Evening Star Newspaper, January 12, 1930, Page 84

P THE SUNDAY STAR. WASHINGTON, D. C, JANUARY 12, 1930. s Famous Parties at the White House BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR. v a7 HE White House is a wonderful place, and it has had some won- derful people in it. As is the writ- er's custom, on New Year day, he attended the President’s reception, along with other members of the Association of Oldest Inhabitants. In all there were around a hundred of us, which is a good turn- out for an organization none of whose mem- bers can possibly be under 50 and the oldest of whom was 100 years old last August, but who was not present upon this occasion. The President and Mrs. Hoover locked fine, and their greetings and handshakes were cordial and sincere. Some mighty fine people, these Hoovers! What a real country this is, after all, to live in, to be able to walk right into the home of the Chief Executive of 120,000,000 people and wish him godspeed for the New Year, and have the wish and compliment returned by him—even to the humblest of all the citizens. ‘Where, oh, where, can one find such simplicity and democracy! Truly this is God's own country. ‘While guests were waiting in the building for the line to move, along came Gen. John L. Clem—Johnny Clem, the “Drummer Boy of Chickamauga.” What a career—from drummer boy at 12 to a major general, U. S. A, retired. It is hard to imagine such a gentle, amiable, Jovable man being such a brave and distin- guished soldier. The Civil War veteran, of whom he is one, are fast disappearing, and few besides he were there to greet the President. Brig. Gen. George Richards also was ob- served passing by in full-dress uniform, with badges and all. The general is widely known in Washington, where he takes keen interest in our patriotic and civic affairs, as does our own Maj. Gen. Anton Stephan of the National Guard, who spoke very cordially. George H. Carter, looking “the top of the morning,” also said “Happy New Year” as he wiggled his way through the crowd. Dr. Charles Greeley Abbott, secrciary of the. Smithsonian Institution® and noted " physicist and astronomer, had laid aside his scientific work for the day to pay his respects to the first man and the first woman of the land. VER so many familiar faces and notable ‘people were there, including the gentle- manly Col. Starling who looks after Mr. Hoover's safety as he has so successfully that of his predecessors. While President Wilson was in health and attending Keith’s Theater on Fifteenth street, Col. Starling always sat near his chief, and it.so happened that the colonel’s seat was next to that of the writer, and an ac- quaintance sprang up which has continued to last. As we were passing through the East Room on our way out, one venerable member of the association stopped long enough to say that he had viewed the remains of Lincoln when the public was admitted to the White House for that purpose at the time of his funeral, while another one said he had shaken hands with every President from and .including Buchanan down to President Hoover—or a period of about 70 years. It was a fine day, and a big crowd was out to pay respects to the President at his first New Year day reception. Perhaps a few like the writer held back and remained in the building awhile after the customary introduc- tion was over, to muse upon the great events which have transpired in this historic build-« ing, though one could easily see that the re- ception then going on was in no way to be compared to some of the great social events which have taken place there in former days and which have contributed toward making the old mansion famous at home and abroad. Still within the memory of many, for in- stance, is the wedding which took place there on May 21, 1874; the contracting parties being “Algernon Charles Frederick Sartoris and Ellen “Wrenshall Grant—or plain Nellie Grant, if you wish—the only daughter of the President, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. Nellie Grant was a sweet and charming girl, and her marriage in the White House is one of the most notable events in the history of that building. - Though the writer does not recall ever hav- ing seen this lady, yet during his childhood he heard much of her, for his people, prior to his birth, lived on I street northwest a short distance west from “Minnesota Row,” where Gen. Grant resided in house numbered 205 from 1866 until he went into the White House in 1869. Nellie's mother did not confine her daughter to the house, but permitted her to play with the little girls in the neighborhood, one of whom happened to be the writer’s eld- est sister. Nellie Grant was always accom- panied by a nurse as a precautionary measure, since the feeling of the war was still quite fresh in the minds of all, and Lincoln’s as- sassination and the plan at the same time to kill Gen. Grant most assuredly prompted the exercise of care and prudence. SOME 15 years ago the writer was introduced to Mrs. Clara \Hughcs at a large assem- blage of men and women, and in the course of her conversation she inquired if Katie Proc- tor was related to him, and when told that she was his sister, she feelingly told how as a child she had played with little Nellie Grant when the general lived in the I street house. Though Mrs. Hughes, whose maiden name was Clara McEifresh, is no longer with us, and Nellie Grant and my sister have also passed into the great beyond, yet no doubt there are still living a few of the coterie of little girls who years ago played in Washington with Nellie Grant when she resided with her parents in the house afterward occupied by Gen. Sherman and the late Matthew G. Emery, last mayor of Washington, and now the home of Mr. and Mrs. Willlam M. Hannay—Mrs. Hannay being Mayor Emery's only remaining child. After Lincoln came into the White House, it Wwas but a few days before the President and Some Eventful Receptions in the Executive Mansion in Former Years, Including the Notable I/V’ddings There of Nellie Grant, Gen. Hastings and President Cleveland—A Social Event at the Old Stewart Castle. Algernon Sartoris and Nellie Grant about the time of their wedding. Mrs. Lincoln held their first levee—a popular name then for a President’s reception. This was on March 9, 1861, and we are told: “Mrs, Lincoln stood a few paces from her husband, assisted by her sisters, Mrs. Edwards and Mrs. Baker, together with two of her nieces, and was attired in a rich pink moire-antique, pearl ornaments and flowers in her hair and hands. She is a pleasant looking, elegant appearing lady of perhaps 40, somewhat inclined to stout- ness, but withal fine looking and self-pos- sessed. The levee was a brilliant one and many citizens and strangers not accustomed to tak- ing part in the gay world about them did themselves the pleasure of paying their re- spects to the new President and his family. It was perhaps the happiest evening of Mrs. Lincoln’s life—a triumph she had often mused upon and looked forward to as in store for her. The desire of her heart was gratified, and she was mistress of the White House.” HOWEVER, such social affairs had always existed at the White House, but it re- mained for the wedding of Nellie Grant to eclipse them all. Just a plain, simple, popu- lar girl, she won the hearts of all, and the whole country wished her well. Algernon Sartoris had come to Washington some time before the wedding and, on May 4, attended the ceremony which joined in life partnership Lieut. Hooker and Miss Stewart at the latter's father’'s home on Dupont Circle, known as Stewart’s Castle. This was indeed a brilliant affair, and those planning the White House wedding were there no doubt to take notes. Senator William M. Stewart of Nevada was a very wealthy man for that period and upon this occasion spared not the purse. His home was one of the most expznsive, beautiful and up-to-date in the city, as might readily be imagined from the name it always bore— “Stewart’s Castle”—until it was destroyed by fire on December 30, 1879, with damage of $30,000. - Senator Stewart, who died here in Washing- ton only a little more than 20 years ago, did much toward improving and increasing the value of land in the vicinity of Dupont Circle —then but a desolate waste of , unimproved streets and clay banks, and the building of his “castle” back in 1873 showed his great confidence in Washington real estate, espe- cially at a time when the country’s financial status was anything but steady. EVENTEEN days after the Hooker-Stewart wedding, the Sartoris-Grant ceremony took place in the White House, and for sen- sible arrangements and splendor has rarely, if ever, been exceeded in this country. No doubt ever so much more money has been spent on other weddings, but the spending and lavishe ing of money does not always mean results, It, indeed, was a great and notable affair. The day before the wedding we find the fole lowing announcement in The Star: “A marriage license was issued by the clerk of the court here today to Algernon Charles Frederick Sartoris of Wars-Ash House, Tich- field, Hants, England, and Ellen Wrenshall Grant of Washington.” The invitations are said to have been very plain, script type being used on parchment pa- per, without monogram or other device, and read: *“The President and Mrs. Grant request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their daughter, at the Executive Mansion, on Thursday, May 21, at 11 o'clock am.” . “Such,” The Star tells us, “was the invita- tion that gladdened the hearts of about 160 persons during the past week. It was not the desire of the President or any of the parties concerned that this marriage should have the publicity which it has obtained. A compromise was made between a strictly private wedding and a general invitation. The friends and rela= tives who were nearest were invited and re- sponded. Some complimentary invitations were sent to distant citles, so that about 300 in all were issued.” IONTINUING, The Star gives an excellent account of the wedding ceremony itself, which took place in the famous east room, gorgeously decorated for the purpose. The Star says: “The marriage took place in the east room by zas light. This room is particularly suitable for so august an occasion. Its decorations are en= tirely of white and gold. The many windows are draped with lace. The crystal chandeliers are magnificent, each one containing 40 burn- ers. Today the room was in its glory, for the floral decorations added to its great beauty. These were superb. The east window, which is double the size of those at either end of the room, was converted into a bower of exquisite flowers, The dais was just in front of this win- dow and a marriage bell of white flowers was suspended above it. The dais was carpeted with Turkey carpet. The guests present were in groups at both ends of the room, white rib- bons being stretched across the room from each side the dais, leaving the space open from the wide double doors to the dais, which is opposite. “The bridal party, having assembled upstairs, descended by the private stairway and proe ceeded down the hall in the following order: Mr. Sartoris and his best man advanced to the foot of the dais, where Rev. Dr. Tiffany await- ed the bride. Miss Conkling and Miss Freling- huysen were the first of the bridesmaids to ar- rive. They paused just after passing the center of the room. Miss Porter and Miss Sherman advanced beyond them, Miss Drexel and Miss Dent passing the last two, and Miss Barnes and Miss Fish passing to the foot of the dais. Then came the bride with her fother. As she ape A Lincoln reception at the White House toward the close of the Civil War.