Relatively Speaking Blog

January 25 marks the 100^th anniversary of the marriage of my grandparents, William “Bill” Eden Ludwick and Marjorie “Madge” Belle Fowler.  They were married in the United Brethren Church in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.  The ceremony was performed by Rev. W.A. Knapp, with his wife Mrs. Knapp as the witness.  After their wedding they travelled by train to New York City to spend their honeymoon.

Bill was born in Greensburg PA and when a young boy, the family moved to Youngwood, PA. The youngest of seven children, he grew up in Youngwood and become employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad.  Madge, the youngest of seven daughters, had grown up in Uniontown, PA.  She was employed as a telephone operator and would come to Youngwood to visit her sister Carrie, who had settled in Youngwood with her family.

A side street that ran beside Carrie’s house led to the farm where the Ludwick’s lived. Since Bill and his family would travel by Carrie’s house on their way to and from their home, Madge had seen Bill passing.  I asked my grandmother how they met and Madge recounted that it was after church.  She said that often after church there would be crowds of fellas hanging around, and one day, Bill approached her and asked if he could escort her home.  She replied “yes.”

Madge related one incident before they were serious. She went to the post office and a bunch of fellas were standing around outside, Bill among them, as she entered the building.  When she came out, Madge didn’t look left or right, but continued on her way back to her sister’s.  Afterward, she wrote a letter that said, “I guess you don’t recognize your friends anymore.”  She didn’t sign it, and sent it through the mail to Bill.  She got his attention; Madge got a phone call from Bill after he received the letter.  I guess you could say the rest is history.  They were married almost 50 years until his death, living most of their married life in Youngwood where they raised three children.