Friday, October 5, 2012

July 7th, 1913

Signature found inside the book, Character by Samuel Smiles
Before they were married, George sent Martha to a sewing school of some sort according to family traditions.
 In the letter from Myra (a Weber Cousin) to Gwen Kennington Ray Los Angeles, Ca. 7 October 1989,
"Then I heard at school one day that 'George Kennington was sending Martha Weber to Salt Lake to a fancy dressmaking school (Bessmer, or some name) to take a sewing course.'  She was gone a long time (1 1/2  -3 months).  I don't remember if he went down to meet her and get married at the end of the course or if she came home for a while first.  They never returned to Freedom to live.  He was now working in Burton's store in Afton and they went to Afton to live."

Gary and Karlene brought out a red book, Character, by Samuel Smiles which had been in Esther's collection.  On the inside page was the inscription.  There is our evidence that Martha was attending some sort of classes in Logan (rather than Salt Lake) in July of 1913.  She and George were married October 23, 1913.

By the way, I think that's a pretty smart strategy.  George was marrying a girl much younger that himself who had never been away to school.  Giving her an opportunity to have some experiences on her own could only have a positive outcome on their marriage.

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