The Wedding of Margaret Frances Harris, August 1940

Wedding Invitation

Transcribed from the Fort Worth Star Telegram
Sunday Edition
August 18, 1940

Margaret Frances Harris

WEDDING PARTIES AND VACATIONS HOLD INTEREST AS FALL SEASON NEARS
by Mary Sears

Late Summer weddings, parties for visitors, vacation trips, plans for college and the approaching club season hold the social interest as August goes into the second half.

Among the weekend weddings that of Miss Margaret Frances Harris, daughter of Mrs. Temple Harris, 1010 South Jennings Avenue, to Mr. Curtis Gail Smith of Bloomington, Texas, which took place in the garden of Mrs. W.B. Paddock's home on Sixth Avenue, was of wide-spread interest.  The bridegroom is the of Mr. and Mrs. D.W. Smith of DeLeon.  Rev. W. Douglas Hudgins read the ceremony at 7 p.m. in Mrs. Paddock's garden in a natural setting of greenery and flowers.  Miss Gene Roberts, accompanied by Mrs. A.M. Campbell sang "Ich Liebe Dich" (Grieg) and "At Dawning".  Mr. H.L. Spencer of Waco played the wedding marches, and "Traumerei" during the ceremony.

Left to right
Helen Wilson, Madelon Campbell, Harriet Dee Rushing Harris,
Maibelle Shumate Harris (Mother of the Bride),
Margaret Frances Harris (The Bride), Betty Harris,
Martha Ingram and Gene Roberts

Martha Ingram and Joe Brint Harris, cousin and brother, respectively of the bride were the ribbon bearers.  Miss Helen Wilson and Miss Betty Lou Harris of San Antoino were bridesmaids and Mrs Temple Harris Jr. of Houston was matron of honor.  Mr. Cleland Early of Stinnett was best man, and Mr Temple Harris Jr. of Houston gave his sister in marriage.  Miss Wilson wore a pink frock made with a bouffant skirt and tight bodice, and carried pink gladioli.  Miss Harris wore yellow net and carried orchid gladioli.  Martha Ingram wore a full skirted blue taffeta frock and Joe Brint Harris wore a white suit.  Mrs. Harris Jr. was gowned in blue marquisette, made with puffed sleeves and a full skirt over taffeta.  She carried an armful of peach gladioli.  Each of the bridal attendants wore a strand of pearls to match her gown, the gift of the bride.

Margaret Francis Harris Smith

Margaret Francis Harris Smith

The bride, whose "something borrowed" was a double strand of pearls, wore a white chiffon gown trimmed at the square neckline and sleeves with duchess lace.  She wore Chantilly lace mitts and her illusion veil fell from a starched lace halo caught with orange blossoms.  The bridal bouquet was of white rosebuds and tulle, and her "something old" was a point lace handkerchief made by Mrs. E. L. White.

The mother of the bride,
Maibelle Shumate Harris. The bride
Margaret Frances Harris and her
brother, Newton Temple Harris Jr.

The refreshment table, set in the garden, was a glass-topped white wrought iron table centered by a bouquet of white blossoms and marked at one end by a three-tiered wedding cake topped by a miniature bridal couple.  Mrs. Donald McFarland and Miss Anne Campbell  served punch from a crystal bowl at the other end of the table.  Mrs. Burton Paddock presided at the cake, and Miss Elizabeth Martin at the bride's book.

After a trip to South Texas, the young couple will live in Bloomington.  The bride traveled in a shocking blue redingote crepe romaine ensemble having a navy velvet collar on the coat, with navy accessories and a corsage of white rosebuds.  Mr. Smith, who is athletic coach in Bloomington, and his bride are graduates of Texas Christian University, where he was a member of the T Association.

The Happy Couple
Curtis Gail Smith and Margaret Francis Harris

At the wedding, the bride's mother (Maibelle Shumate Harris) was gowned in white dotted swiss trimmed with black velvet, with a sweetheart rose corsage.  The men of the wedding party wore white suits with navy ties.  Mrs. Paddock and the bride's three aunts, Mrs. H.L. Spencer of Waco, Mrs. E.B. Ingram and Miss Virginia Harris, received the wedding guests.
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Sadly, the father of the bride, Newton Temple Harris Sr, passed away January 14, 1940 due to a cerebral hemorrhage.  Margaret and Curtis G. Smith had one child, Curtis G. Smith Jr. He was born December 4, 1946.

Margaret Francis Harris is our 1st cousin once removed.

Maibelle Shumate Harris, Mother's Day 1952

May Belle Shumate was born in Rockcastle County Kentucky in 1885.  She was the firstborn of Nathan M. Shumate and Margaret (Maggie) Adams.   Her mother died in 1896 and her father followed her in 1899.  After the death of her parents, she and her sisters, Virginia and Louise, lived with their uncle Quincy Shumate and family in Newbern Tennessee.  She married Newton Temple Harris of Tarrant County Texas and changed the spelling of her name to Maibelle.  She and Temple had five children.

This picture was taken on Mother's day 1952.  Maibelle must've been remembering her own mother and father on this date because she wrote the following on the back of the picture:

"This vase, one of a pair my father, Nathan M. Shumate, gave my mother Margaret Adams before they were married in Mt. Vernon Kentucky, 1882.  This picture taken Mothers Day May 1952, Maibelle Shumate Harris, Ft. Worth, Tex."

Maibelle Shumate Harris died of colon cancer June 14, 1960.

Maibelle Shumate Harris
Mothers Day 1952

Handwritten note by Maibelle on the back of the picture.