April 20, 1906

Miss Avarilla King, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph S. King, was united in the holy bonds of wedlock to the Rev. Charles A. Behringer, Rector of the Church of St. John Baptist, on Wednesday afternoon at 4 o’clock. The bridal party on entering the church, proceeded to the chancel to the lively music of Lohengrin’s March, played by Mr. John E. Ellingsworth, where the groom and his best man, Mr. Henry Schoonover, of Patterson, New Jersey, were waiting. The bride was give away by her uncle, Mr. Charles G. Cannon. The Rev. W. H. Higgins, Rector of Laurel, performed the ceremony, using the beautiful ring service of the Episcopal Church. The bridal party then formed at the foot of the chancel, and proceeded by the little flower girl, Miss Lillian […], a cousin of the bride, left the church to the music of Mendelssohn’s March. The ushers were George B. Atkins and C. Edward Sharp, brother-in-law and uncle of the bride, respectively. The bride was attired in a beautiful costume of lacerated Brussels net over silk mulle. She wore a large picture hat and carried a bouquet of white carnations. The maid of honor, Miss Elizabeth King, a sister of the bride, wore pink coteac, with hat to match. The little flower girl’s dress was point d’esprit lace over batiste. A reception was given at the home of the bride’s parents in the evening. Two tables full of gifts were received from the friends of the bride and groom, including a silver tea set, and numerous other pieces of silver, glassware and chinaware; besides a dining room table, parlor rugs, a lot of table linens, a book case, and many other handsome and useful articles. The Rector and Mrs. Behringer left on Thursday morning for a trip to New York and other places. They will be gone about a week. On Saturday evening the Rector’s mother Mrs. G. F. Behringer will give a reception at her residence, Nyack, N. Y. in honor of her son and her new daughter. They will reside in the “Governor Hazzard Homestead” on Union Street, North Milton, where they will be pleased to greet their friends.[i]

Easter morning dawned sulky and petulant until time for church services, alternated with Sunshine and shadow, with occasional showers of rain. We had planned a walk for the morning, into the country, that we might behold the resurrection of spring from the death of winter, and view the swelling buds and peeping flora symbolic of the grander resurrection of man. But on account of the inclemency of the weather, we were obliged to forgo the pleasure. Perhaps the cynic and over-orthodox thought the weatherman had, purposely, given us such a morning to prohibit the ladies from wearing their new Easter hats. If such were their thoughts they were sadly mistaken; for when meeting was called they came with their various styles and shapes much to the admiration of the beholders, and the credit of the Milton millinery. The Milton M. E. Church had its traditional trimming of exotics, and other flowers. The pulpit was occupied by the Revs. Coursey and Hooker, and the Rev. Alfred Smith, of Dover. Rev. Smith announced the first hymn, and offered the opening prayer. Rev. Coursey preached the sermons, taking for his text, “He is not here! He is risen as he said, come see the place where the Lord lay.” The choir did its best in singing the Easter Anthems, and the Rev. Coursey beat himself in handling his subject. The meeting closed with a regular hand-shaking, and prayer and benediction by the Rev. Hooker.

Rev. Alfred Smith delivered a temperance sermon, at the M. E. Church Sunday evening,

Miss Annie Manship, of Philadelphia, spent Easter in town.

Representatives of the Philadelphia and Atlantic Transportation Company met a few of the citizens of Milton, in Firemen’s Hall, on Tuesday evening of last week. The object of the meeting as stated by the promoters is to put on a boat of about fifty tons burden to transport the freight and passengers from Milton, and connect with a larger boat to ply from Lewes via Cape May to Philadelphia and in order to do this “it is necessary for Milton people to take stock in the enterprise” and just here it ended. It is hardly worth their time for anyone to preach steamboat to Milton people. Not just yet![ii]

William Wolf, of Laurel, administrator of Dr. David E. Wolfe deceased, has had the land of his brother surveyed, Dr. Wolfe, in his will bequeathed all of his property to Roderick Reynolds; but, doubts are entertained in the minds of many as to the deceased’s competency to make a will, while in his natural health and condition. It is understood the brother of the deceased has offered to allow Mr. Reynolds a tract of 207 acres of land, and one-half of the personal property, and the heirs take the rest, or stand a will contest; and Mr. Reynolds sooner than go into litigation, has accepted the offer.

It is with regret the people of Milton part with the Rev. G. J. Hooker, the M. P. minister who has been removed from this town to Kennedyville, Md. Mr. Hooker is a young man, and during his pastorate here, of one year, has endeared himself to the hearts of the people, not only to those of his own church, but, to those of all the churches, and to the many who affiliate with no church.[iii]

Samuel R. Atkins, formerly of Milton, died in Wilmington, last week, aged 76 years. The remains were brought to the home of his son, W. H. Atkins, on Friday, and afterward conveyed to Zion M. E. Church where funeral services were conducted by the Rev. Hooker, assisted by the Rev. Coursey, and deposited in adjacent cemetery by J. R. Atkins. His twin brother died last March.

Bailiff Dickerson, with other workmen, has planted hitching posts along a public alley of the town, extending in the rear of S. J. Wilson’s undertaking establishment, from Federal to Chestnut Street.

Dr. S. S. Shoomkoff, of Macedonia, will deliver a lecture on the customs of his country, at the M. E. Church, on Thursday night.

Captain Jenks, and the sloop Madeline from Cape May Court House, N. J., has been at Milton Dock, this week, buying Irish potatoes at 56 cents per bushel.

Burton S. Jones, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Jones, died on Monday morning of brain fever at the residence of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. H. T. Burton, aged 6 months, and 23 days, Funeral services were held at its late home, on Wednesday, by the Rev. R. T. Coursey, and the remains deposited in the M. E. Cemetery by S. J. Wilson.

The annual election of the vestry of St. John Baptist Church was held on Monday evening. The following persons were chosen to serve for the coming year: F. H. Douglass, Peter Welch, W. H. Fosque, Dr. James A. Hopkins, John Ponder, W. H. Mears, and Robert Vaughn. Mr. Douglass and Welch were designated as Senior and Junior Wardens, respectively. Mr. Douglass was elected secretary and treasurer. Mr. P. P. Welch and John Ponder were chosen delegates to the Diocesan Convention, to be held in Smyrna, on June 8th. The treasurer’s annual report was very encouraging.

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[i] This is one of the very few weddings described in such detail by David A. Conner, although it is more than likely he was given the description of the bridal party’s dresses by the bride herself or someone close to her; fine points of fashion were not in his general realm of experience. Contrast this wedding with several others in the preceding week which took place in a parsonage with a handful of people looking on, and the class differences loom large.

[ii] The bankruptcy of the previous Milton steamship company which ran the Mary M. Vinyard between Milton and Philadelphia was still fresh in everyone’s mind.

[iii] It is worth noting that it was during Rev. Hooker’s tenure that the major remodeling of the M. P. Church was planned, initiated, and brought nearly to completion. His successor often receives more credit for that than is warranted.