By Heather Stergos
In 1950, Elizabeth McCaughen was 23 years old, a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, where she earned her Bachelors in Psychology in 1948, and was currently enrolled in the Masters program at the same University. Along with her schoolwork she kept busy working at her family’s art gallery, McCaughen & Burr.
At the same time in Baltimore, Maryland 29-year-old Harry Blagbrough was working for the Fish and Wildlife Service. A World War II veteran, Harry had attended Hamilton College before entering the service, and then received his degree in Systemic Biology from Cornell University, where many generations of his mothers family had also attended school, when he returned from the war. Originally from Syracuse, New York, Harry made his way to Baltimore after he graduated.
Little did these two young people know that their paths were about to cross, and that neither of their lives was ever going to be the same again.
In September of 1950, Elizabeth went to Baltimore, Maryland, to see two dear friends of hers from her Undergraduate days at Washington University, Glo and O.D. While visiting, the young couple mentioned to Elizabeth that there was a young man that O.D. worked with at the Fish and Wildlife Service whom they wanted her to meet. Elizabeth agreed and on her 23rd birthday she was introduced to Harry Blagbrough. They hit it off and had a very enjoyable evening.
When Elizabeth returned to St. Louis, she and Harry agreed to write each other and hoped that a visit would be possible. Finally, Harry was able to make a trip to St. Louis. This trip proved to be a sweet testimony of Harry’s devotion to Elizabeth, for he made his way from Maryland to Syracuse, New York to see family and then down to St. Louis via Ohio where he had to go through a horrible, raging blizzard. There were trucks sliding and pulling off of the road everywhere. However, Harry, anxious to see the blue-eyed black haired beauty that had stolen his heart just a few months ago kept going.
The young couple was reunited again at Christmas when Harry made another trip, this one much less eventful, to St. Louis.
By February they were engaged and on June 30th, 1951 Harry Putnam Blagbrough and Elizabseth May McCaughen were married at University Methodist Church in University City, Missouri. A wonderful reception followed at the home of Elizabeths parents in University City.
On an interesting note, the couples reception was catered by Dorin Zeller, which at the time was among the most prominent, if not the most prominent, catering business in St. Louis. This reception was to be the company’s last catering event. This same catering company catered the wedding reception of the brides aunt (Louada Voellner nee McCaughen) many years earlier. That had been the catering company’s first catering event. Things certainly do come full circle.
After the wedding, Harry and Elizabeth hopped in their Jeep station wagon with no air conditioning and headed west to Colorado where they had a glorious time. Over the years the couple would return again to the West that they both loved and when their three children were born, the couple introduced them to the country that they always loved so much: Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, Wyoming and more.
Harry and Elizabeth laughed together, cried together, became parents and grandparents together and just loved each other until my grandfather passed away 37 years after they said I do. Not nearly long enough.
They were a wonderful example of respect, partnership, humor and love. I consider myself exceedingly fortunate to be the granddaughter of Harry and Elizabeth. I wonder if they could have had any idea, on that fateful evening in Baltimore so many years ago, that their relationship would be an inspiration, an example of how to do it right and a touchstone 54 years later.
Happy Valentines Day Grandma and Grandpa.
Published Feb 2005
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