Chapter VII

Resolution

From The Sullivan Progress
THE MARRIAGE OF I.J. MARTIN
TO MISS ROSE,
SECOND DAUGHTER OF HON. JOHN R. EDEN
OF THIS CITY, JUNE 30th, 1886.

"No more, no more, much honor aye betide
"The lofty bridegroom and the lovely bride;
"That all of our succeed ing days May say,
"Each day appears like to a wedding day."

Mr. John Martin

Mrs. John Martin

Mr. John R. Eden

Mrs. John R. Eden
On Wednesday evening the last day of June, the month of marriages, the wedding of I.J. Martin, editor of THE SULLIVAN PROGRESS and Miss Rose Eden, second daughter of Congressman and Mrs. John R. Eden was celebrated at th e city residence of the bride's parents in the presence of a numerous company of friends and relatives of the two influential families and was one of the brilliant and noteworthy affairs that ever occurred in this city.

The superb cards issued the previous week were worthy tokens of the festivities that occurred. Owing to the high moral worth and attractive social qualities of both bride and groom, the joining together of their lives and fortunes has been attended with universal interest and solicitude.

On the evening of their marriage the weather was perfect. At 7:30 the guests who had not already arrived began to assemble. The beautiful Eden residence was brilliantly lighted, and th e whole house decorated with plants and flowers.

By 8 o'clock the spacious parlors were filled to overflowing with the elite of the city and surrounding country, among whom were mingled

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notably friends of both families from a distance. Royally did Mr. and Mrs. Eden perform the honors of the occasion. Everything was made so congenial and pleasant for the guests that everyone appeared in the best possible spirits; a gayer , happier assembly never met to celebrate a nuptial ceremony.

By 8:15 o'clock more than one hundred and fifty guests had assembled, prominent among whom we noticed the following: Miss Jennie Robinson of Springfield, Miss Maggie Shutt of Paris, Miss Maggie Cloyd, Decatur; Mrs. W.G. Covey, Stockton; Miss Minnie Martin, Stockton; W.J. Mize, Decatur and J.J. Wilkinson, Argenta.

At 8:30 the hour for the ceremony, the Rev. Thos. Edwards, who was to unite the golden cords of love and destiny, was in readiness. The wedding March began, the parents, relatives and friends of the happy pair took their respective places of honor near the arch; the assembly arose as the bride and groom, preceded by their attendants, Miss Ella Lowe and city attorney, F.M. Harbaugh, slowly descended the broad stair. The impressive and beautiful ceremony was performed and the binding words spoken by Rev. Edwards as only he can speak them. The responses of the bride and groom were clear and distinct, the ring was given and placed upon the bride's finger, the vows were repeated, and Ivory and Rose were husband and wife.

The bride was elegantly attired in a superb dress of cream-colore d silk, cut in basque style with plain demi-length sleeves and pompadour neck. The skirt portion being finished with full oval train and short pannier draperies and white veil, with white gloves and slippers, completed this bewitchingly becoming costum e. She also carried in her hand a lovely bouquet of white rose-buds and heliotropes.

Congratulations and well-wishes were showered upon the happy couple, after which the guests retired to the dining hall where the banquet tables stood groaning under their loads of pastry, fruits, and delicacies of the season, and there partook of the excellently prepared and elegantly served repast.

After refreshments the guests disposed themselves about t he elegant rooms and engaged in an informal and unbroken season of enjoyment, one of the most pleasant of which was the inspection of the very many rich and costly wedding presents among which especially worthy of mention were the following: Parlor set , five pieces--Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Shuman, Mr. and Mrs. A.E. D. Scott, Mr. and Mrs. Walt Eden, Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Shinn, Mr. and Mrs. S.T. Foster, Mr. and Mrs. McDonald, Mr. and Mrs. J.F. Eden, Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Titus, Mr. and Mrs. W.P. Corbin, Messrs. S .W. Wright, L.K. Scott, Frank Spitler,

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James Steele, Robert Ginn, R.M. Peadro, J.H. Baker, William Kirkwood and Oscar and Walter Rose.

Center table--E.V. Hesket, Thos. Cair ns, J.A. Shortess, Hick Haydon, Cash Green, Hugh Lilly and John Workman.

Oil painting of bride--Mr. and Mrs. Andy Creech.

Silver sugar bowl, creamer and waste bowl, four bottle silver castor and toilet set--W.A. Cash and wife, J.E. Eden and wife, D.F. Bristow and wife, N.O. Smyser and wife, G.W. Paine and wife, F.W. Henley and wife, W.W. Eden and wife, W.A. Steele and wife, Bruce Lowe and wife, J.M. Cummins and wife, W.M. Marshal and wife, Mrs. Anna Welch, Miss Lizzie Ginn, Robt. Ginn, Mrs. A. Hollingsworth, Luther Lowe and wife, Misses Ada and Lute Ashworth, Mary, Sarah and Hattie Powers, Lizzie Kellar, Mrs. M. Steele, Miss Edith Hoke, Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Steele, Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Waggo ner, Will Handon, Misses Kate, Nan and Belle Patterson and Mrs. A.N. Smyser.

A glass silver mounted berry boat, W.J. Mize.
Mr. and Mrs. Huber, soup set.
China berry set--Lucretia Harbaugh, Josie Spitler, Mary Patterson, Agnes Bushman, Ella L owe, Claude Bushman and Anna Lowe.
China tea set--Sam Patterson, Frank Harbaugh, Harvey Scott.
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Smyser--Carving set.
Fine colored-glass water set--Mr. and Mrs. Judge Meeker.
Set of engraved goblets--John and Julia Monroe. Celery glass engraved--Mrs. Johanna Woodworth.
Toothpick holder--Master Ned Eden
Set china fruit plates--Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Clark.
Rustic flower ware and Turkish towel--Misses Mollie and Emma Thunemann.
Hand painted flower vase--Miss Ro binson of Springfield.
Hanging silk pin cushion--Miss Sallie Mayer.
Large double globe stand lamp--J.J. Wilkinson.
Glass butter dish--Alta Rose.
Double silver pickle stand--Mrs. M.F. Kliver, Mollie Scott, Sadie Scott and Amanda and Hetti e Stricklin.
Five china cups and saucers--Blanche Eden.
Beautiful hand painting on white velvet--Mrs. Julia Davis.
Pair linen towels--Myria Bastion.
Dozen linen napkins--Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Dunscomb.
Half dozen napkins--Mrs. Mary Green.< BR> Silver card receiver--Ben Mayer.
Music stand--Messrs. Ray Meeker and Charley Dunscomb.

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Bridal bouquet--Miss Cloyd.
Handwork Tidy--Miss Ella Hoke.
Silver sugar shell--Mr. and Mrs. M. Ansbach er.
Large photo--R.W. Pursell.
White Zephr shawl--Belle Eden.
The remark was heard on every side of "well matched and worthily mated."

Every thing connected with this wedding and feast went indeed, "merry as a m arriage bell." Never did a matrimonial bark set sail upon the ocean of life with fairer prospects of weather and sea, never in our city did a couple start with more earnest heart-felt wishes for a prosperous voyage.

THE B OYS.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The editor is at his desk this week and was, as he thought, running the paper again but the boys in the office, assisted by som e of his Friends, stole a March on him by inserting in THE PROGRESS a column notice of his marriage. He got hold of the article in time, however, to strike out a few flattering lines in reference to himself the compliments of which were highly apprecia ted, but his egotism was not quite strong enough to allow their insertion.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A NOTED WEDDING
Special to the MATTOON JOURNAL
Sul livan, Ill., July 1, 1886

On yesterday evening, 8:30 p.m., at the residence of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. John R. Eden, in Sullivan, Mr. Ivory J. Martin was married to Miss Rose Eden, by the Rev. Thoma s Edwards. This is what might properly be termed a wedding in high life, as Mr. Martin is one of the members of the firm of W.J. Mize & Co., and in fact the editor of the Sullivan Progress. He is a graduate of Prof. Lee's Academy of Loxa, and has a host of friends in Coles County, where he taught school several terms. During his stay in this city of

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four years he has won an enviable reputation as a gentleman in every respect.

No less can be said of his fair bride than that she is a highly educated and accomplished lady. About 150 guests were present, many being from adjoining counties. Mr. F.M. Harbaugh and Miss Ella Lowe assisted.

Among their many presents were a parlor set, chamber set, dinner set, tea set, center table, and an abundance of silver ware. It is estimated the value of these would reach $500. Today the happy couple visit at his father's, Mr. J.N. Martin, of Whitley Creek, where a crowd of his boyhood acquaintances and old time school mates will extend to them congratulations.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ivory and Rose lived together happily in Sulliva n for just over twenty-one years. (Five years after their marriage, Rose's sister Belle married Ivory's younger brother, Joel Kester Martin.) Ivory published the newspaper and managed an abstract business, preparing abstracts of title. Rose taught pian o and gave French lessons. They had six children. One (Elvina) died at the age of four; the others--Olive, John Eden, Joel Neely, Robert Walter, and Mabel--all lived long, productive lives. Mabel, the youngest, later wrote of her father and mother that their "marriage was a happy one. He and mother were congenial, both kind and loving, and they had the same values and interests. There was never any dissension or quarrelling in their home."

Rose became ill in the summer of 1907. The disease was then known as Bright's disease. She died on November 5, 1907, leaving Ivory and five children--four of school age. Ivory was deeply bereaved. Rose was buried on November 7, Ivory's birthday. For the rest of his life, until he was a very old man, he would not let his children or grandchildren celebrate his birthday. When asked why, he would say simply, "November 7th means only one thing to me." Until he was well past seventy, he walked to the cemetery every Sunday to visit R ose's grave.

Life went on. Ivory continued to run his newspaper (until 1912) and abstract business. With the help of his oldest daughter, Olive, he raised the younger children. In 1909, John R. Eden died; and Ivory and th e family moved into the large Eden house. In 1910 he was

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the Democratic party's candidate for Congress, but he was defeated. He built a fine library, including hundreds of works of poetry, history and bi ography, subscribed to and read dozens of periodicals, and served on the local school and library boards. He also continued to work in the abstract business until he was in his eighties.

Ivory died April 8, 1953, at the ag e of 93.

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