The Sudden Marriage of a Tumwater Wealthy Resident
A 79-year-old man surprises the community by wedding a young female physician after a brief courtship by mail.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
William Fix, a wealthy 79-year-old resident of Tumwater, has astonished his community by marrying a female physician, Dr. Celia Britton, who is reportedly under 30. Fix, whose fortune is valued at $75,000, traveled to Seattle last week to wed the doctor. The couple reportedly connected after a letter arrived a few months ago from the lady, expressing her desire to make his acquaintance with 'matrimonial intent.' Fix was agreeable, and the two were married shortly thereafter. Dr. Sarah Kendall, formerly of Tumwater, distanced herself from matchmaking rumors, calling the marriage a surprise to all of Dr. Britton’s friends.
“It is stated that he received a letter a few months ago from the lady he has married, stating her desire to make his acquaintance, with matrimonial intent.”
Newspaper columns of the 1890s frequently obsessed over 'May-December' marriages, often with a mix of genuine human interest and cynical curiosity regarding money. This story highlights the isolation of wealthy bachelors and the social agency of professional women like Dr. Britton in late 19th-century Washington.
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