On a small farm in rural Gilmore Township, not too far from Jollytown, on February 25, 1852, a young girl named Sarah was born to Jacob and Mary Eakin. On the 14th of February 1869, Miss Sarah married Marion Jasper Clovis of a farm nearby the Eakin home.
Her wedding dress still survives. Sarah passed the wedding dress down to her youngest daughter, Athalia Clovis, who wore it when she married James F. Ho of Brave on October 18, 1908. The dress remained in the family, being passed down from generation to generation until it came into the possession of James M. Hoy. James donated the dress to the Greene County Historical Society Museum on October 21, 2021. Also included with the dress is a copy of Marion Jasper Clovis’s and Sarah Eakin’s Marriage Certificate.
This dress is in exceptional condition as seen in the photograph taken while it was temporarily displayed on the fainting sofa in our master bedroom.
This is one of many vintage and historical wedding dresses that are part of the collection at the Greene County Historical Society Museum. Although they are all not available for viewing at any given time, they rotate through display in our clothing and sewing room exhibit on the second floor of the museum.
Keep an eye out on our Facebook page for upcoming presentations and events, and stop by the museum for a visit and see the historic clothing we have on display.