marriage

The State Department Refused to Make a Reciprocal Trade Agreement with Cupid: Reflections on Social Interaction in Washington, DC

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marriages-1936

In this article, we observe a great tongue-in-cheek opening line from the December 2, 1936 copy of the Washington Post. We reflect on the continuity and change of social interaction in DC, from exclusive “hospitalities” to the incorporation of social media.

Hilltop Football Victory Wins Bride for Student: The 1928 Story of Marjorie Morris and F Stanley Nishwitz

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Georgetown University football team in 1927 (source: georgetown.edu)

In 1928, a football victory at Georgetown University resulted in a surprise wedding for Marjorie Morris and F Stanley Nishwitz. Read the story of this unique bet and the final score that rang the wedding bells!

The Waller-Stuart Wedding of 1887: Daughter of Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart Weds in Staunton, VA

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The Baltimore Sun on January 6th, 1887 has a notice of the Waller-Stuart wedding, which happened the day prior in Staunton, VA. This of course is notable because Miss Virginia Pelham Stuart was the daughter of the J.E.B. Stuart. We all know him as the guy that participated in the capture of John Brown and his raiders in Harpers Ferry, a graduate of West Point and the famous Confederate general, who partially contributed to their defeat in the Battle of Gettysburg.

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A Night Out in Washington D.C. – From Dinner with President Taft to a Local Engagement Party in 1912

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An interesting society section article in the Washington Post from January 5th, 1912 (I know I’m a day late. I started this last night and set it to post today) mentions that President William Howard Taft — the heaviest president we’ve ever had the pleasure of electing — had dinner the night before at his Secretary of State’s home. Secretary Philander C. Knox and his wife hosted the first couple in the annual winter dinner of cabinet officers, honoring the President and Mrs. Taft (clearly not a tradition that survived across administrations). Below is the excerpt from the Post.

The President and Mrs. Taft were guests at dinner last night of the Secretary of State and Mrs. Knox at their home on K street. The dinner was the first in the series given every winter by cabinet officers in honor of the President and Mrs. Taft. The home of the Secretary and Mrs. Knox, which is one of the handsomest official residences in Washington, was decorated last night with orchids.

The other guests were the British Ambassador and Mrs. Bryce, the German Ambassador and Countess von Bernstorff, the Italian Ambassador and Marchioness Cusani, the Russian Ambassador and Mme. Bakhmeteff, Mr. Justice McKenna and Mrs. McKenna, Senator and Mrs. Warren, Senator and Mrs. Bailey, Mrs. Garrison McClintock, Mr. Horace Taft, and Mr. and Mrs. Hugh S. Knox.

That is an impressive guest list. I’d love to be a fly on the wall at that dinner. I added photos of some of the guests below.

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