Meet the Folks - Ep. FO9 - … of Oak Springs - The Parks and Weston families
It was a day of celebration for the families
Trey and Rebecca Parks celebrated their first wedding anniversary
Trey and Rebecca (Cornelius) Parks invited their extended family members living in the Oak Creek Valley to their home on Second Street to help celebrate the first anniversary of their marriage (as well as to share an announcement or two). Those gathered at their home, on Sunday afternoon, February 5, 1882, were: Her parents and sister, Ralph, Inez, and Rowena; his father, Hiram Parks; his nephew, Monroe Tripp; and his cousins, Levi, Alfred and Otis Weston. You may recall that Alfred and Rowena, who had stood up with Trey and Rebecca at their marriage ceremony at the Town Hall, had become a steady couple over the ensuing year.
As soon as all the guests had assembled, Trey and Rebecca decided to move ahead with making their announcement. Rebecca announced that she was pregnant and was expecting their first child early in July. After they received congratulations and best wishes from everyone, Trey asked if there might be someone else who had an announcement to make, looking at this cousin, Alfred, sitting next to Rowena. Alfred rose to the occasion and said that he had asked Rowena to marry him, and she had said, “Yes.” They were hoping to have an early June wedding.
This second announcement was followed by another round of congratulations and best wishes for the second happy couple of the day. This got the afternoon off to a pleasant and family oriented start for everyone in attendance.
They discussed life at the harness shop
Lively conversation followed the two announcements
Trey: Alfred, were you able to purchase the house you were talking about?
Alfred: Yes, I was Trey. We just completed the details yesterday afternoon. I’ll be purchasing the house on Lot 3, of Block E, just three blocks west of the Implement Office, on Second Street. It hadn’t been rented for the last couple of months, and Joseph Cox seemed anxious to sell it, for the right price. That makes three of those first four rental houses now permanent residences. Rowena and I are very pleased. We’ll do some remodeling between now and our wedding so that it will be all ready for us to move in.
Trey: Good for you both, Alfred. I must be paying you too much.
Alfred: My sales are earning us each good incomes, Trey, and I expect that to continue.
Ralph (to Hiram): I see young Monroe is still here. He must be working out well?
Hiram: It has worked out reasonably well, yes. My grandson has picked up some tasks better than others, of course, but overall… yes, we are making good progress. He is still very young.
Ralph: I understand that, for sure.
Hiram: Right now, for example, I have him doing some harness repairs, under my supervision. Then, after he gets that done correctly, I teach him how to make a new piece like that, whether needed for the repair, or not. It is a good learning process, and he seems determined to pick it up. He is also learning to deal with the customers, along the way. I’ve been pleased with that.
Otis: Congratulations, big brother, I think. You’re sure you want to do this?
Alfred: I am very happy, thank you, little brother. And, how about you?
Otis: I’m planning to be a bachelor, just like Uncle Levi.
Levi (coming up behind them): We’ll see about that, Otis. You are still very young, and there are a lot of very eligible young ladies in this town. One of them may nab you yet.
Otis: I’m sure you will watch out for me, Uncle Levi. As for Alfred, I am no longer so sure.
Alfred: Correct. I will be reminding you of the benefits of family life, on a regular basis.
Otis: I’ll be sure to check with you, if one of those girls tries to “nab” me.
Alfred: Levi and I will each be here for you. When we meet the girls, we’ll decide which side we are on, right, Levi?
Levi: Yes, boys. I’m sure it will work that way. (Hearty laughter all around.)
Pregnancy was foremost on their minds
The women talked babies and weddings
Inez (to Rebecca): You are looking radiant today, Rebecca. I assume you must be feeling well now?
Rebecca: Yes I am, mother. The morning sickness is in the past now, I believe. I’m feeling especially good, today, with all of you here.
Inez (to Rowena): Have you and Alfred decided on who will marry you? I know there are some issues.
Rowena: Yes, there have been issues, but they have been resolved. Alfred has talked to his family. He has talked with his uncle, Levi, at length. His family has accepted, and given their blessing, that it will not be a Jewish ceremony. I hope to have Rev. Ware officiate, at a service in the backyard of our new home, now that Alfred has arranged to purchase it. I realize I may still be dreaming, but I will do all I can, to make it happen.
Rebecca: you certainly are ambitious, but that has always been your way. I want to help; however I can.
Inez: Me too, of course. Just let me know. I’ll probably keep asking you.
Rowena: I know, mother. Thank you. I’ll try to talk to each of you, regularly. You are the people I depend on. Thank you, so much.
Ralph (just joining them): That goes for me, as well. It will be very nice to see of my daughters happily married. I couldn’t be happier. Two fine you men. And now, the first grandbaby is on the way, as well. This is a great day for the family.
Note from the author
This is the ninth episode of the short story (FOx) series, Meet the Folks | … of Oak Springs. Each episode will explore, at first hand, some folks who lived in Oak Springs c. 1880. The stories are set in the Ozarks Mountains setting of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga historical fiction. These episodes are around the 1880 time frame, following by a couple of years the 40 episodes of “The Kings of Oak Springs” stories. That series had followed the time period of the “American Centennial at the Homeplace: The Founding (1833-1876)” collection of short stories. Some of these earlier stories are published on The Homeplace Saga blog, found at the link, below. These FOx episodes provide depth and background stories for the entire "Saga" series. “The Kings of Oak Springs” Episode 41 has now resumed the stories as 1882 began.
The first 40 episodes of the King Family series have now been compiled into eBooks, titled: "The Kings of Oak Springs" Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. See the link, below, to get yours.
“The Homeplace Saga” historical fiction family saga stories are the creation of the author, William Leverne Smith, also known as “Dr. Bill.”