Arnold and Newlin had a relatively short courtship in San Francisco. They rode the cable cars between their living quarters and the hospital, explored the city, and saw the area sights. Arnold proposed to Newlin on a street corner going home from a laundromat, with Newlin having her hair still in curlers. She was obviously smitten with Arnold and decided that, while not a particularly romantic scenario, she admired him for wanting to marry her in her sloppiest attire.
Newlin returned to Florida to prepare for her wedding, where she lived with her mother in Crawfordville and commuted 30–40 minutes by car to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital for work. She had had a few accidents in the past driving home after her night shift, so a family member was always assign to drive her to Tallahassee and pick her up.
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| Tallahassee Memorial Hospital W-2, Newlin Ashmore, 1952 |
In reality, she spent her time working, as her cousin Helen Durrance (Earlie Helen Durrance 1915–2007) arranged everything for the wedding. Happy to have someone else (and someone with experience) take that over, Newlin only overrode the choice of going away outfit — she insisted it be made of cotton instead of wool or heavy silk to accommodate the hot and humid Florida climate.
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Certificate of Marriage for Newlin Ashmore and Arnold Hastings Nevis, September 6, 1952, First Baptist Church, Tallahassee,
signed by Rev. Jack Eppes and witnessed by matron of honor Sheryl A. Ferrell and best man John L. Mason |
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| Newlin Ashmore with her nephew Emmett "Bucky" Ferrell, III |
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| groom Arnold Nevis with John Mason (right) and Allan Tisdale (center), before the wedding |
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| Newlin with her sister and matron of honor Sheryl Ashmore Ferrell |
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| newly married Newlin Nevis |
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the wedding party, left to right: Elise Ferrell, Laura Nevis, Floreine Ashmore Marshall, Ludlow Ashmore,
matron of honor Sheryl Ashmore Ferrell, Byrne Ashmore, bride Newlin Ashmore Nevis, Allan Tisdale,
groom Arnold Nevis, Enwood Ashmore, best man John Mason, unknown, Helen Durrance,
Jean Solomon Turner, and Linda Langston at the First Baptist Church of Tallahassee |
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| Newlin and Arnold Nevis cut the cake at their wedding reception |
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| Wayne Ashmore, Newlin Ashmore Nevis, Arnold Nevis, and Emmett "Bucky" Ferrell III |
reception line: Nursie Ashmore (mother of the bride), Wayne Ashmore, Newlin Ashmore Nevis, Arnold Nevis, Hazel Nevis (mother of the groom), Sheryl Ashmore Ferrell, Helen Durrance, Jean Solomon Turner, Floreine Ashmore Marshall, Laura Nevis, Linda Langston, Elise Ferrell
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| Wayne Ashmore Nursie Ashmore, Newlin Ashmore Nevis, Arnold Nevis, Hazel Nevis, John Mason |
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Wedding reception line, marriage of Newlin Ashmore and Arnold Nevis,
June 6, 1952, First Baptist Church of Tallahassee, Florida
Bill Nevis (leftmost), Hazel Nevis (her back), Nursie Ashmore, unknown female profile, Wayne Ashmore, Emmett Ferrell, Newlin Ashmore Nevis, Sheryl Ferrell (her back) Arnold Nevis, others |
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| Newlin's eldest sister Eloise Ashmore Langston is in charge of the wedding guest book |
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| first page of the wedding guest book with bride, groom, officiant, and wedding attendants |
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| Newlin and Arnold cutting the wedding cake |
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| reception napkin from wedding of Newlin and Arnold Nevis |
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| Newlin tosses the bouquet to her bridesmaids |
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Newlin and Arnold depart on their honeymoon; Newlin's going-away outfit was red (and white);
guests throw the traditional rice at the couple for prosperity, fertility and good fortune |
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| Newlin and Arnold depart on their honeymoon in Newlin's sister and brother-in-law's car |
Arnold and Newlin borrowed a car from Newlin sister Sheryl and brother-in-law Emmett. Apparently people wrote on the car with lipstick ("just married" and the like). Arnold and Newlin did not clean it off until the next day, but by then the writing had baked into the finish of car and for the many years Sheryl and Emmett had that car, one could still see faintly the just marrieds on all sides of it.
next post Arnold and Newlin: 1952 honeymoon
previous post Arnold and Newlin 1952
first post in Flashbacks How the Nevis family came to California
first post in Arnold's Story July 1943
