The wedding nuptials portion of this story is a report in the Montague Observer regarding the 1914 wedding of Adolph and Helen Anderson.
The residence of Mr. and Mrs. L. G. Ripley was the scene of a very pretty wedding service Wednesday afternoon, when their daughter Helen was united in marriage to Mr. Adolph Anderson. At 4:30 the bridal party entered the living room to the familiar strains of Mendelssohn, played by Miss Winifred Dickinson, through floral chains supported by four little nieces of the bride, dressed in white with pink sashes. The Rev. Mr. Brown, and the matron of honor, Mrs. Howard B. Ripley, preceded the couple and took a position in the bay window where ,flanked with banks of green and white, the impressive ring service was solemnized. Only the immediate members of the families were present. The bride was gowned in white silk meteor trimmed with medallion lace and pearls, and the groom’s present to her was a coral and pearl LaValliere. The matron of honor wore lavender messaline with lace to match and a lingerie cap; the mother of the bride black satin with an overdrape of wistaria covered with marquisette, and the groom’s mother, Mrs. Kate Anderson, black silk begaline trimmed with white. Following the service a five-course luncheon was served. In the evening a reception was given in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Anderson. The guests from out of town were Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ripley, of Decatur, IL, and Mrs. Chas. W. Littlefield and two children of Detroit, Mrs. Anna Simonson, daughter Lavange and son Ray of Muskegon.
Mr. and Mrs. Anderson left this morning for an extended trip to New York City, Washington, D.C., and other eastern points.
The bride is the accomplished daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. G. Ripley, and is one of Montague’s most popular young ladies in both social and church circles. She is a graduate of our public schools and also of Ypsilanti Conservatory of Music. She possesses a remarkable voice and is always in great demand as a public singer. Besides these accomplishments she is a young lady of many graces of mind and person, and will fill the home she will adorn with happiness and will prove to be truly a helpmate and companion by the husband she has chosen to honor with her hand.
The groom is one of the most exemplary and esteemed young men of our village. Always industrious and self reliant, he has grown up in this community to a position of honor and responsibility. After acquiring an education in our schools he entered the local bank, working his way up from the bottom of the ladder to his present position, that of assistant cashier.
The congratulations on this happy nuptial event are numerous and the Observer is greatly pleased on this occasion to add its hearty good wishes to those being so freely extended.
The Andersons’ life together
During their marriage they had four children: Baby Boy (1915-1915), Paul Ripley (1916-1961), Phyllis Catherine (1917-2011), and James Howard (1921-2003).
In the late 1940s, the bank became Montague State Bank and Mr. Anderson became president of the institution. Adolph retired in 1956 but remained a member of the Hackley Bank board of directors until 1967.
The Andersons traveled to California and Europe during the winter months but would always return to their home in the White Lake area during the summers. Eventually they sold their Montague home and moved into an apartment in North Muskegon. Helen died in June 1971 and Adolph died in May 1981. They are both buried in Oak Grove Cemetery along with three of their children.
