icon for Home page
icon for Kid's Home page
icon for Digital Collection
icon for Activities
icon for Turns Exhibit
icon for In the Classroom
icon for Chronologies
icon for My Collection

Online Collection

CHURCH WEDDING IN OLD DEERFIELD.

Childs-Boyden

On Thursday evening at 7 o'clock occurred the wedding of Miss Helen Sears Childs and Frank Learoyd Boyden in the old Unitarian church. The decorations, which were under the direction of Will Hutchins, were very effective consisting of a large bank of mountain laurel, in front of the pulpit. The church was filled to its utmost capacity, when the organ began the Lohengrin wedding march, and the bridal procession started. The ushers, the bridesmaids, the flower children, the maid of honor and the bride entered at the right, marched up the side aisle, and down the center, where the bride was met at the pulpit by the groom, who entered with the best man and the clergymen on the left. The Rev. Andrew Campbell of Cambridge, formerly of Deerfield, performed the ceremony, assisted by the Rev. R. E. Birks, pastor of the first church. After the benediction, the bridal procession marched up the center aisle and down the left aisle to the strains of Mendelssohn's wedding march. The ushers were Herman Chase of Hyannis, Frank Brearby of Lawrenceville, N.J., Ralph Boyden, brother of the groom, all members of the groom's fraternity at Amherst, Philip Ball of Boston, Will Hutchins of Greenfield, and Albert Childs, the brother of the bride. Marcus A. Rhodes of Taunton acted as best man. The bridesmaids were Miss Jean Greenought of Deerfield, Miss Vila Breene of Springfield, Miss Sibyl Smith of Gardner, Miss Anna Russ of Scranton, Pa., college friends of the bride, Miss Louise Sears, and Miss Margaret Sears of Hawley, cousins of the bride. The flower children were Marguerite Childs, sister of the bride, and Lenox Kimball of Athol, a cousin of the groom. Miss Elizbeth Sampson of Duxbury was the maid of honor.

The bride wore white marquisette over peau de cygne, and carried a shower bouquet of lilies-of-the-valley. The maid of honor was attired in light green batiste and carried pink roses. The bridesmaids were dressed in white swiss muslin with green sashes and carried bouquets of pink roses and maidenhair ferns.

Immediately after the ceremony a reception was held in Dickinson hall for the 600 or more guests present. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Boyden received, assisted by Mrs.Clara B. Childs, mother of the bride, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Boyden of Foxboro, parents of the groom, Miss Sarah Carey, aunt of the groom, Miss Sampson and Mr. Rhodes. Refreshments were served by friends of the bride. The Smith girls and the Amherst men alternated in singing and in cheering for the newly married couple.

At 9 o'clock the bridal party and the members of the two families were carried to Wapping, where they saw the bride and groom take their departure for Springfield a little later in an automobile. Mr. and Mrs. Boyden will spend the month of July in Duxbury, and will not return to Deerfield till Sept. 1.

----------------

In addition to many gifts to the newly wedded pair was a sum of money, with the following letter.

June 27, 1907.

"Dear Mr. Boyden:

Here come the townsfolk of Deerfield to bring you their best wishes for your happiness. We ask you to accept the enclosed, as a slight recognition of your devotion to the best interests of our community.

Much as we appreciate your service as the head of our school, --much as we rejoice that that the tie is not to be broken,--you are still dearer to us for what you are, than even for what you do--an upright, judicious, fearless and patriotic citizen whose example and influence is always to raise us above traditional and sectional prejudice, and to unite us in a broad minded endeavor to work together for the good of our whole town."

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
Contact us for information about using this image.



label levels:

Frank Boyden was hired as headmaster of Deerfield Academy in 1902, a resident of Foxboro, MA, who had just graduated from Amherst College. Helen Childs was a native of Deerfield and a graduate of Smith College. In 1905 Frank hired her to teach math and science at the Academy. Two years later they were married and hundreds of people attended the ceremonies. As part of the event, the bride and groom rode from the church to the reception in a car, the first automobile ride either had ever taken.

 

top of page

"Church Wedding in Old Deerfield"

publisher   Greenfield Gazette and Courier
date   Jun 29, 1907
location   Greenfield, Massachusetts
width   2.25"
height   11.75"
process/materials   printed paper, ink
item type   Periodicals/Article
accession #   #L02.046


Look Closer icon My Collection icon Document Image icon Detailed info icon


ecard icon Send an e-Postcard of this object



See Also...

Deerfield Academy, Class of 1904

Wedding Group

Bride


button for Side by Side Viewingbutton for Glossarybutton for Printing Helpbutton for How to Read Old Documents

 

Home | Online Collection | Things To Do | Turns Exhibit | Classroom | Chronologies | My Collection
About This Site | Site Index | Site Search | Feedback