Family Marriage: A Chilly Wedding in 1890

Harvey Stewart Kirkendall was my husband's 2nd great-uncle and was born in November 1865, most likely in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. Between 1880 and 1890, Harvey left Saltsburg, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, and moved to Helena, Montana. But he came back to Saltsburg in November 1890 to marry his bride, Emma Frances Garman, on the 20th.

Here is a description of their wedding from The Pittsburg Dispatch:

"A very pleasant and pretty chrysanthemum wedding was that of H.S. Kirkendall and Miss Emma Garman at Indiana, Pa., on November 20, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The parlors, tables and surroundings were appropriately decorated with this popular and lovely flower, while the bridal company carried elegant bouquets of the same in colors to match the costumes. ... About 80 guests from Pittsburgh, Irwin, Blairsville, Indiana and Saltsburg, tendered congratulations to the young couple, who go to Helena, Mont., in a few days to their new home."

It had to be a little chilly that day. A newspaper from nearby Pittsburgh predicted a temperature of 45-50 degrees but no rain. Actually, that's not a bad forecast, and I'm assuming it was a lot better than Montana in November!

Their first daughter Beatrice was born in Montana in 1891, but then by 1893 the family was living in Spokane, Washington. The 1890 article above about the wedding described Harvey as "one of the leading and most prosperous railroad contractors of the Northwest, having completed within the last three years several lines in Montana and Washington." In each of the censuses of the 1900s during his lifetime, his occupation in Spokane was listed as real estate broker/agent.

The couple had two daughters and two sons, and they were married for more than 40 years. Emma passed away in 1932, and Harvey died in 1938.