Mason City, Ill., Nov. 25-One of the notable weddings of the season occurred to-day-Mr. G.W. McMasters, of Lincoln, Ill, and Miss Lettie, daughter of Mr. J.P. Stone, living one mile north of town. The guests were numerous, and the presents were very fine and appropriate, among them one of $220 in cash.

Mason County Democrat, Havana, Mason County, Illinois, May 16, 1884, No. 19
ISGS Quarterly XVI: 2, Summer, 1984

THE CHANEY GOLDEN WEDDING
On Thursday of last week, May 8th, 1884, Mr. and Mrs. J. R. CHANEY celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their wedded life. The occasion was enjoyable to the many relatives and friends of the aged pair who participated in the celebration of this epoch in their wedded life.

By a few minutes after 12 o'clock the guests had all arrived and shortly after they were invited to partake of a bounteous repast, prepared by the daughters of the happy couple, the older present being seated according to their age. There were forty persons seated at the table spread on the lawn at the south of the house under a large canvass prepared especially for this occasion.

After the seating of the guests Elder A. A. BLUNT invoked divine blessings on all present. After these had satisfied the cravings of a hearty appetite the table was cleared and spread the second time, and another forty persons seated according to age as before. There were in all eighty-five grown persons and thirty-eight children partook of the bounties of the aged couple who had called them together to make merry with them on this memorable occasion. After the dinner was over and the gentlemen guests had enjoyed a quiet smoke for about an hour they were called together again and Elder A. A. BLUNT made a short, impressive speech recounting many incidents in the lives of the pair and the growth and development of the country since they had first settled on the farm, where they now reside, in 1839. We shall not attempt to reproduce the speech as delivered, but will write a short sketch concerning those times, being personally acquainted with the family for the past 30 years and preceding that time, we shall give a short resume of their life as the facts have been told us.

John R. CHANEY was born in Simpson County, Kentucky, November 4, 1811. Missouri GREGORY was born February 16, 1814 in Sumner County, Tennessee, and May 8, 1834 they were married at their old home by the Rev. Elijah BAUGHN. In 1837 they came to Illinois, first settling in Greene County, and in 1839 they came to what is Mason County, the same being Tazewell, and settled on the present homestead. At the time of their arrival here, there were but few settlers in this part of God's moral vineyard. The howl of the wolf was the music that lulled them to sleep at night after a hard day's work. They worked on and year after year they saw new settlers come in and take up land around them and thus tract after tract of the wild land was subdued and made to bring forth bounteous harvest of golden grain where the year before they had seen the wild grass grow.

With his trusty rifle the good man killed the deer that furnished meat for his table a good part of the time. Then there were no railroads in the country by which grain could be shipped to the eastern seaboard, and ox teams did the work of carting the surplus grain to the Illinois river where it was exchanged for sugar and coffee. Then the good wife carded, spun, reeled, and wove the wool into cloth that made the husband's and sons' coats and, pants, the linsey woolsey that made her and her daughters' dresses.

When the pair was married General Jackson was president of these United States and the present president was four years old, all the great men of today were small boys, unknown to the country or to fame. Since the day they were made one flesh, vast tracts of land have been added to our nation, wars have been fought, and enemies conquered. The electric telegraph was unknown and the iron horse sped not across the mountains, vallies, and prairies of our vast country; the gold fields of California were unknown, and the vast silver mines of Nevada were not dreamed of. At that time the Indian wigwam was seen along the banks of our beautiful Illinois, the white man was a stranger here. Empires have rose and fell since they started on life's journey hand in hand; kings and queens have come and passed off the stage of action. Unknown worlds have been discovered through the aid of telescopes invented. When they were young the farmer reaped his grain with a sickle to use. unknown, they have seen the improvement of all kinds of farm machinery. The reaper, the mower, self binder, and header have been invented during the married life of these two. The telephone and almost all kinds of modern scientific apparatus have been brought into use since they started down the pathway of life as one flesh.

Years passed on, one by one, and they have seen their children, ten in number, grow to man and womanhood around them; of that number one son died a few years since, the other nine are still living, seven in Mason County, one in Moultrie county, and one, the oldest daughter, in Missouri. They have lived to see their children's children grow to man and womanhood almost under the shadow of the old home place, and have had the honor of handling on their aged knees their great grandchildren. At this celebration there were 2 present who were present at the time of their wedded life began, Mrs. Thomas KELLEY, of DeWitt County, and John S. GREGORY, of Mason County, a sister and brother of Mrs. CHANEY. There were among the guests present, A. D. HOPPING and wife; J. M. ESTEP and wife; Rev. A. A. BLUNT and wife; W. J. ESTEP, wife and children; E. C. CLEVELAND, wife and daughter; R. A. SHORT and wife of Greene county; Mrs. Cordeline CHANEY of Greene county; Thomas KELLEY, wife and daughter of DeWitt county; N. R. MURDOCK and wife; Robert EATON, wife and children; Thomas C. EATON, wife and children; Joseph SAMMS and wife; W. E. WALKER and wife; I. N. ESTEP, wife and daughter; Green CHANEY, wife and children of DeWitt county; Mrs. Joseph KELLEY and James KELLEY, wife and child of DeWitt county; James T. CHANEY and daughter; John W. SARFF, wife and child; S. A. MURDOCK and wife; C. H. MURDOCK; W. H. WILLIAMSON and wife; William GREGORY, wife and child; J. R. CHANEY, Jr., wife and child; George COX, wife and child; H. B. SAMUELS and wife; Henry VALENTINE; John A. SCOTT; Martin SCOTT; Mrs. A. M. ROBERTS; Mrs. Daniel CLARK; Miss Mary HOPPING and John HOPPING.

THE LIST OF PRESENTS: Two pair gold bowed glasses, W. W. WALKER and wife, E. C. CLEVELAND and wife; W. J. ESTEP and wife, George COX and wife, H. B. SAMUELS and wife, I. N. ESTEP and wife, James WALKER and Lizzie HAYNES. Two five dollar gold pieces, R. A. SHORT and wife, Greenfield, Illinois. A gold lined cake stand, J. R. CHANEY, Jr. and wife, W. H. WILLIAMSON and wife, Daniel CLARK and wife, Mrs. Lizzie HAYNES, Mrs. Alice GLYNN, Misses Charity CHANEY, Alice CHANEY, Hattie CHANEY, and Mary HOPPING. Seven dollars and a half in gold, Green CHANEY and wife, N. W. ROBBINS and wife, James KELLEY and wife, all of Weldon, Illinois. A two and a half gold piece, Martin SCOTT. Gold lined toilet case, J. M. ESTEP and wife, Robert EATON and wife, and T. C. EATON and wife. A five dollar gold check,A. A. BLUNT and wife. A gold lined cream spoon, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. GREGORY and children. A two and a half gold piece, W. A. GREGORY, F. J. GREGORY, M. C. GREGORY, J. M. GREGORY, R. A. GREGORY. Two wall pockets old gold trimmed, Misses Blanche CLEVELAND and Kate ESTEP. A glass honey dish and silk handkerchief, Thomas KELLEY and wife of Weldon, Ill. A five dollar gold piece, Henry VALENTINE. A gold lined sugar spoon, A. D. HOPPING and wife. A gold dollar, N. R. MURDOCK and wife. A large plush chair, J. W. SARFF and wife, S. A. MURDOCK and wife, and C. H. MURDOCK of Havana. Wicker rocking chair, Mrs. J. W. SARFF and Mrs. VALENTINE of Havana. Two silver dollars, Mrs. ROBERTS of Havana. Lace tidy, Mrs. Cordeline CHANEY of White Hall, Green county, Illinois. One silver dollar, Miss Anna KELLEY of DeWitt county. Several small pieces of silver, Mrs. Joseph SAMMS and Mrs. Martha KELLEY. Pair of homemade yarn socks for groom, Mrs. R. A. SHORT of Greenfield.
Transcribed for Genealogy Trails by K. Torp

The Daily Inter Ocean, August 27, 1891

The arrest was made on a telegram from Miss Ida White's mother, who lives at Mason City, Ill. Miss White is a tall, fair haired, fine looking young girl of 17 years. Mr. Gallagher is a well dressed, manly looking young man who owns forty acres of land and rents 100 acres more in the immediate vicinity of the White homestead. Miss White was a school teacher in the district school. She had known David Gallagher all her life. He was recognized by Mrs. White as the girl's suitor, and had asked for her hand in marriage. The only objection Mrs. White had, so Mr. Gallagher says, was that Ida was too young and that he had not yet completed a house of his own that he was building.

But he wouldn't wait; so they resolved to run away. He dined at the White's house last evening and asked permission to take Miss Ida to a party. Consent was readily given. Instead of going to the party they drove about town till 12 o'clock and then started for St. Louis on the C. and A. train. The parents of the girl quickly discovered the elopement and telegraphed to this city. The young couple told such a straight story that the police decided not to hold them, but the Recorder refused to give them a marriage license until the consent of the girl's parents is obtained. This is expected by wire or letter to-night or to-morrow.