Finding Felicity in Early Missisquoi

Heather Darch

“Felicity” is not a word that is commonly used in our contemporary conversations. When we want to express our good wishes to someone we rarely say, “I wish you felicity”. It is perhaps unfortunate that this usage has passed from favour as it was a lovely word that was meant to convey feelings of great happiness, well-being and joy towards the person to whom it was offered. It was also used to describe a moment of great happiness in one’s life.

One would think that moments of felicity were rare two centuries ago. Our ancestors toiled in this new township and all of their energies concerned their survival. Amidst the demands of their chores, there was also the threat of warfare and disease, and with the high rates of death and extended mourning periods, it is hard to imagine life would afford many moments of true felicity. Not surprisingly perhaps, felicity was a word used particularly around the milestones of births, christenings, and weddings. To wish someone felicity in their marriage, for example, was similar to a blessing and a hope that the relationship would be happy and successful.

Mr. & Mrs. E.D. Newton 1860's	1860's Mr. and Mrs. Frary, Sutton

Historians generally propose that marriages of the working and lower classes of the 18 th and early 19 th centuries were made for economic survival, and although emotional attachment may have been a factor, it was not the primary element in a marriage union. Indeed, in most of the old photographs of newly wedded couples, the subjects look anything but happy! This stillness of face was a photographer’s necessity to ensure a clear image, but it also unfortunately supports historians’ theories. The blank faces certainly hide from us any concept of joy our ancestors had surrounding the event of a wedding in the community.

According to history sources, early 19th century wedding ceremonies were small and intimate. Couples were either married in a church or at home. What we know about weddings and receptions in Missisquoi comes mainly from rare newspaper accounts that provide glimpses into these occasions. Most couples chose only to state the fact that they married through a very brief announcement in the newspaper. Their names and the date of the ceremony were sufficient. Again, there is no sense of felicity surrounding the occasion. From time to time, however, some chose to elaborate, and it is with these descriptions that we have a better sense of the happiness that marriage unions actually produced. They were perhaps not based on economic viability alone.

Wedding banquets or “At Homes” were often impressive affairs, some lasting two or more days, depending upon family wealth and custom. Families served their guests the most expensive foods in the largest quantity and in the best manner they could afford, not unlike today. It is in the family gatherings around a presentation of food that we have the sense that there were in fact moments of felicity between friends and family in those days.

18th century etching of rural dance

In 1837, the Frelighsburg newspaper, the “Missiskoui Standard”, was filled with reports of the mounting rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada. A small notation, however, indicated a sense of bliss in the community, notwithstanding the headlines:

“At the Parish of St. Thomas on Sunday the 3 rd September 1837 by the Reverend Micajah Townsend, John Derick Esquire married Miss Ophelia Edy of the Parish of St. George. On Monday following, the happy couple and a large number of friends met at the dwelling house of Conrad Derick Esquire where they partook of the best the county affords and spent the afternoon very agreeably.”

An account of a wedding dinner held in Stonington, Connecticut, in the late 18 th century represents a typical wedding feast of the time period. Comparable meals would have been prepared for early Missisquoi weddings as well. Tankards of spiced hard cider were served and the main course consisted of fish chowder, roasted pig, venison, duck, potatoes, baked rye bread, cornbread and pumpkin casserole. An “Indian pudding studded with dried plums and served with a sauce made from West Indian molasses, butter, and vinegar” followed this course, and dessert included coffee, trays of nutmeats, and blocks of candy made from maple sugar, butter, and hickory nuts.

The “Missisquoi Record” in 1887 conveyed another such happy event: “Mr. and Mrs. George Wright were the recipients of a host of beautiful and valuable presents on their wedding day and after a sumptuous banquet they took departure for their honeymoon trip amid showers of rice, old slippers (for luck) and good wishes.”

Similarly, Mr. and Mrs. Morgan celebrated their union in a generous manner: “The leading social event of the season was the marriage of Sarah Elizabeth eldest daughter of the worthy mayor of Stanbridge East, Mr. N.C. Martin Esquire to Mr. E.W. Morgan, the popular and gentlemanly manager of the Exchange Bank, Bedford, which was solemnized at St. James Church Wednesday morning at 11:00…The church was crammed to its utmost capacity, the elite of the surrounding towns being present. The bride was dressed with exquisite taste…After the ceremony the happy couple held an “At home” at the residence of the bride’s parents, where over 100 guests were entertained in a royal grand manner. The happy couple left for a ten day trip to New York City…and on leaving the house were showered with rice, shoes, etc. and many felicitations for future prosperity and happiness.” (Bedford Times 1882).

Moments of felicity or intense joy may have been exceptional emotions within the day-to-day activities of the settlers in early Missisquoi, but events like weddings brought families and the community together to share in what usually was a very festive occasion.

Musée Missisquoi Museums
2 rue River, Stanbridge East Qc J0J 2H0
450-248-3153 www.MissisquoiMuseum.ca