The following article was located in The Kansas City Evening Star, Kansas City, Missouri, Friday, June 26, 1885, Page 4, Column1:
Romance Lasting Many Years
Made A Bride And A Widow Within Twenty-four Hours
NEW YORK, June 24.--In a handsome residence in a quiet part of Brooklyn were enacted last week the closing scenes of a romance which had its beginning there something like fifteen years ago. The residence is No. 247 Carlton ave., the home of Andrew J. Shively, the attorney of Teff, Weiler & Co., of this city, where at noon on Saturday last Miss Harriet A. Butler, of Stottsville, N.Y., was married to Gustavus P. Reed, one of the largest dry goods merchants of Masilon, O. The ceremony was followed the next morning by the sudden death of the bridegroom.
Fifteen years ago Miss Butler was a teacher in the Adelphi academy in Brooklyn and a frequent visitor at Mr. Shively's. Mr. Reed was in the habit of making periodical visits to New York for the purpose of buying goods. He was a bachelor and over 40 even then, but was of a very sociable disposition and an invariable visitor at the house of Mr. Shively. On one of those visits he made the acquaintance of Miss Butler, and formed an attachment which lasted for the remainder of his life, and resulted in making the latter Mrs. Reed just twenty-three hours before his death. But while the acquaintance and the attachment were of long standing years rolled by before an engagement ensued. Miss Butler left Brooklyn and pursued her vocation of teaching in various places, while Mr. Reed continued his career as a successful merchant, and his friends, if they had every known of it, had forgotten all about his attachment for the attractive school teacher.
About this time last year, when he was on his usual visit to this city he astonished Mr. Shively by telling him one day that he had consulted an astrologer and ascertained that it was his fate to be married within a twelve-month. A few months later Mr. Shively was still more astonished to learn that his old friend was engaged to Miss Butler. That lady was then a governess in the family of Mr. Scott, the millionaire resident of Scottville. The marriage was then fixed for the 18th of the present month. During the past winter Mr. Reed fell into ill health, and his ailment though it did not confine him to bed and was not apparently serious, baffled the skill of the local physicians. Hoping to find benefit in the salt air he came east in the latter part of May and engaged rooms at a Long Branch hotel to be occupied after his marriage. Pending the event he went to Mr. Shively's house and placed himself under the care of Dr. Robert P. Newman, who said he was suffering from heart trouble, but he did not apprehend immediate danger.
About ten days ago, when he had determined to got to Scottville to meet Miss Butler, Mr. Reed showed so much feebleness that Mr. Shively prevailed on him to give up the trip and telegraph instead for her to come to Brooklyn. Miss Butler came on at once. Though Mr. Reed continued to the last to express confidence in his ultimate recovery, his friends believe now that he secretly feared that death was near, for on Saturday morning last, while Mr. Shively was absent, he sent for the Rev. Joseph M. Wait, of St. Ann's church, to marry him. Mr. Wait was disposed to act with caution, and would not consent to perform the ceremony until he was assured by Dr. Newman that Mr. Reed was in no immediate danger. During the greater part of the ceremony Mr. Reed reclined upon a lounge. Before the marriage he insisted on making his will in favor of his wife, and as there was no lawyer to be had in the time at hand, it was drawn up by Mrs. Bainbridge, a married daughter of Mr. Shively. The will has been carefully examined by Mr. Shively and several other lawyers and pronounced to be in conformity with all the requirements of the law.
On Sunday morning Mr. Reed said he as better than he had been for a long time, but at 11 o'clock, just after the doctor had left him and while conversing with his wife, he suddenly fell back and expired of paralysis of the heart. He left his entire property, which is estimated at something over $50,000, to his wife, with the proviso that she is to take care of and provide for his mother, who is 80 years old and living in Massillon, during the remainder of her life.
A. J. Shrively is listed on the 1880 Brooklyn, Kings County, New York census record. He is living at 247 Carlton Avenue. In the household is his wife, daughter Alice C age 21, daughter "May" L age 19, daughter Grace J age 8, servant Minnie O'Rorke and servant Annie Quinn. Arthur Shirley is listed on the 1875 New York State Census, Brooklyn, Kings County at 247 Carlton Avenue. In the household are wife Minerva age 45, daughter Alice C age 17, daughter Mari E age 15, daughter Grace J age 3, Lambert C. Tree age 34, servant Minnie ORook age 22 and servant Annie Collins age 20. Andrew J. Shively is listed in the 1874 Brooklyn City Directory, living at 247 Carlton Avenue, business in dry goods at 384 Broadway, N.Y. He continues to be listed in the city directories at this address. On the 1888 Brooklyn City Directory, he is listed as living at 10 S. Oxford, a lawyer at 328 Broadway in N.Y.
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