friday Evening Club1, and J.R. Elliot, educator and former president of the Open Forum at Williams Park, spoke in behalf of this club.
Mrs. Will McNaughton, Westfield, Pa., a life-long friend, spoke.
Dr. G.W. Benn, pastor of the Westminister Presbyterian church and president of the Ministerial Association of St. Petersburg, whose ancestors were Campbells of Londonerry, Scotland2, was introduced. He reviewed some genealogical anecdotes concerning the real significance of the ancient and honorable Scotch3. family of Argyle4. He spoke of his visit to the home of his ancestors in Scotland last summer, and showed a picture of the plaid, coat of arms, etc., of the clan of which T.C. Campbell is a descendant. Mr. Campbell presented Mrs. Campbell with a beautiful diamond platinum wrist watch and expressed thanks for the many beautiful flowers, gifts, and messages received by his wife and himself in commemoration of the event of their fiftieth wedding anniversary.
Mrs. Campbell responded in a gracious manner.
Mrs. Shaw said that during the day and week telegrams, cards and letters had been received from friends and relatives in Oregon, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New York and Maine, as well as St. Petersburg, and concluded with a sentiment expressed by one of them, "May we all ascend the hill of success and never meet a friend coming down." She requested that all join in singing "Auld Lang Syne", which strains were earnestly sung by the guests and the happy honorees of the evening, bringing to a close the festivities of "a perfect day", and opening the way for individual congratulation.
1. See Club.
2. Except that Londonderry (aka Derry) is in N. Ireland, not Scotland.
3. Apparently Americans of that period were not aware that the Scottish [not 'Scotch' ---that's whisky] Campbells include several parts, such as Clan Campbell of Argyll, Clan Campbell of Breadalbane, Clan Campbell of Cawdor, and Clan Campbell of Loudoun. And someone born in Scotland is "a Scot" or "a Scotsman/Scotswoman", not "a Scotchman."
4. We don't know where in Scotland our Campbells came from nor which of the Campbell clans they belonged to. In Tommie Campbells time our family members seemed to believe they were from the "Argyle" (Englishmen's spelling) branch, but whether that was from ignorance of the other possibilities, or was because they knew something we don't, is hard to say. Whatever clan that was, his 2nd cousin wife, would be from the same one.
Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were married April 12, 1876, at Nelson, Pennsylvania, and spent their married life there and at Knoxville, until twelve years ago, when they came to St. Petersburg, where they have since made their permanent home.
The dinner, guests of Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were Mr. and Mrs. O.C. Shewman, Miss Frances Shewman, Tom and John Shewman, Mr. and Mrs. Merritt M. Mitchell and sons Robert and Vernon Mitchell, Mr. and Mrs. E. Spencer Pratt, Mr. and Mrs. Ford H. Pratt of St. Petersburg, Mrs. Geo. H. Shipman, Mr. and Mrs. L.B. Shaw, Mansfield, Pa.; Mr. and Mrs. F.R. Hazlett, Mr. and Mrs. John Hazlett, Elmira, N.Y.; Mr. and Mrs. J.T. King, Lawrenceville, Pa.; Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Simmons, Mr. and Mrs. W.D. McNaughton, Miss Gume Simmons, Westfield, Pa.; Mr. and Mrs. Pazufliech, Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Donovan, Pasadena, Rev. and Mrs. G.W. Benn, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Smith, Kenneth Smith, Miss Edna Barrows, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Larkin, Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Elliott, Dr. and Mrs. W.A. Tysor, Mr. and Mrs. F.C. Miller, Mrs. E.H. Tomlinson of St. Petersburg.
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