1902 - Nelle Spaulding

Nelle Spaulding and Frank Wolfe, 1902

…a gray wool dress trimmed with white lace applique and having a pink silk pin-tucked yoke and detachable high collar and lower sleeve decorative puffs. A-line gored skirt has inverted pleats center back, a deep flounce hem and matching wool cross-over belt with topstitching.  1902

 Nelle Spaulding wore this dress upon her marriage to Frank Clarence Wolfe on February 17^th, 1902. 

Nelle was born in Athens County, Ohio on September 7, 1881, the only girl of three children. Her father, John, worked as a farmer. Nelle’s dress is fashionable for 1902 and a typical ‘good’ dress for a farmer’s daughter or working class woman that would be worn for special occasions such as going to church on Sundays. These dresses were often worn as wedding dresses because not all levels of society had the economic wherewithal to afford a special white wedding dress that would be only worn once.

 Nelle’s husband, Frank Wolfe, was born October 27, 1876 and also worked as a farmer until they moved to Columbus just prior to 1930. Nelle and Frank had three children: Alice, Charlotte and Francis. Sadly, Frank passed away in an accident in 1934. Nelle continued to live in Columbus until her passing in 1956.

 Donated by the bride’s daughter, Miss Alice Wolfe

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