Weddings in the Anthony Lineage
1886-2021
The Anthony legacy began in Germany, moving on to La Crosse, Wisconsin where John and Gertrude met and married.
John Peter Antony was born on July 6, 1861 in Heilenbach, Germany which is in Western Germany to Jacob Johann Peter Antony and Otilla Endress. He immigrated to La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1880 with four of his brothers and his mother. He, Johann, and Nickolas changed the spelling of their last name to Anthony while Peter and Peter J. retained the spelling of Antony.
Gertrude Schmidt was born August 8, 1867 in Cologne, Germany which is in Western Germany to Heinrich Joseph Schmidt and Maria Christina Schaefer. She was the oldest of 16 children. Gertrude and her parents immigrated to Wisconsin in 1870.
John Peter Anthony and Gertrude were married on February 23, 1886 in St. Joseph’s Ridge, Wisconsin in the Catholic Church.
It’s fun to see the wedding fashions throughout the years, starting with their children.
My grandmother was their youngest child. Anna Agnes Anthony was born on July 25, 1905 in La Crosse, Wisconsin. She married my grandfather, Malcolm Bruce McLeod in 1923.
My grandparents had two children. My uncle, William Malcolm McLeod married Antoinette Frances Naples on October 18, 1958.
My mother, Geraldine Ann McLeod, was very young when she married my dad, Billy Dean Watkins, on June 13, 1954. She was just 16 and he was 24.
My mom later married Ralph Bernal in 1984.
While my mom was a very young bride, I waited a little longer and married the love of my life, Gary John Coble, on June 26, 1989 when I was 34.
The wedding fashion trends continue with the marriages of my siblings: Becky Watkins and Curtis Foister; Bill Watkins and Linda Smith; Angelina Bernal and Derek Vaughters.
John and Gertrude’s great great grandsons are the current generation to have married: Alexander Watkins and Andrea Chaira; Seth Foister and Jamie Zeuschner.
Weddings are a great way to celebrate and enjoy family time. We renewed our wedding vows on our 15th anniversary at the Colorado Renaissance Faire with both Gary’s family and my family in attendance. It’s become our tradition to attend the faire as part of our celebration. This year we will enjoy the festivities the weekend after our anniversary in June and reminisce about 135 years of weddings.
