532. JOHN FRANKLIN10 ALMY (Frank Ellery9, John Wilcox8, Eleazer7, Holder6, Joseph5, William4-3, Christopher2, William1),b. Tiverton, RI, 4 Aug 1891; d. Tiverton, RI, 21 Apr 1963.
He m.(1) Little Compton, RI, 30 Jul 1911, HENRIETTA WILLIAMS MOORE, b. 1894; d. 1976; dau of Arthur E. and Lillian (Briggs) Moore. He m.(2) ETHEL PETTEY, b. Westport, MA, 1897; d. North Dartmouth, MA, 25 Sep 1993; dau of George F. and Hattie N. (Tripp) Pettey.
Child of John and Henrietta:
| 687 | i | ROBERT EDWARD11, b. 30 Aug 1918; d. North Kingston, RI, 10 Jul 1964; m. Seekonk, MA, 13 Jan 1942, ESTER MC CULLOUGH, b. East Providence, RI, 19 Aug 1915; dau of George Thomas and Ester Marie (Conley) Mc Cullough. |
John F. Almy's SS No. is 026-12-8683.
The following is taken from a 1911 newspaper clipping about John's first marriage.
"One night, John Almy, who is but 21 years of age, came to the little parsonage of the minister, and brought with him his blushing sweetheart, Miss Moore, who is not ashamed to confess to her 16 years of girlhood. They wanted to be married, and quickly; for life was getting pretty dull, and John was an impatient swain and was no longer content to 'go with' the girl of his choice in the usual manner of country swains. And pretty, blonde, smiling, Miss Moore agreed with him, or she wouldn't have come to the parsonage with him. The minister, Mr. Brooks, was just about to marry them.
Suddenly a thought struck John Almy. 'Mr. Brooks, you've been looking for a surprise to waken up the church members, haven't you?' he asked. 'I have indeed answered Mr. Brooks.' 'But what's that to do with your getting married?' 'Well, I just thought -- that is, if Miss Moore is willing -- that we might -- if she consents -- get married -- if Henrietta won't object -- well -- er -- er--' Miss Moore here came to his rescue by saying that she didn't object to anything he might suggest, except going to the North Pole on the honeymoon.'
So Mr. Almy came out with it: 'Why can't we get married in church, right before the regular meeting, just as a surprise to the congregation.?' Mr. Brooks almost cried out 'Eureka.' Anyway he had found what he'd long looked for -- a means of waking up the flock, and a means of boosting matrimony. So he let it become known that he had a surprise in store for the congregation at the next service. He wouldn't tell what it was or the nature of it, or anything about it, believing that a surprise is only a surprise when it surprises. "Miss Moore and Mr. Almy were only too delighted to give the village a surprise. That the wedding was a real surprise is certain, for one could almost hear a pin drop so great was the astonishment when the organist began playing the wedding march. `I had told them that there would be a surprise, but they were not prepared for one like this.'"
REFERENCES: FAMILY RECORDS