Nannie Strong Chamberlain’s Marriage

For some months Mrs. Chamberlain had been desirous of having her children, nieces, nephews and nearest of kin meet in her home, so she might share with them the incidences leading to her marriage to Joe E. Chamberlain. It was while spending some time in her son Roy’s home that her wish was gratified in every detail. Aunt Nan, almost 85 years old, dressed in a cream lace dress, sat quite erect at a small table on which she had placed mementoes of the years.

Her opening remark was: “My children, this is a One Man’s Show.” I was married to Mr. Chamberlain on October 12, 1886. Capt. W. D. Leiper was editor of the ‘Meteor’, our county paper. There she passed the paper’s account of the wedding. Annie Maurice is the only one present who witnessed the ceremony. My mother and I had made our home with my sister, “Sid” and her husband, “Brother Bass” for several years. It was at their home we were married and enjoyed a sumptuous wedding supper. Then she passed around photographs and one of her wedding invitations.

My wedding dress was of brown silk. Judge A. M. Duffie and my cousin Clara Smith, later Scull, were our attendants. Rev. G. E. Stone officiated. There was a tense silence after the ceremony until Hoover Cooper came up to congratulate Joe, saying “Everyone is kissing the bride, Joe, but I’m going to kiss you!” Everyone laughed.

Guests were invited in to the wedding supper. There were so many good things to eat. There were three heart shaped wedding cakes baked in a pan used for brides in the family for many years. The bride ate heartily, but Joe couldn’t eat anything. Observing this Capt. W. H. Cooper slipped a piece of light bread in the pocket of Joe’s cut away coat. Later when he pulled out a handkerchief, to his astonishment out came a piece of bread. Another great laugh followed.

We were to leave on a midnight train for Memphis where we were to take a boat for New Orleans. At Memphis, we went to the Gayoso Hotel, the guests of Uncle Nat Strong, a prominent lawyer. The hotel clerk told us that “The City of St. Louis” would be leaving for New Orleans the next day. So, we did not tarry long in Memphis. We enjoyed our stay in the St. Charles hotel in N. O. We went sightseeing. The souvenirs that pleased me most were sea shells. Joe finally had to buy a basket in the French Market to put them in.

The thing that was worrying Joe the most on arriving home was for his friends to see him carrying that basket of shells.

This is all my children. Sweet advice, “Live right to join those who have gone before.”

This Tidbit in Time shared by the Hot Spring County Historical Society

The Heritage, Vol.10 p. 77-79

This Heritage, along with others, can be purchased from the HSC Historical Society