Note:  Article submitted by Marti Martin of the Woodford Co. Historical Society, from the Lexington Herald, Dec. 17, 1919.

“Wedding Party of 1869 Has Reunion

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Only Minister Missing at Golden Anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Ras Ware

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GEORGETOWN, Ky., Dec 16.–The golden wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Ras Ware was celebrated Tuesday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Finley, at a party given by Mr. and Mrs. Ware’s four children, Joel Ware, Mrs. John Wilson, Ras Ware, Jr., and Mrs. Lewis Finely.  Fifty-five wedding guests were present, including the entire wedding party fifty years ago, except the officiating minister, the Rev. John A. Gano, who is dead.

The house was elaborately decorated for the occasion in yellow and green, with numbers 1869-1919 placed over the dining room archway in gold.  A poem dedicated to the bride and groom and written by Mrs. Russell Wilson, Lexington, was read by Mrs. John Stevenson, Lexington.  Mr. and Mrs. William Carrick Ware sang a duet, ‘When You and I Were Young Maggie.’  The feature of the afternoon program was the jewsharp solo played by Mrs. George Ware, a sister-in-law,  who is herself nearing three score and ten years.  Another special attraction was a selection on the jewsharp and bones by a venerable guest, John Stevenson, Lexington.  Mr. Stevenson was a guest at the wedding of Ras Ware and Mary Elizabeth Tarleton, fifty years ago.  A wedding cake, ‘three stories high,’ a reproduction of that a half century ago, was served.  Doctor Boswell gave a happy toast of felicitations.

Other relatives and friends present at Tuesday’s affair were the two grandsons, Henry Wilson Finley and Lewis Finley, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Charles Nichols, Mr. and Mrs. Jere Tarleton, Mrs. Thomas B. Dewhurst, Mr. and Mrs. Russell Wilson, all of Lexington.  Mat Cleveland of Jessamine county, Dr. Ira M. Boswell, Mrs. Boswell, Mr. and Mrs. George Ware, Mr. and Mrs. Joel Tarleton, Miss Carrie Sutton, Misses Mary and Martha Nichols, Robert Q. Ward, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Finley, Mr. and Mrs. Llewellyn Luke, Mr. and Mrs. Bryce M. Goldsborough, Noah Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. Phil Murphy, Miss Anna Laura Goldsborough, Mr. and Mrs. William Thomas Carrick, Mr. and Mrs. John McMeekin, Mr. and Mrs. Smith Wilmott, Mrs. Will J. Carley, Miss Sallie Tarleton, Miss Margaret Haggin and little Frances Ware.

Mr. and Mrs. Ware were presented with many gifts of gold and gold pieces.”