In 1918 and 1919 thirty-seven young women, friends and neighbors of my grandmother Fannie Mae Turner were members and guests of the Edelweiss Club in Montgomery, Alabama. These are snapshots from their lives, place and times.
Click on any image to enlarge!
How many among the Edelweiss members and guests were married? Twenty-eight were married. Of these, five got divorced. Nine never married. Before I counted them up, I thought there would be more who never married. Here are some of the marriage announcements from local newspapers. There seven weddings mentioned below.
They moved to Chicago and remained together. They had no children.
Montgomery, Alabama • Thu, Dec 21, 1922Page 7
This marriage ended in divorce after several years. He went back to Texas and married someone else. She remained single and described herself as a widow on future censuses.
This couple moved to Chicago. They had two sons. Both of the couple died young. She died of TB and he died several years later.
Sat, Jun 21, 1919 · Page 2
My grandparents stayed together. They had four children. Both sons died in childhood.
They remained together, relocated to Detroit and had five daughters.
This surprise marriage ended in separation and divorce. She went to Montgomery to teach and then to Detroit, where she died young. He remained on his farm. Messalaine is “a soft lightweight silk dress fabric with a satin weave”.
They lived in New York City and had four children. Unfortunately Dr. Vincent died young and left Naomi a well provided for widow.
At last! A description of the food served! More about planked mackeral here https://us.gozney.com/blogs/recipes/cedar-plank-mackerel-recipe
You did some good sleuth work here, finding out the futures of these members of the “club.” I loved reading about the feast too!
I know all of their futures, except for maybe two who disappear without a trace. Just decided not to write all of them because it makes for very long posts!
Amazing set of clippings about the Edelweiss weddings — started off by that incredible photo. I had a 3rd great grandmother who did the same as Bertha Loveless. After she and her husband were divorced in 1866, she also said she was a widow.
I think it was pretty common. I’ve found ex-husbands living around the corner when the ex-wife says she’s a widow.
This was really interesting! I don’t think I’ll be making that recipe though.
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Tim Brannan
The Other Side: 2024 A to Z of Dungeons & Dragons.
Me either.
I am surprised at the number who divorced. Perhaps because they were educated women and independant thinkers they had expectations of marriage …
I don’t know. I would have to do a study of women who weren’t educated. I know that my great grandmother’s younger sister was divorced. She was a seamstress. I also found a sister of my great grandfather Howard Turner, was also divorced. She wasn’t working outside the home in the last census I find her. Both were literate.
I have to worry about a “surprise” wedding and can’t say I’m surprised to hear that one didn’t last!
Neither was I. The more I read, the worse idea it seemed.
Thank you for including a link to learn about planked mackerel. Fascinating.
I think that learning from others all around the world is what makes these challenges so worthwhile. Cheers.
I agree.