Sunday, September 9, 1951: Seventy-five years ago tody, the Johnson City Press-Chronicle announced exciting social news. Readers learned that “The marriage of Miss Louise Goff Reece and Lt. Colonel George Walker Marthens, II, of the United States Air Force, Washington, D. C., was solemnized last night at St. John’s Episcopal Church. The bride is the daughter of Representative and Mrs. B. Carroll Reece of Tennessee’s First Congressional District. Representative Reece was formerly National Republican Chairman. The groom is the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. George Walker Marthens of Detroit, Mich., and Tucson, Ariz. The marriage was performed by the Rev. Howard Mueller, rector, at 8 o’clock. The double ring ceremony was used.
“The alter was illuminated with white tapers and in the alter vases were arrangements of white chrysanthemums. The floor standards of pastel gladioli were arranged in front of the chancel.
“Nuptial music was by the church choir, with Mrs. Henry I. Burbage, organist and choir director at the organ. Soloists were Mrs. Grover C. Summers and Donald Squibb. The choir sang ‘The Voice that Breathed O’er Eden’ as the processional hymn and ‘Rejoice Ye Pure in Heart’ as the recessional hymn. The choir also sang ‘O Perfect Love,’ and the Bach-Gounod ‘Ave Maria’ with Mrs. Summers,, soloist. Mr. Squibb sand ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ as the bridal couple approached the altar.
“Lohengrin’s Wedding Chorus was used as the processional for the wedding party, and
Mendelssohn’s Wedding March as the recessional. Both were sung by the choir.
“Given in marriage by her father, the bride was attired in a gown of ivory silk satin with a Basque-fitted bodice, square-cut neckline, long pointed sleeves and bouffant skirt. The neckline was trimmed with a border of rhinestones taken from the gown of her grandmother, Mrs. Guy Despard Goff, widow of Senator Goff of West Virginia, when she was presented at the Court of St. James. The bride wore her grandmother’s court train which was attached at the shoulders. It was fashioned of ivory velvet, embroidered in rhinestones and bordered with ivory satin. Her veil of heirloom lace in Spanish Mantilla style.
“The bride’s only ornament was a string of Oriental pearls, a gift of her grandmother to her mother at her graduation. She carried a white ivory prayer book, used by her mother and grandmother at their weddings. It was topped with a white orchid with a shower of lilies of the valley and white satin ribbon.
“Mrs. Sam Taylor, III, of Johnson City, was the matron of honor. The bridesmaids were Miss Helen Lancaster, Miss Edna Dooley and Miss Jill Cummins of Johnson City. Miss Mark Baker, daughter of Representative and Mrs. Howard Baker of Tennessee’s Second Congressional District, Miss Joy Dirkson, daughter of of Senator and Mrs. Everett Dirkson of Illinois; Miss Laura Belle Wyatt and Miss Mary Merchant of Washington, D. C., and Mrs. Charles Leutz of Cherry Point, N. C. The latter two are cousins of the bride.
“The matron of honor wore a saffire (sic for sapphire) blue taffeta off-the-shoulder model, with long waistline and full skirt. The skirt fell in folds over the hips, coming together in back and front to form petals.
“Costumes of the bridesmaids were of fall shades of taffeta and were patterned after the matron of honor’s gown.
“The attendants worn matching mittens and bandeaus of fall flowers. They carried arm bouquets of chrysanthemums. Single strands of pearls were their only ornament.
“Colonel Phillip Klein of the United States Air Force, Washington, D. C., was the groom’s best man.
“Ushers were Sam Taylor, III, and Horace Cupp of Johnson City; Dr. Peter Brady and Clarence Norment, Jr., of Washington, D. C., Emil Pansky of Chicago, Lt. Commander Joseph Metzger of the U. S. Navy, Colonel W. B. Putnam and Capt. R. S. Rivers of the U. S. Air Force and Capt. Al Curtney of the U. S. Army, all stationed in Washington.
“Officers were in full dress uniforms. The others were white dinner coats and black trousers.
“Howard Mueller, Jr., son of the officiating rector, served as candle lighter.
“Mrs. Reece worn a model of fuchsia-colored crepe, fashioned along straight lines. The bodice was embroidered with a silver and pearl floral spray. She wore white orchids and a hair arrangement of grey tulle and ostrich feathers.
“Mrs. Goff, the bride’s grandmother, was gowned in black. Her flowers were orchids, and Mrs. Harry Wagner, of Tuscon, Ariz., sister of the groom, wore a yellow floor-length model. Her corsage was of white orchids.
“Mrs. Lula F. Bride, aunt of the groom, was gowned in turquoise lace. Her corsage was of lavender orchids.
“Several hundred guests from over the First Congressional District and out-of-state attended a reception given by Representative and Mrs. Reece at the Johnson City Country Club immediately following the ceremony.
“In the receiving line were Representative and Mrs. Reece, Lt. Colonel and Mrs. Marthens, II, Mrs. Harry Wagner, Mrs. Lula F. Bride and Mrs. Guy Despard Goff.
“The clubhouse was decorated in evergreens and white floral arrangements. Four white wedding bells were suspended from the center chandelier.
“The five-tiered wedding cake, cut by the bride with the groom’s sword, was topped with a large pink rose. Ices were molded in the shape of slippers, wedding bells and flowers.
“Guests were greeted by Mrs. Leon Reece and Mrs. Ballard Cupp, aunts of the bride, and presented to the receiving line.
“Mrs. Eddie Anderson, Jr., had charge of the guest book. Young friends of the bride who assisted in entertaining were Mrs. Tommy Gallagher, Miss Jane Artz, Miss Eugenia Range, Miss Grace Brading, Miss Helen Meredith, Miss Louise Bryan, Miss Patty Smithdeal, Mrs. Buddy Thomas, Mrs. George Hoback, Mrs. Joe Crumley of Johnson City, Mrs. Warren Anderson, and Misses Emily and Betty Tester and Mrs. Howard Staffner of Knoxville, Mrs. Ned Spratley of Hampton, Virginia, Miss Josephine Owen of Bristol, Miss Elizabeth Frost, Miss Carolyn Harrill and Miss Helen Proffitt of Elizabethton.
“Representative and Mrs. Reece also entertained Friday night with a rehearsal dinner in the private dining room at the John Sevier Hotel. Only members of the bridal party and out-of-town relatives attended.
“Mrs. Marthens entertained the same day with a luncheon for her attendants at her parents’ home. The bride’s gift to her attendants were small hand-embroidered Spanish shawls and the groom gave leather traveling kits to his attendants.
“Immediately after the reception, Lt. Colonel and Mrs. Marthens left for a wedding trip of an unannounced destination. They will be at home at 3702 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington,14, D. C., after October 15.
“For traveling, the bride wore a beige wood suit with brown accessories. Her corsage was of white orchids.
“Among the out-of-town visitors attending the wedding were:
“Mrs. James R. Thomas of Charleston, W. Va., great-aunt of the bride; Mrs. Sprigg D. Camden of Parkersburg, W. Va., Major William Van Nortwick of the U. S. Army, Fort Bragg, N. C., Mr. and Mrs. Eads Johnson, Morristown, N. J., the bride’s cousins; Dr. and Mrs. Horace Cupp, Atlanta, Ga.; Mr. and Mrs. Ava Reece, Chattanooga, Tenn., Mrs. Robert Thompson, Lafayette, Ind., uncles and aunts of the bride, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Reece, Mr. and Mrs. Ellis Reece, Chattanooga, Tenn., cousins of the bride; Mr. and Mrs. S. B. Willettes, Detroit, Mich., uncle and aunt of the groom; Mrs. Harry Wagner, Tucson, Ariz., the groom’s sister; Representative and Mrs. Howard Baker, Knoxville; General Haywood W. Hansel, U. S. Air Force; Republican National Committeeman and Mrs. J. E. Broyhill, Lenoir, N. C.; Republican National Committeeman Harry Darby of Kansas City, Kans., former United States Senator; Andrew Gahagen, New York City; Mr. and Mrs. Lupton Patton, Chattanooga; Mr. and Mrs. Roy Lotspiech, Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. Guy Smith, Knoxville; and Mr. and Mrs. Dudley G. Hay, Detroit, Mich.”
“Brazilla Carroll Reece (December 22, 1889 – March 19, 1961) was an American Republican Party politician from Tennessee. He represented eastern Tennessee in the United States House of Representatives for all but six years from 1921 to 1961 and served as the Chair of the Republican National Committee from 1946 to 1948. A conservative, he led the party’s Old Right wing alongside Robert A. Taft in crusading against interventionism, communism, and the Progressive policies pursued by the Roosevelt and Truman administrations.
“From 1953 to 1954, as chairman of the House Select Committee to Investigate Tax-Exempt Foundations and Comparable Organizations, often called the Reece Committee, he led an investigation of Communist activities by non-profit organizations, particularly educational institutions and charitable foundations. The Reece Committee concluded that foundations were actively embroiled in efforts to promote socialist and collectivist ideologies.
“Reece was born on a farm near Butler, Tennessee, as one of thirteen children of John Isaac and Sarah Maples Reece. He was named for Brazilla Carroll McBride, an ancestor who served in the War of 1812, but never used his first name. His brother, Raleigh Valentine Reece, was a reporter for the Nashville Tennessean and the teacher who replaced John Thomas Scopes at Rhea County High School in Dayton, Tennessee following the infamous ‘Monkey Trial.’
“Reece attended Watauga Academy in Butler, Tennessee and Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee. At Carson-Newman he played basketball and football. After graduating from Carson-Newman in 1914 as class valedictorian, he worked as a high school principal for one year, then enrolled in New York University, where he earned a master’s degree in economics and finance in 1916. He also studied at the University of London.” (Source: Wikipedia.com)
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