Happy Anniversary to the Lincolns

Today in 1842, Mary Todd and Abraham Lincoln were wed. I found this information on their wedding to share (there is much more at the link if you want to explore):
Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd were married at the Edwards' home on Friday evening, November 4, 1842. About 30 relatives and friends, all hastily invited, attended the ceremony which was conducted by Reverend Dresser who was wearing canonical robes. Mary wore a lovely white muslin dress. She wore neither a veil nor flowers in her hair.

Mary's bridesmaids were Julia M. Jayne (in 1843 she married Lyman Trumbull who later became a U.S. Senator), Anna Caesaria Rodney, and Miss Elizabeth Todd. Abraham's best man was James Harvey Matheny, 24, who was a close friend and worked at the circuit court office in Springfield. Matheny was asked by Lincoln to be best man on the day of the wedding!

Reverend Dresser used "The Form of Solemnization of Matrimony" from a book entitled The Book of Common Prayer According to the Use of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States (Philadelphia, Carey & Hart, 1836). Standing behind Abraham during the ceremony was heavyset Judge Thomas C. Browne of the Illinois Supreme Court. Browne was a blunt man not accustomed to weddings. As Abraham was putting the wedding ring on Mary's hand and repeating the words, "With this ring I thee endow with all my goods, chattels, lands, and tenements," Browne impatiently blurted out, "God Almighty, Lincoln, the statute fixes all that." After a brief delay following Browne's interruption, the ceremony was completed as rain poured outside. Judge Browne was once impeached for feeblemindedness after a hearing in the Springfield courthouse.

A week after the marriage, on November 11, 1842, Abraham wrote a letter to a friend, Samuel D. Marshall. Most of the letter dealt with legal matters, but Abraham closed the letter with the following sentence: "Nothing new here, except my marrying, which to me, is a matter of profound wonder."

Trick or Treating

Did you go trick or treating at the White House this year? Me, neither, but hey a few did! To go with Mrs. Obama's healthy habits motif, there is a dried fruit mix recipe in here with the sugar cookies. She's even been on Disney promoting healthy eating. I also found these pictures from UNICEF, who do "trick or treat" donations, with First Ladies Rosalynn Carter and Barbara Bush. Tricia Nixon held a party for underprivleged children at the White House.

National Parks Service

So I saw that President Obama created a new national monument today, Fort Monroe. So that got me started on NPS trivia. Now I think of conservation and TR, but the National Parks Service itself was actually created by President Wilson. In addition, the very first national park was Yellowstone, created by President Grant. When Yellowstone was created, there was no NPS, so the US Army actually protected it and you can tour historical Ft. Yellowstone today. You can read this lengthy article on the creation of Yellowstone in Congress.