OUR Honey-Moon

The story of the Packhiser's 1932 Honeymoon Drive from Coast to Coast

 by Grandson Frederick Walton, Family Historian

Erwin and Lydia's Wedding Photo
May 5, 1932

My grandparents, Erwin Rudolph Packhiser (1898-1981) and Lydia Hedwig Kroll (1904-1995) were married in Middletown, New York on Thursday, May 5th 1932 at St. Johns Lutheran church. 

I think this is probably where they met as part of the Luther league, a social club for young Lutherans. 

 Their wedding was reported  in the New York Times on Friday May 6, 1932, the following day, but  by then they were already well into the first leg of their epic Honeymoon Journey.

It may seem odd, that the title of the Times piece gives no indication of the Packhiser's nuptials. In fact, the wedding announcement itself seems to be in third place. The headliner is Erwin’s best man, Enrico Caruso, Jr., the illegitimate son of the world famous opera singer.

Enrico Caruso, Jr. circa 1932 Note dedication to Erwin and Lydia Packhiser
and his nickname "Ric"

Erwin met him while singing in Broadway shows where they became friends. Later Ric, as he was known, met Erwin's sister, Helen and they fell in love. Since Erwin’s father wasn’t a renowned opera singer, Caruso got top billing, although the occasion was Erwin and Lydia’s Wedding. Even sister Helen is mentioned before the bridal couple!

Erwin Packhiser (R) in front of Stage Door at a Broadway Theatre.

Another important tidbit is the announcement of their honeymoon plans:

"Mr. Caruso, who has appeared on the stage in Italy, left immediately after the wedding with the bridal couple and Miss Helen Packhiser, sister of the bridegroom, for Hollywood, where the four expect to engage in motion-picture production."

I knew that my grandparents had traveled across the country on their honeymoon, but didn't know they has made such a quick departure. Years after my grandmother passed I realized what a life-changing adventure this trip must have been and wished I had asked her more about it. I wondered where they traveled and visited, but didn’t think I’d ever find out…until now. I recently discover a treasure trove of 1932 souvenirs.

Cover of 1932 Honey-Moon Scrapbook

My grandparents made a scrap book of their journey, which I hope to use to fill in some of the blanks and maybe explain some of the old pictures that have passed down to me. These discoveries will be the subjects of future Blogs. But for now, back to the wedding.

The local Middletown Herald News was kinder to the Wedding Couple. At least they are mentioned in the headline, "BEST MAN AND COUPLE LEAVE FOR MOVIEDOM", even if it is after the Best Man!

The lengthy article, published on the front page of the May 5, 1932 edition, the same day as the wedding,  describes the brides wedding attire. 

    "The bride was given in marriage by her father. She was attired in a pearl gray suit trimmed with gray fur and wore a gray hat. "

The scrap book starts with the above photo of my grandparents, the only item on the very first page. The remaining pages have nearly ever inch covered with pasted in mementos of their journey. Like me, you might have assumed this was a picture of their traveling outfit, but we would be wrong.

Looking at the photo of the bride above, the newspaper description perfectly describes the wedding outfit she is wearing in the photo. The suit appears to be "pearl gray" and above her knee, fur trim can be seen. Look closely at her hat, there is a little piece of netting covering her brow. (at first glance I thought it was a smudge on the photo). Viewing the scanned photo under high magnification, the couples hands appear slightly blurred although their faces and upper bodies are in perfect focus.The hands, being within the same focal plane, should be in focus too, but they aren't because the camera has caught motion. Is it a nervous shudder or more likely a tender hand squeeze just as the photographer snapped the portrait?

Besides the fact that the newspaper article describes her outfit, there was an even more convincing clue written directly on the back of the photo: 

"Our Wedding Day 5/5/1932; On our way to California."

 

My mother,  Jeanne, recalls her mother Lydia telling her that once they decided to get married,  Erwin didn't want to wait. There was no time to plan a big wedding or buy a brides dress. She couldn't recall the reason for such urgency. Perhaps he was just anxious to begin a new life in Hollywood, chasing his dream. 

In future Blogs I'll explore some of the keepsakes they pasted in the album, using them to tell the story of their Honeymoon Trip Ninety years ago!

Read the whole Front Page story of the wedding in the May 5, 1932 Middletown Times Herald News 

 

Next: On Our Way To California