NEW ASHFORD — Although used for worship since its construction in 1828, the First Church of Christ saw its first wedding last night. For more than a century folks hereabouts have gone to the church for prayer Sunday after Sunday but never had the words “Do you take this man —” echoed through the rafters. Most of New Ashford’s weddings have been at the brides’ home and a surprisingly large number of the residents came to town after they were married.
But last night the spell was broken when Miss Ethelmay Andrews, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Homer H. Andrews of Amsterdam, N.Y., became the bride of Douglas T. Terry, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. I. Terry of Pontoosuc Lake, Lanesboro. Miss Eileen Perry of Pittsfield and Warren L. Crowley, also of Pittsfield, were the attendants. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Marvin E. Maris, minister.
It was a simple ceremony. The chill had been dispelled from the structure after the bridegroom’s father got a roaring log fire going in the chunk stove. Ten minutes before, the minister threw another log on the fire and then waited for the couple to arrive. The couple walked the 12 paces from the entrance to the altar as the church piano peeled out a wedding march. The ceremony took three and one-half minutes and the bridal party made their way from the building. The parents of the bridegroom, Mrs. Winthrop Cunningham of Pittsfield, a few New Ashford people and a newspaperman were in the audience.
