Loeffelholz Silver Anniversary, 1895

LOEFFELHOLZ, BRUCH, WILKENS, WILKINS, GODDE, LUEHRSMANN

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 10/27/2008 at 22:57:01

I translated the following article from Der Carroll Demokrat, a German-language newspaper published in Carroll, Iowa, between about 1874 and 1920. It was originally published on Friday, 14 June 1895. Any information in brackets or notes at the end are my own explanations. It reads as follows:

And on Saturday the silver wedding-anniversary bells will sound in Mt. Carmel. And that’s for the dear and jovial Mr. Christian Löffelholz [Loeffelholz] and his fine and loyal spouse, who took their wedding vows and were joined for life 25 years ago on 15 June 1870 at the altar of the Catholic church in Mt. Carmel. The anniversary couple was the first couple who had their wedding banns announced from the altar of the church, which was then still very small. The married couple was quite happy to be able to celebrate the first wedding in the parish of Mt. Carmel, but Anton Bruch and his bride, whose marriage had also been announced, had quickly set a close wedding date (which our Christian had neglected to do), and so Anton Bruch was married a day before Christian, and thus he celebrates his anniversary today, in Nebraska. The anniversary couple, Christian and Maria, in their silver wreaths and having become gray, are very popular in the parish and respected and admired in the entire township. And Mr. Loeffelholz has made some personal sacrifices and has stood loyally with his parish and his fellow citizens through all the misfortunes and adversity they have battled. Therefore, his innumerable friends also take joy today in the fine festival that he and his dear wife celebrate. A solemn High Mass will be celebrated tomorrow morning by Rev. Father Lührsmann, and afterward the fine celebration will be held in worthy fashion at the home of the dear anniversary couple. And we also join in the many congratulations and wishes for the anniversary couple to have a happy long life surrounded by happy children, and in another 25 years may they enjoy their golden wreath.

Notes: Carroll County marriage records list the wedding date of “Anthony Bruch” and “Bernadina Godde” as 14 June 1870, and the wedding date of “Christ Loffelholz” and “Margaretha Wilkins” as 15 June 1870.