THOMASVILLE- The John Lee of Nansemond Chapter, National Society Colonial Dames 17th Century was honored to welcome Telia Cunningham, Pharm. D., Quitman, Georgia, as the guest speaker at the recent meeting.
Dr. Cunningham is a graduate of Presbyterian College, Clinton, S.C., and then received her Pharm. D. cum laude from Mercer Southern School of Pharmacy, Atlanta, Georgia. She is past director of Archbold Hospital High Tech Pharmacy. She is a member of over 30 lineage and family societies. A few of these are Colonial Dames 17th Century, Order of Descendants of Ancient Planters, 1606-1616, Daughters of American Colonists, Daughters of Indian Wars, and Jamestown Society, 1st Georgia Company. Dr. Cunningham has held offices at the chapter, state, and national levels and is involved in civic and community duties in Quitman on the Board of Health, CASA, Brooks County Library Board, and the Episcopal Church.
Prior to Dr. Cunningham’s presentation, Pamela F. Tucker, historian, presented the Colonial Minute, “Leisure Time Activities in the American Colonies,” and was a great lead-in to Dr. Cunningham’s program, “Courtship and Marriage Customs in Colonial America.”
In early Colonial times, marriages were not based on love but on the acquisition of wealth and property through dowries to the groom from the bride’s father. Social position was also a factor. Most weddings were held in June because of yearly baths in May. Flowers were used in bouquets or corsages to hide body odors. Some bouquets held tiny bells in them to ward off evil spirits. Other popular wedding times were November, December, and January after farm work was finished and cooler weather.
The first wedding in the colonies was in Jamestown in 1608, where there were six men for every woman. The going rate at the time of marriage was 120 pounds of tobacco or equivalent presented to the groom by the father of the bride.
In the 1700s, one-fourth to one-third of the brides were pregnant at the time of the wedding. This was accepted as it proved she could bear children. An English custom, Banns, were published and read aloud in church three weeks in succession before the marriage. “Hanky panky” was as prevalent then as now. The 1750 Book of Common Prayer, Church of England, provides the familiar words still in use today in the marriage ceremony.
Traditionally there were two cakes, one for the bride and one for the groom. The groom’s cake was white, eaten by the guests at the wedding and a nutmeg was concealed in the cake and whoever got it was the next to marry. The bride’s cake was very close to today’s fruitcake and was saved for the couple to eat on an anniversary.
Prior to the Victorian Era, 1837-1901, the bride wore her best dress. If a special dress was made, it was to be of blue fabric for purity. In 1558, Mary, Queen of Scots wore white, the first bride to do so. Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840 in a white satin dress, beginning the custom of brides wearing white.
The Dames are looking forward to their May meeting and Tom Faircloth who will present the program on Colonial Gardens.