KENNEDY- FITZGERALD WEDDING CENTENNIAL

JOSEPH KENNEDY MARRIED ROSE FITZGERALD 100 YEARS AGO TODAY

Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) The parents of a future President of the United States, Joseph P. and Rose Kennedy, exchanged marriage vows one hundred years ago today, October 7, 1914.

The Mayor of the city of Boston, Massachusetts, John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, gave away his daughter Rose.

The marriage ceremony was held in the private chapel of William Cardinal O'Connell at 25 Granby Street at 9 a.m.  Rose wore a white satin gown and her sister, Agnes, served as Maid of Honor while Mr. Kennedy's Harvard classmate, Joseph Donovan, was Best Man.

According to today's TIME article by James Graham*, Mayor Fitzgerald "had doubts about" his daughter's choice, but argues that it was a good thing that Miss Fitzgerald did not share those doubts.

Graham points out that of Joe and Rose's nine children, three became U.S. Senators and one, of course, became President of the United States.

James Graham writes...

"Their wedding probably influenced the course of American history more than any before or since."

He also adds that other Kennedy children, Joe Junior, Kathleen, Patricia and Jean made distinctive contributions in public service.

Mr. Graham, who is the author of "Victura: the Kennedys, a Sailboat and the Sea," writes that the family's obsession "about sailing and winning races" was a major contribution to their success.  

The Kennedy sailboat, Victura, meaning about to conquer, was named by 15 year old Jack Kennedy.

Fitzgerald-Kennedy Wedding

October 7, 1914

SOURCE

"The Wedding That Changed American History," by James W. Graham.  October 7, 2014, www.time.com/3462557/Kennedy-wedding/

*James W. Graham lives in Wilmette, Illinois.  His publisher is Fore Edge, University Press of New England.  His website is at http://thevictura.com

His book, "Victura: the Kennedys, a Sailboat and the Sea," is available for $29.95 and the Ebook version is $22.99.  These may be purchased by calling 1--800-421-1561 or by accessing www.upne.com

Rich Evans, in his SAILING magazine book review of March 2014 writes...

"Victura is more than Graham recounting the sailing experiences of the Kennedys.  He (shows) how in the best and worst of times, the family pulled together around...sailing."

Victura

JFK Library

Photo by John White (1986)

SUMMER WEEKEND AT HYANNIS

KENNEDYS HOST GLENN FAMILY AT HYANNISPORT

Hyannisport, Massachusetts (JFK+50) NASA astronaut John Glenn along with his wife and family were entertained 52 years ago today, July 22, 1962, by President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy here at the summer White House in Hyannisport*.

Victura

JFK Library

Photo by John White (1986)^

^Originally from a slide taken from my Minolta SRT101.

Members of the Glenn family were taken on cruises and enjoyed water skiing.

The President, unfortunately, had a mishap when his sailboat, Victura**, ran aground near the family compound and also when the mainsail collapsed during relaunch.

Victura

JFK Library

Photo by John White (1986)

*Hyannisport is a small village located in Barnstable and Hyannis, MA.  The residential community has a population of 115 with 193 housing units, although the majority are unoccupied much of the time due to seasonal use.

HP is the location of the Kennedy Compound which includes the home on Nantucket Sound once owned by Mr. Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.  The main house was donated in 2012 to the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.

JFK Sailing on the Victura

Mural at the JFK Library

Photo by John White (1986)

**James W. Graham has written a book just recently published by Fore Edge, University Press of New England titled "Victura:  The Kennedys, a Sailboat and the Sea."  Mr. Graham writes...

"To truly understand the dynamics and magic of the Kennedy family, one must understand the intense relationship with sailing and the sea."

          

ROSE FITZGERALD BORN IN BOSTON 

Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) The mother of the 35th President of the United States, Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald Kennedy, was born 124 years ago today, July 22, 1890 at 4 Garden Court Street here in Boston's North End.

Rose's parents were John F. and Mary Josephine Fitzgerald.  Rose studied piano at the New England Conservatory and attended the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Manhattanville, New York.

Rose met Joe Kennedy in Old Orchard, Maine in 1906 and after a long courtship, Rose married Joseph P. Kennedy on October 7, 1914. 

Rose later recalled...

"I fell in love when I was seventeen and I never fell out."

Rose's father, John F. "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, then the Mayor of Boston, did not share his daughter's love for Joe and the wedding ceremony was held in private attended only by family and the closest friends.

The couple began their marriage living in Brookline and would eventually have 9 children,  one of them becoming president and two others becoming United States Senators.  

Rose was a devout Catholic who almost always attended Sunday Mass.  She died at the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port on January 22, 1995.

The funeral was held at St. Stephen's Church on January 24 in Boston's North End where Rose had been born.

Her surviving son, Senator Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy spoke to the 800 people who came to pay their respects to his mother.  He said...

"She has gone to God.  She is home.  And at this moment, she is happily presiding at a heavenly table with both of her Joes, with Jack and Kathleen, with Bobby and David.

And as she did all our lives, whether it was when I walked back through the rain from school as a child, or when a  president who was her son came back to Hyannis Port, she will be there ready to welcome the rest of us home someday."

Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, who left behind 30 grandchildren and 41 great grandchildren, was buried in Brookline's Holyhood Cemetery next to her husband Joe.

Rose and Jack

December 6, 1962

Photo by Abbie Rowe/JFK Library

JFK Library Photo