Celebrate Their Golden Wedding (1917)

Columbia City Post ~ Saturday, March 31, 1917

Fifty years is a long time but to those who enjoy the companionship of each other it seems a very short period. Such has been the experience of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph W. Compton, of this city, who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Wednesday. The day was spent quietly at their home on North Line street.

Joseph W. Compton was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, May 13, 1843, and is the son of the late Chas. H. and Jemima Compton, who moved to Whitley county, Indiana, in the fall of 1849, and went to the home of Andrew Compton, of Richland township, who came here several years prior to that time and had taken up land in that township. At that time there was a law in the state of Indiana that set aside one section of land in each township for school purposes, and Mr. Compton's father purchased one-fourth of this section in Richland township which was section sixteen. The land purchased was covered with a heavy forest but the newcomers went to work and soon had a home built.

Mr. Compton remained with his parents until he was eighteen years of age, and on the 16th day of October, 1861, enlisted in Company E, 44th Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He served during the Civil war and went through some of the thickest of the fighting. He was mustered out and given and honorable discharge on September 30th 1865. Had he remained sixteen more days he would have completed four years of service for the cause of the Union. After the war he came back to Richland township and resided with his parents until his marriage to Mrs. Compton.

Elevia (Croy) Compton was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, November 2, 1846, and is the daughter of the late Daniel and Anny Croy, who came to this county when she was four years old, or during the month of October, 1850. Mr. Croy homesteaded a portion of section fifteen in Richland township and Miss Elevia obtained her education in a log school house near the home of her parents. She was united in marriage to Joseph W. Compton March 28, 1867, and they rented the old Marcus Norris farm in the same township. After living there five years Mr. Compton purchased 40 acres of land which is a part of the farm now owned by his son George O. Compton, of this city. He and his wife resided on the farm until March 1, 1911, when they moved to this city.

After purchasing the Richland township farm Mr. Compton and wife went to work in earnest and in a few years had increased their holdings to 180 acres. They are highly respected by their former neighbors and their many friends in this city. Mr. and Mrs. Compton became the parents of five children, the oldest and the youngest of whom survive, namely, Mrs. Cora Beard, of Richland township, and Attorney Geo. O. Compton, of this city. Mr. Compton has been a life-long republican and was for many years precinct committeeman from his township.

There were fifty guests present at the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Compton, and of the fifty guests only three survive: one brother, George Croy, and two sisters, Miss Kate Croy and Mrs. J. W. Prugh, of South Whitley. The guests rode to the wedding on horse-back as the roads and paths were so muddy that it was impossible to move a wagon.