John and Mary Eddy. Photos: Maple Grove Historical Preservation Society
What comes to mind when you think of weddings? An elegant resort, an azure-blue ocean, a garden event or perhaps a warm afternoon with marshmallow clouds? Do you envision an extravagant day or an unassuming one? With thousands of possibilities for planning a memorable event, and thanks to photography and videography, live-streaming and social media, your day can be brought to life again and again.
Not long ago, the written record of a marriage was all that remained after the wedding itself. The first marriage recorded in Maple Grove Township was on February 24, 1857, when Mary Cordelia Evans (05/22/1839–06/12/1915) married John Morrison Eddy (01/15/1830–07/25/1908).
Mary was from Vermont, and her parents died when she was 9. Mary’s brother, Alfred Evans, a dentist, brought his family to the Maple Grove area in 1855. We assume Mary also made the journey. John came to Maple Grove in 1856 from Vermont via California.
John and Mary had four children. John was Maple Grove’s first town clerk, first superintendent of schools and the first treasurer/assessor. John and Mary, potentially some of the original founders of Maple Grove, are buried at Rush Creek Cemetery. When John passed, they had been married for over 50 years. Their wedding day was likely small. Just one photo, and the date, remain.
Kate Wodtke is a research and inventory specialist with the Maple Grove Historical Preservation Society and a Minnesota Author Project Judge. Discover more at maplegrovemnhistory.org.
