Forrest County, Mississippi Genealogy and History

Gene Phillips, County Coordinator
Jeff Kemp - State Coordinator
Position Vacant - Assistant State Coordinator

HATTIESBURG AMERICAN, MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 1923, page FIVE

WHAT SOCIETY IS DOING

by Mrs. Andrew Mac Jones, Telephone 35

AN INTERESTING WEDDING of the week is that of Miss Emily Cook and Mr. Reece Orville Bickerstaff, of Tishomingo, Miss., which will be prettily solemnized Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 o’clock at the home of Miss Cook’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Cook, at their home on the Normal College campus. The ceremony will be said by the Rev. J. N. McMillin.

Miss Cook will have as her maid of honor, Miss Eugenia Bolton, and her bridesmaids will by Miss Hinton Vandiver of Columbus and Miss Marie Clark of Natchez. Mr. J. W. Savage of Iuka, Miss., will serve as Mr. Bickerstaff’s best man and the groomsmen will be Messers Joe Cook, Jr., brother of the bride-elect, and Mr. E. V. Thomas. (Elizabeth Dancy, daughter of) Mr. and Mrs. C. Z, Stevens, Jr., and Ida Frances Cook, a niece of the bride-elect and small daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Cook, of Artesia, will be flower girls, while Elizabeth Cook, small sister of the bride-elect, and Ben McCleskey, will be ring bearers.

The wedding march will be played by Miss Katherine Donald, and prior to the ceremony voice solos will be rendered by Miss Ruth Lipscom and Mr. A. E. Henderson of Enterprise.

An informal reception will follow the ceremony, after which the young couple will leave on a wedding trip. They will be at home at the University of Mississippi.

Amoung the out-of-town guests here for the wedding, in addition to those in the bridal party, are Mr. and Mrs. W. Harvey Cook, Artesia.

This afternoon the bridal party will motor to Sumrall for a tea to be given by Miss Cook’s brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Cook.

(On the same page were display Ads from The Davidson Co. for “Fine Wool Blankets”, special $9.95, $7.95 and $10.95. Actual savings from 15 to 20 per cent. On sale Third Floor. Also Sale of New Fall Dresses “Basque Models, Pleated Designs, Straightline, Tier Effects” $16.95 See Window Display.)

(On the back page, EIGHT, were ½ page political ads for each BILBO and WHITFIELD for governor.)

HATTIESBURG AMERICAN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1923, page THREE

WHAT SOCIETY IS DOING

by Mrs. Andrew Mac, Jones Telephone 35

OF MORE THAN USUAL INTEREST to a host of friends was the lovely wedding Tuesday afternoon at the home of Mr. Joe Cook, president of the Normal College, and Mrs. Cook, when Miss Emily Augusta Cook became the bride of Mr. Reece Orville Bickerstaff of Tishomingo, Miss.

It was the expressed wish of the bride that her wedding should be simple in all it’s appointments and void of all ostentation and, while this wish was respected by the many who assisted in carrying out her plans, a more beautiful and impressive occasion could hardly be imagined.

The spacious first floor of the home was transformed into a veritable bower of loveliness with a wealth of ferns and garden flowers, arranged by Mrs. Annie Bailey and Mrs. J. N. McMillin, close friends of the family.

The wedding party proceeded from the library and were grouped in the large living room before a bank of ferns and greenery, and scarcely does one see a more beautiful picture than that of the rainbow effect produced by the lovely costumes of the young girl attendants, against a background of green.

Presiding at the piano was Miss Katherine Donald, attractively attired in a grey canton crepe with hat and accessories to match. The march from Lohengrin was played as the processional and the Mendelsson at the conclusion of the ceremony.

Two beautiful vocal numbers were rendered by Miss Ruth Lipscomb, “At Dawning”, and Mr. A. S. Henderson, “Until”.

Miss Lipscomb is one of the most popular of Hattiesburg’s younger musicians, and her clear soprano was well suited to her selection. She was daintily gowned in jade georgette crepe.

Mr. Henderson is from Oxford, Miss. And has been associated with Mr. Bickerstaff in university musical circles, being one of the leaders of the Glee Club and a member of the well known varsity quartete. His rich baritone voice was at its best in the song used on this occasion.

Miss Eugenia Bolton, of Memphis, the maid of honor, was a vision of girlish beauty in soft yellow taffeta, and carried a basket of yellow roses.

Misses Hinton Vandiver of Columbus, and Marie Clark of Natchez, were the other two attendants of the bride. Miss Vandiver was gowned in a lovely model of Harding blue canton crepe and carried a basket of blue asters. Miss Clark was lovely in orchid crepe with a basket of orchids. All three young ladies wore picture hats to match their costumes.

Serving as attendants were Messrs. Emmett Thomas and Joe Cook, Jr., and Mr. John Savage of Tishomingo, was best man.

The rainbow motif was daintily carried out in the costumes of the two little flower girls, Ida Frances Cook, small daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Cook, of Artesia and Elizabeth Dancy Stevens, small daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. Z. Stevens, Jr., also a cousin of the bride. Their little gowns of plaited georgette in pastel pink with accessories of flesh-colored rosebuds enhanced the blond beauty of both small misses.

Those who assisted in receiving were Mrs. K. L. Spurlock of Columbus; Mrs. Harvey Cook of Artesia; and Mrs. A. B. Cook of Sumrall sister and sisters-in-law of the bride respectively.

The punch bowl in the dining room, to which the guests were invited after the ceremony, was presided over by Miss Mable McMillin.

Little Miss Elizabeth Cook, sister of the bride, in a fairy-like frock of green georgette over pink silk, trimmed also in rosebuds, with Ben McCleskey, handsome son of Mr. and Mrs. H. L. McCleskey, bore the two rings concealed in pink roses.

The bride’s gown was a simple but beautiful model of white Spanish lace over crepe meteor, with veil arranged in coronal style, and accentuated her petite girlish loveliness. An interesting accessory of her costume was the bracelet she wore. It had been made from a piece of jewelry in the possession of her great grandfather on the paternal side, and the clasp had been the prized possession of her great grandmother on her mother’s side. Miss Cook entered with her father, Mr. Joe Cook.

The double ring ceremony was made very impressive by the Rev. J. N. McMillin, a close friend of the family and for many years the bride’s teacher and personal friend. Mr. and Mrs. Bickerstaff, after a stay on the Mississippi Coast, at various points of interest, will be at home in Oxford, Miss., where both intend to pursue their post graduate work and receive their Master’s degrees from that institution. The bridegroom is from one of the finest North Mississippi families and possessed of more than usual parts as a young literary and professional man.

The bride is doubly blessed in being from a splendid Mississippi family, long identified with the highest and best in its history, and in possession of many loveable personal charms and accomplishments. In the joining of these two fine young people, the rainbow of promise gleams bright for a happy and useful future, and the genuine good wishes of a host of friends follow them to their new home as they enter life’s work together.

The following articles were cut from the paper without the date or page numbers showing:

Bridal Party Entertained in Sumrall

Members of the bridal party of Miss Emily Cook and Mr. Reece Orville Bickerstaff, of Tishomingo, Miss., motored to Sumrall, Monday afternoon, where they were delightfully entertained by Miss Cook’s brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Cook, at their cozy home. A color tone of yellow was prettily carried out in the living room and dining room and the flowers used were dahlias and marigolds.

A dainty plate luncheon was served by three little girls, Elizabeth Cook, Ida Frances Cook and Elizabeth Stevens, who are to be members of the bridal party.

Miss Cook was wearing a lovely frock of embroidered blue organdy.

DELIGHTFUL EVENING ENTERTAINMENT

Following the rehearsal last Monday evening for the wedding of Miss Emily Cook and Mr. Reece Orville Bickerstaff, which is taking place this afternoon, members of the bridal party were beautifully entertained by Mr. and Mrs. C. Z. Stevens, Jr., at their pretty brick home in Normal Heights. Sharing the honors of the evening were Mr. Stevens’ sister, Miss Fanny Stevens, and Mr. Haywood Kelly, of Lumberton, whose engagement was recently announced.

Mrs. Stevens had adorned her home with a pleasing arrangement of pink asters and burning pink tapers. The dining room table was centered with a steeple bride’s cake resting in a bed of pink asters and adorned with two miniature brides and grooms. Crystal candlesticks tied with tulle and holding lighted tapers were also on the table. The cutting of the bride’s cake was a delightful feature of the evening.

A dainty ice course in pink and green was served by two little girls, Elizabeth Stevens, daughter of the hosts, and Elizabeth Cook.

Both bride-elects were prettily frocked. Miss Cook was in apricot voile over leaf-green taffeta, and Miss Stevens was in orchid organdie.

Submitted by Emily Ann Bickerstaff Raspilair, 389 Douglas Drive, Guntersville, AL, 35976, PH # 256-582-5814, e-mail: Bickie@charter.net

I have the entire Monday, August 27, 1923 and Wednesday, August 29, 1923, issues. If you would like, I could, from time to time transcribe other entries in the society section.

“Bickie”