JF Strickland and Miss Sallie Martin's Wedding Day

8-30-1889 Orange Blossoms
Wednesday evening a very large congregation assembled at the Methodist
church to witness the marriage of Mr. J. F. Strickland and Miss Sallie
Martin. The house was brilliantly lighted, and long before the hour
appointed for the ceremony had arrived, the house was filled and many
gentlemen failed to get in. Promptly at 7 o'clock word passed down the
line, "They are coming." Every one was in a flutter to get a glimpse at
the beautiful, bride and noble groom.
The bridal party passed up the aisle in the following order: Mr. L.
Buckner and MISS Mabel Meredith, Mr. J. B. Boone and Miss Mollie Briggs-,
the bride and groom, Mr. JT E. Lancaster and Miss Pat Martin, Mr. B. L.
Davis and Miss May Siddons marched to appropriate music. . The
contracting parties took position at the alter, where Rev. M. K. Little,
in a very solemn and impressive manner performed the sacred rite, thus
uniting in hold bonds two noble and loving hearts and lives.
The Enterprise tenders to its young friends, now just launched on
the conjugal seas, its hearty congratulations and wishes for them a happy
and useful life and that they may always find in each other that sweet
consolation so essential to connubial bliss.
The bride is one of Waxahachie's fairest daughters and by her genial
disposition and affable manners has won a place in the hearts of our
society people, and for a long time has been an acknowledged bell in the
social circles of Waxahachie.
_Mr. Strickland is one of Waxahchie's most enterprising merchants and for
business tact, manly conduct, nobility of soul and honesty of purpose,
stands second to no man.
,The bride was dressed in an elegant costume of white India silk,
entraine, decollette and sleeveless - long silver mits reaching to the
shoulders, finished with tastefully arranged^ garnitures of ribbon and
lace. The front of the skirt fell in graceful folds, and the full court
train seemed familiar with every movement of its wearer. The neck was
filled with Point de Alcon lace, reaching to the waist and caught with a
spray of orange blossoms-the same flowers held'in place the delicate
bridal veil as it fell in sweeping folds to the ends of'thetrain. In her
hand she carried a bunch of Marechalniel roses. So beautiful a costume,
on so charming a creature, could not fail to excite admiration.
The Alter - • 8-30-1889
Strickland "and Miss Sallie Martin.

Note a later report states that the wedding took place on August 28th 1889. The Strickland's never had children.

J F Strickland Wedding Gifts

Found this article from the Waxahachie Enterprise. There is a file at Sims Libray that someone put together about J F Strickland (President of the Texas Electric Railwayand first President of the Texas Power and Light), articles in the Waxahachie Enterprise. I found the listing of he and his wife's wedding gifts that were listed a couple days after their August 28th 1889 wedding . A few doubles and toiletries seemed to be a big thing. Also notice that future investor/promoter of the electric interurban railway ,Osce Goodwin, was a bearer of gifts. I wonder if J.F. Dunlap was related to the former JOP of the county, O.E. Dunlap. Also Oscar Dunlap became the President of Citizen's Bank .

9-6-1889 Strickland-Martin.
The following is the list of presents received by Mr. J. F. Strickland and Miss Sallie Martin at their marriage, August 28th, which we were unable to obtain in time for publication last week: Groom to bride, watch and chain studded with diamonds; Mother of bride, antique oak bed room suit; U, T. Buckner, china dinner set; Murr Martin, of Sherman, silver tea service and tray;: Miss Pat Martin, decorated toilet case; Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Tatum, of .Sherman, elegant French mirror with brass frame; Mr. A. C. Kirkpatrick, of Dallas, silver water set Mrs. W.C.Eubank, of Sherman, solid silver card case; Dr. S.D.Moore, of Van Alatyney willow rocker; Mr. Jos. Linz, of Sherman, silver syrup pitcher and plate; Dr. S.W. Moore-and lady, of Van Alstyne, candelabra and individual castor;-, Mr. and Mrs. K.B.Kirkpatric of Dallas, toilet set and jewelry case combined;-. Miss Mary Gregg, of Sherman, silver cake basket; Mrs. M. Kirkpatrick, of Dallas, decorated pin cushion;; Mrs. C.R.Carrick, of Dallas peach blow water set;: Master Jack Kirkpatrick, of Dallas, handkerchief holder; Mr. and Mrs. W. G, Williams, decorated wash stand set;- Messrs. W.J.McDuffie, W.A.Gaither and E. Wallace, smyrna rugs; Mr. and Mrs. C.D.Pickett, antique oak table; Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Ferris* cut glass berry bowl set in silver;; Mr. and Mrs. J.C.Woodlief, silver butter dish;: Mr. and Mrs. H.E.Pickett, smyrna rug;. Graves, Beale & Co., walnut table; Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Metcalf, solid silver spoong; Mr. and Mrs. E.L.Barkley, silver card receiver; Mr. and Mrs. J. W. •Gibson, silver and gold bonbon tray; Mrs. Robt Stacy., hand painted toilet set; Mrs. A. M. Lee, silver sugar spoons; Dr. A.A.Thompson and daughter, silver card receiver and bouquet holder}-. Mr.'J.B.Boone and sister, Maggie, percelain ice pitcher set in silver; Misses .Mollie and Kate Briggs, silver berry bowl; Miss Ruth Parker, pin cushion and sachet bag combined}' Mr. J. Fain, silver pickle castor;- F.P.Powell, E.L.Huffman and T.J.Cole, silver syrup pitcher} G.L.AdkLsson, J.F.Dunlap and Osce Goodwin, complete set of toilet articles; Ed Williams, S.W.Spencer, J. L. McCartney and B. M. Howard, solid silver castor and fruit -stand, combined; J. E. Lancaster, B. L Davis, S. P. Skinner and F. M. Maxwell, silver tea service;- Walter and Lee Penn, willow rocker; Mr. H.B.Kirkpatrick, of Dallas, tow handsome oil paintings; Mrs. Calfee, bridal bouquet; Mrs. M. Smith, of Louisville Ky., silver knives with pearl handles; Mr. Lee Gotten of Waco, silver tooth pick holders lined with gold.

Mason Temple Waxahachie, Texas

My Grandfather J. O. Bailey was a Mason. My father says he was a 32nd degree. I don't know enough about Masons to know if that is possible or what it means. I have heard that my Grandfather had told someone he thought it was silly. Maybe that is why he never got to 33 degree? :) I remember he had their symbol on his gravestone and they did something at his service. I do know that degrees have something to do about ranking. I know that many of our our forefathers were really involved in the Masons and it seems to have been influential in politics and business. Legend has it that Santa Anna was spared his life when he flashed a secret Mason hand sign to Sam Houston. Both Masons.

I've never been in a secret society except in fourth grade when I started a Women Haters Club. Our only rules was not to fraternize with the enemy. When my friend Bubba dissented by falling in love with Anita, it all fell apart. Some kids also at this time started a game where if you caught a girl you got to kiss her. I was a staunch member of my club and didn't participate. Man I was a dummy! But the Principle intervened and the game soon ended.


Anyway, Part of the Boze Mitchell McKibbin Funeral Home at 511 W Main St, Waxahachie next to the Library is a Mason Temple. Before that the Mason's met in the top floor where the Ellis County Museum is now. Built 1889.

According to the recollection of Shannon Simpson, director of Ellis County Museum, before that it was next to the Library but was a small building. So they probably already owned the land that the Temple was built on. They built the Temple at 511 w main st in 1925. "The Masonic Lodge building on Main Street was constructed around 1925. The Masons moved from the site of the Ellis County Museum to this structure around that time. When the Depression hit in 1929, the Lodge had to sell the bottom floor of the structure to make ends meet. The bottom portion has been a funeral home
since that time." According to the KBEC radio spot the Boze Mitchell McKibbin Funeral Home has been around since 1867 (if I remember right.) So it must have moved around. It seems to be common that a Mason Lodge will build a multiple story building and rent the lower floors to fund their Lodge. The Historical Marker at the Ellis County Museum tells about the different business' that were in the Lodge building.

Here are some pics of the Mason Temple at the funeral Home. Notice the peep hole. There was a closet upstairs where the doors had no handles on the inside. There is apparently some ancient breakers in the breaker box and the window for a projector for whatever movie they were watching. One can only imagine. There is a closet space under the stairs like where Harry Potter stayed for a while. There is suppose to be a trap door somewhere that is used for a test. They drop a guy down into this trap door and leave him there for a certain amount of time that symbolizes the 40 days in the cave.