(Taken from the Frankfort Morning Times, Wednesday, November 15,1911)

When we reported for duty Tuesday morning and the editor of the Times said to us. “Your assignment today will be to go to he country home of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Moore, in Jackson township and write-up the celebration of their golden wedding anniversary,” we said to ourself, ‘that will be a pleasant task.’  ‘and such, indeed, it was.  The weather was a bit too bracing to be comfortable for road travel, but once arrived at the Moore homestead the warmth and good cheer banished from the mind all thoughts of a cold day. The beautiful lines of Longfellow intruded themselves upon our thoughts when we had reached our destination and had extended congratulations to the bride and groom of fifty years ago.

Fifty years ago yesterday, November 14 1861, Mr. Thomas Moore son of Mr. and Mrs. John Moore, and Miss Martha Jane Major, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.  John Major,  Clinton county pioneer families, were married at the home of the bride, on what is now known as the Joe Smith farm, being located about a mile and half east of Prairie Center Church. Their golden wedding anniversary was celebrated by about one hundred relatives and friends at their home about a mile north of the place where they were married. The wedding fifty years ago, occurred at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, the Rev. Mr. Thomas, a Presbyterian minister, officiating.

Mr. Moore was 23 years old and his bride  18. They went to housekeeping in a log cabin about a mile south of the present Moore homestead. They lived in this cabin for a few years while Mr. Moore tilled a forty-acre farm and saved enough money to build a frame house. Another forty acres adjoining the original farm was bought in due time, and this farm was the home of the Moores for 34 years, and here ten children were born to them.  Sixteen years ago they bought a farm of eighty acres a mile north of the old home place, built a modern house, and here, they live today, surrounded by all the creature comforts of an advanced civilization. They have a big comfortable house that looks homey outside and in and suggests that good old-fashioned hospitality of the generation now passing away. The comparison of times and conditions now and fifty years ago, is a wonderful story of contrasts. The most striking that suggests itself at this time being the illumination of the home. In the log cabin Mr. and Mrs. Moore used old tallow dip, in their present home they light every room perfectly with acetylene gas.

In the spring of the year of 1861 Mr. Moore had broken up thirty acres of his prairie farm.  It being the first time the sod had ever been turned over.  This ground be planted to corn and used an ax to do his seeding, chopping a hole in the sod and therein depositing his seed. The corn made forty bushels to the acre. The country in 1861 was, compared to today, sparsely settled, the roads muddy and almost impassable at least during two-thirds of the year.  All of the changes that have come to pass during the past 50 years, this good couple have noted and they have also done well their part in helping to bring about the present ideal conditions that make our county and their own neighborhood ideal for home life.

The guests were served a ten course dinner that contained items sufficient for a dozen courses. The ladies in charge of the dinner preparation were assisted by a professional caterer Jack Reed who looked after the wants of the guests at the table.

After the dinner the hours were informally spent and good cheer prevailed during all of the day while the bride and groom were host and hostess on their golden wedding day, a pleasure that is given to the exceptional few to enjoy, but which emphasizes as no other occasion can the peace that fills the cups of those who live and marry and live their lives aright.