A world catastrophe, a train wreck and a downpour.

Oh, and your father invited everyone in Missouri to be there.

Such was the lead up to the wedding of Genevieve Clark, the witty, charming and unflappable daughter of U.S. Speaker of the House Champ Clark.

She could have taken her vows with Louisiana newspaper executive James Thomson anywhere she pleased.

But Genevieve insisted the ceremony take place on the lawn of the family’s Bowling Green home, Honey Shuck. After much fanfare, the nuptials were scheduled for June 30, 1015.

Champ kept his fingers crossed that the May 7 sinking of the Lusitania by a German U-boat would not force him back to Washington. Because he disliked formal invitations, the Speaker let all Missourians know they were welcome.

Up to 12,000 showed up in a town that had a population at the time of around 1,600. Extra train cars were brought in to provide bunks. Local banks stored hundreds of gifts meant for the couple in their vaults. The women of Bowling Green baked 500 cakes.

If all of that wasn’t crazy enough, a train carrying members of the wedding party and guests derailed near Curryville early the morning of the wedding.

Genevieve’s equally-robust mother led the rescue party. She climbed over barbed wire fences and waded through a half-mile of what the Bowling Green Times called “a miniature sea of muddy water” to reach the wreck. Champ slept through it.

A torrential rain hit Bowling Green a few hours later, but everything was a go by the time the ceremony started at 4 p.m. In keeping with tradition, Genevieve wore something old (a hand-embroidered underskirt used by her mother on her wedding day), something new (a veil), something borrowed (old lace provided by a St. Louis matron) and something blue (a bluebird pin).

The proud papa walked his daughter down the flower-boarded sidewalk to the altar. The double-ring Episcopalian ceremony was performed by the Rev. Robert S. Boyd. Part of the honeymoon was spent in Chicago.

The couple’s only child, Champ Clark Thomson, died of pneumonia at age two in 1919.

Genevieve remained active in politics. After James Thomson retired from the newspaper business, he and his wife moved to Virginia. He died at age 81 on Sept. 25, 1959. Genevieve passed at age 86 on Feb. 16, 1981.

 

CUTLINE FOR PHOTO:

   Champ Clark walks his daughter, Genevieve, down the aisle at her wedding on June 30, 1915, at the family’s home, Honey Shuck, in Bowling Green.