You could have knocked me over with a feather

[Erato]

A long time ago I initiated a thread about a mysterious person named Phyllis Merwin who I believed to be the adopted daughter of a first cousin once removed.  We never did manage to clarify who Phyllis Merwin was and whether she was, in fact, an adopted relative.  But today, as I toiled along through the 1950 census - Bingo! There she was, aged 14, living with the once removed cousin in Milwaukee.  She was called a "niece" but I don't think that can be the true relationship.  I did some more rummaging and came up with a 1956 university yearbook photo of Phyllis.  But then came the real kicker, a 1965 newspaper article from Salinas, California.  You could have knocked me over with a feather .....

"During a months vacation, Miss Phyllis Merwin, 466 California St., visited relatives in Wisconsin before flying east to Boston. She spent two weeks in Milwaukee and another week at a cottage in northern Wisconsin. Miss Merwin's principal incentive for traveling to Boston was to attend the wedding of a cousin, the former (redacted). Another vacation highlight while on the east coast was sailing at Marblehead, Mass."

The redacted bride was my first cousin; we grew up in the same town; I was at the wedding. I have a very nice picture of myself taken that day with my cousin, the bride.  It was a small affair conducted at the bride's home.  So I must have actually met Phyllis, probably spoke to her, but I'll be damned if I remember her nor can I figure out why she would have flown across the country for the wedding of a distant adoptive relative; numerous closer relatives did not fly to Massachusetts.

So, it's back to the drawing boards.  Maybe Phyllis really was some sort of ¿niece?, not a random adoption.  Somebody's illegitimate daughter?

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=682820.msg5274069#msg5274069

[Mike in Cumbria]

What a coincidence.

It's also a surprisingly detailed newspaper article about what seems like a fairly ordinary occasion. Do you have any idea why this would be newsworthy?

[maddys52]

That is amazing!

It's also a surprisingly detailed newspaper article about what seems like a fairly ordinary occasion. Do you have any idea why this would be newsworthy?

I've read many similarly detailed reports in Australian newspapers, particularly the Queensland ones. I guess before social media people still liked to know details of who was going where and why, and often what they were wearing.

[Ruskie]

I was about to say the same Maddys52. Often you find detailed descriptions of the dress, the bouquet, the bridesmaids’ dresses, food they ate, honeymoon location, attendees, which unfortunately are often just Miss someone, or Mrs (husband’s name).

Erato. Well found. You are a true time travel detective.

[Erato]

"a surprisingly detailed newspaper article"

It was part of one of those columns of social notes - an accounting of who had visitors from out of state, who was home from college, who had hosted a bridge party and so on.  The amazing thing is that it mentioned the name of the bride which would have been totally meaningless to anyone 3000 miles away in Salinas, California.

I still haven't figured out who Phyllis was.  I can't find her birth in 1935 and I don't know where she was before her adoption into the Newman family in the early 1940s.

[Viktoria]

It used to be the custom for  local newspapers to photograph the bridal party ,bride,groom and families etc.
Descriptions of the wedding, bride’s and ,bridesmaid’s dresses ,bouquets and the outfits both mothers, were in the local weekly newspaper .
I have the cutting with photograph of my wedding .
Just a bit of local news I suppose but you did get a very good press photograph ,free,

But ,yes quite an amazing coincidence.
Viktoria.

[brigidmac]

I agree you are a true time travel detective

An inspiration that sometimes we find things after we ve given up looking