MONTGOMERY DEBUTANTE ASSEMBLY
BY ELIZABETH VIA BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERTSONS’ PHOTOGRAPHY

From left: Anne Parker Stanford, Elinor Young Jackson, Natalie Theresa Johnston, Elizabeth Rose Legg,
Anna Boatwright Harris, Frances Keyton Luquire and Sara Cobb Birdsong.

From left: Mary Elizabeth Ruffin Adams, Elizabeth Penton Cook, Katherine Howard Bryan,
Sallie Gilbert Rhodes, Ellen Christian Davis and Elizabeth Ballard Blake.



In a tradition begun in 1967 by a group of local parents who wanted an opportunity to present their college-aged daughters into the society, the Montgomery Debutante Assembly, presented its 42nd group of honorees at its annual Memorial Day ball. Then, as now, the cotillion was in the Montgomery Country Club, but the name, “Magnolia Ball,” has been dropped and the presentation is now simply known as the Debutante Assembly.

Designer Sarah Spratling coordinated the flower displays with Alice Blake, decorations chairman, and mothers of the debs, who provided garden flowers to create a fragrant summer garden in the presentation rooms and on the grand staircase and elegant lobby.

Sara Birdsong was chairman of this year’s ball and others on the committee were Lucy Jackson, treasurer, Lucy Luquire, invitations and Helen Johnston, publicity. Fred Bowman Bear, Jr., was chairman of the reception committee and was joined by Richard Evans Brown, Jr., Louis Charles Cardinal III, Charles Andrew Harris III, William Sydney Haynes and Earl Conwell Hooper. John Morgan Longshore was chairman of the floor committee and serving with him were Louis Rushton Rice, Dr. Clarence Arthur Steineker and Thomas Claude Tankersley. Shapard Dowdell Ashley, whose mother, Mary Ashley, was a founding member of the society, was the master of ceremonies who introduced the debutantes. The Syndicate Band played for the presentation and later for dancing.

Presented this year were: Natalie Theresa Johnston, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Rushton Johnston, presented by her father and escorted by William Ray Timms; Elizabeth Rose Legg, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Anderson Legg, presented by her father and escorted by Thomas Martin Tyson, II; Anna Boatwright Harris, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Robert Boatwright Harris, presented by her father and escorted by William Dean Azar, Jr.; Elizabeth Penton Cook, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Penton Cook, presented by her father and escorted by Allen Behling Tinson; Sara Cobb Birdsong, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Lyndon Birdsong, presented by her father and escorted by Walter McLendon Johnson; Katherine Howard Bryan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Carithers Bryan, presented by her father and escorted by Forrest Talma McConnell IV; Elinor Young Jackson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James William Jackson, Jr., presented by her father and escorted by Eugene Preston Mangum Cauthen; Frances Keyton Luquire, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Hanson Luquire, presented by her father and escorted by James Michael Thorp, Jr.; Anne Parker Stanford, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Vann Stanford, presented by her father and escorted by Cody Bret Hamilton; Sallie Gilbert Rhodes, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Spears Alexander Rhodes, Sr., presented by her father and escorted by John Stuart Yow; Ellen Christian Davis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Thomas Davis, presented by her father and escorted by Frank Anderson Holderness; Mary Elizabeth Ruffin Adams, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Adams, presented by her father and escorted by Taylor Alanson Anderson; and Elizabeth Ballard Blake, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Edward Blake and Mr. and Mrs. William Jere Longshore, Jr., presented by her father and escorted by Jeremy Wayne Crider.

Earlier in the day, there was a luncheon in Montgomery Country Club for the grandmothers of the honorees, at which engraved silver picture frames were presented to the debutantes as mementos of their special evening.


MYSTIC ORDER OF MINERVA
BY ELIZABETH VIA BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERTSONS’ PHOTOGRAPHY


Continuing a tradition begun with Queen Victoria, the debutantes of the Mystic Order of Minerva wore pastel ball gowns with matching feather plumes attached to veils of tulle for the annual formal ball held in the Montgomery Country Club the Friday night after Thanksgiving Day. The custom of presenting women at court was created after the queen’s marriage to Prince Albert in 1840. Then, as now at M.O.O.M. the debutantes carried fans clasped with iridescent peacock feathers and pink, peach, gold and green roses.

Following their formal courtesy to the court and guests, the young women, who are college juniors, sat on small gold chairs as they waited for the dancing to begin. Arranged by Sarah Spratling, the floral displays included three sets of candelabras cascading with muted roses. She also used the dusty shades of pastel roses and stock throughout the ballroom intermingled with fall foliage in the tones of gold with hints of orange and red.

The ladies of M.O.O.M., the city’s only all-women debutante society, wore royal blue robes and masks to conceal their identities. Minerva, the queen of the ball, wore a more elaborate sequined mask trimmed with peacock feathers, a society signature.

The queen wore a stunning white satin gown with a bodice of beaded black cutwork tied at the waist with a black moiré sash. Jay Herring of Mystick Couturier of Wetumpka created it for her. Borrowed from last’s year’s Minerva, her mask was also trimmed with peacock feathers.

Serving on the Reception Committee were Mrs. William Thomas Dowdle III, Mrs. Henry Paul Haas, Mrs. John Hawkins Napier III and Mrs. Edward Hamilton Wilson Jr. The Floor Committee was William Edward Blake, Mark Thomas Davis, Dr. Norwood Japheth Fleming Jr., James William Jackson Jr., Eugene Philip Mangum and Spears Alexander Rhodes.

Making their debuts were: Susan Huntley Chapman, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Allan Craig Chapman, presented by her father and escorted by Robert Franklin Runkle Jr.; Mary Grant Démére, daughter of Mrs. Raymond Sullivan Démére and the late Mr. Démére, presented by George William Thompson III and escorted by William Gray Millsap; Jennifer Anne Hackett, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Joseph Hackett, presented by her father and escorted by Thomas Rutherford Sellers; Elizabeth Brooks Hall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Allen Hall Sr., presented by her father and escorted by John Christopher Lambert; Elizabeth Ruth Humphrey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Steven Jack Humphrey, presented by her father and escorted by Christopher Knox Kershaw and Anne Ferrell McDonald, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Fairley McDonald III, presented by her father and escorted by Richard Barrett Austin.

KREWE OF ATHENIANS BALL
BY ELIZABETH VIA BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL ROBERTSON

“Deb or No Deb” was the dilemma put to the debutante candidates of the 59th annual Krewe of Athenians. With tongue in cheek, Miles DeMott, the master of ceremonies, donned a bald toupee to play the part of Howie Mandell, the host of TVs “Deal or No Deal” to entice this year’s young college juniors to make their social presentation into society. This being Montgomery, where mystic and debutante organizations have been part of the social structure for the last 100 years, the “debs,” who were costumed men of the society, jumped at the chance to don ball gowns and to be introduced into society.

After finding alternative locations while the Civic Center underwent renovations, Athenians was the first society to return to a downtown venue, the new Renaissance Montgomery.

Reigning as queen was Elizabeth Ruth Humphrey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Steven Jack Humphrey. She enlisted the help of Randy Fenoli, the fashion director of Kleinfeld’s of New York, to create her sumptuous silk-faced satin gown in a rich candlelight color. Her escort for the evening was Gatewood Jack Thrasher V.

Serving as Maids of the Court were: Caroline Christine Caddell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Kirby Caddell, presented by John Ward Weiss and Committeeman John Kirby Caddell, escorted by John Ward Weiss; Mary Grant Démére, daughter of Mrs. Raymond Sullivan Démére and the late Mr. Démére, presented by James Hill McLemore and Committeeman Harry Eugene Teasley Jr. and escorted by her brother, Raymond Démére Jr.; Simpson Elizabeth Fletcher, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Charles Tennant Fletcher Jr., presented by Dr. Charles Tennant Fletcher Jr. and Committeeman Charles Tennant Fletcher III and escorted by John Crawford Freeman; Elizabeth Brooks Hall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Allen Hall Sr., presented by Young Wilkerson Stevenson Sr. and Committeeman Timothy Allen Hall Sr., escorted by Chris Lambert; Julia Ann Starke, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bolling Powell Starke III, granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bolling Powell Starke Jr., presented by Bolling Powell Starke III and Committeeman Bolling Powell Starke Jr., escorted by Adam Wade Pitman and Elizabeth Owen Wiatt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Streeter Wiatt Jr., presented by Dr. James Allen Clark III and Committeeman James Streeter Wiatt Jr. and escorted by Jonathon Robert Post.

Wearing frilly white cotton batiste dresses and sparkling halos in their hair, the princesses of the court attending the queen were: Margaret Wilder Chandler, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dudley Carlyle Chandler III; Anna Cobern Chapman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Peyton Chapman III; Anne Tyler Fitzpatrick, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Lawrence Fitzpatrick; Virginia Layne Fox, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Russell Fox; Mary Elizabeth Hill, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chappell Henry Lipscomb Hill; Anne Mallory Jenkins, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Michael Jenkins V; Ann McCall Mead, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Philip Mead II; Bentley Anne Moore, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Tanner Moore III; Anna Oliver Munson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Edward Munson; Mary Jane Roberts, daughter of Paula Hamn Roberts; Charlotte Coleman Speir, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wyeth Holt Speir III; Mildred Diane Stevenson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Jefferson Stevenson; Sarah Grace Sullivan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Joseph Sullivan and Jane Douglas Yelverton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Douglas Yelverton III.



BLUE AND GRAY COLONELS BALL
BY ELIZABETH VIA BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE ROBERTSONS



Since 1950, the Saturday evening before or the closest to Christmas has been reserved for the Blue and Gray Colonels Ball and at 32, this year’s court was the largest in many years. The young women, all college freshmen home for the holidays, wore formal long white presentation gowns with above-the elbow white gloves and carried round bouquets of mixed flowers tied with white ribbons. They were presented before a backdrop of the Villa de Estes designed by Spangenberg of New Orleans. The royal throne was elevated with portico balustrades and flanked by shrubs in golden urns surrounded by tall stems of a variety of blossoms.

As it has for the past three decades, the Peter Duchin Orchestra played for the presentation of the court and for dancing. Walton McLendon Johnson was the captain of the candlelighters and was assisted by Richard Evans Brown, Seth Berhnardt Champion, Joseph McArthur Gill, Andrew Joseph Henry and Michael Hogan Jones Jr.

Mary Frances Harris, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Andrew Harris, III and granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Charles Andrew Harris Jr., was presented by her father as the queen of the ball and was escorted by Jonathon Blake Lewis.

Presented as maids of the court were: Katherine Ann Leisy presented by her father, Colonel Henry Eric Leisy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Eric Leisy, escorted by Evan Alfred Hargrave; Sarah Holland Jones presented by Colonel Edwin H. Auerbach, III, daughter of Carol Auerbach Jones and Michael H. Jones, granddaughter of Mrs. Edwin H. Auerbach, Jr. and the late Colonel Auerbach And the late Betty Langham Auerbach, escorted by Joseph Gregory Gilbert; Emily Anne McLaughlin presented by her father Colonel James Thomas McLaughlin, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. James Thomas McLaughlin and escorted by David Kyle Johnson; Lauren Elizabeth Hood presented by her father Colonel William Guy Hood III, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Guy Hood, III and escorted by Samuel Alexander Skeen; Aria Bianca Maria Vainstein, presented by her grandfather Colonel Paul Wilhite Miles, daughter of Mary Reynolds Miles Vainstein, granddaughter of Colonel and Mrs. Miles and escorted by Garrett Douglas Bamman; Kyndal Joy Curtis presented by her father Colonel Joseph Franklin Curtis, Jr., daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Franklin Curtis, Jr., and escorted Neil Alexander Tindell; Victoria Grace Champion, presented by her father Colonel Thomas E. Borton III, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Borton, III and escorted by Chad Gibson Crews; Elizabeth LeClair Bemis presented by her father Colonel John Frederick Bemis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Frederick Bemis and escorted by Jesse Harrison Blount; Claire Elizabeth Moore presented by her father Colonel William H. Moore Jr., daughter of Dr. and Mrs. William H. Moore, Jr. and escorted by Clark Kenneth Hankings; Caroline McClure Lee presented by her father Colonel Robert Gibbs Lee, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gibbs Lee and escorted by Thomas Allen Gore; Eola Mary Darrington Davis presented by her father Colonel Charles Stephen Davis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Stephen Davis and escorted by Robert Loftin Rinehart; Kimberly Ashlyn Pouncey presented by her grandfather Colonel Mark Daniel Tiller, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Clarence Claude Pouncey, III and granddaughter of Colonel and Mrs. Mark Daniel Tiller, escorted by Noble Seay Jones Jr.; Lauren Elizabeth Miles, presented by her father Colonel Wilson Daniel Miles III, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Daniel Miles III and escorted by Patrick Dyer McWhorter Jr.; Glenn Pearson Poundstone presented by Colonel John Curran Sullivan Jr., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Curran Sullivan, Jr. and Wylie Dixon Poundstone Jr. and escorted by Donald Rush Jones III; Lillian Kathleen Leadingham presented by her father Colonel Arthur Marion Leadingham Jr., daughter of Mr. Leadingham and Janet Kay Stevenson and escorted by William Lewis Merritt III; Lucy Oliver Upchurch presented by her father Colonel William Kendrick Upchurch III, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Kendrick Upchurch III, great-granddaughter of the late Colonel and Mrs. William Iverson Bowman and escorted by Charles Harrison Davis; Laura Victoria Bownes presented by Colonel Edward Simmons Pearson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Simmons Pearson and escorted by Robert Douglas Seip II; Amy Culleton Leslie presented by her father Colonel Henry Arthur Leslie Jr., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Arthur Leslie Jr. and escorted by Matthew Ted Anderson; Winifred Taylor Patterson presented by Colonel Perry O. Hooper Sr., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph David Patterson, granddaughter of Colonel Winifred Taylor Hillis and the late Colonel Seaborn Windell Hillis and escorted by Charles Carter Crutchfield; Elizabeth Lundy Starke presented by her father Colonel Bolling Powell Starke III, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bolling Powell Starke III and escorted by Fred Bowman Bear III; Elyse Anne Evans presented by her father Colonel Olan Neal Evans, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Olan Neal Evans and escorted by Scott William Shinbaum; Elizabeth Anne-Bedford Daly presented by her father Colonel Daniel Martin Daly, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Martin Daly and escorted by Michael Robertson Foxhall; Anne McKenzie McEntire presented by her father Colonel LeRoy McEntire III, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy McEntire III and escorted by Albert Whiting Copeland II; Lillian Arnau Wilson presented by her father Colonel James W. Wilson III, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James W. Wilson III and escorted by John Jefferson St. John; Martha Burke Chapman Rice presented by her father Colonel Louis Rushton Rice, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Rushton Rice and escorted by Fred Davis Brown; Blair Henderson Parks presented by her father Colonel Jack Darrell Parks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Darrell Parks and escorted by Austin Lee Morriss; Madison Leigh Davis presented by Colonel Patrick Dennis Mahaney, daughter of Cheryl Driver Davis and the late Randolph Worth Davis and escorted by Caleb Moffitt Babington; Liza Lang Cardinal presented by Colonel Fred Bowman Bear Jr., daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Louis Charles Cardinal III, granddaughter of Colonel and Mrs. Louis Charles Cardinal Jr., great-granddaughter of the late Colonel and Mrs. William Iverson Bowman and escorted by William Haisten Nix Jr.; Frances Elizabeth Rutledge presented by her father Colonel Stephen Goddard Rutledge, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Goddard Rutledge and escorted by Menza Loftin Head Weiss; Rebecca Jean Lewis presented by her father Colonel Timothy Alan Lewis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Alan Lewis and escorted by Boyd Wigham Taylor and Martha Houston Sasser presented by her grandfather Colonel James Gorman Houston Jr., daughter of Mildred Vance Houston and James Theodore Sasser, granddaughter of Colonel and Mrs. Houston and escorted by Collier Steadman Williams.


MYSTIC ORDER OF REVELRY
BY ELIZABETH VIA BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERTSONS’ PHOTOGRAPHY







Concealed behind a glittering mask, the identity of the king of the Mystic Order of Revelry was kept secret at the society’s New Year’s Eve Ball at Montgomery Country Club. As is the custom of the city’s oldest men’s debutante society, the king selects his royal garments, and this year the sovereign chose to wear the heavily embellished black and gold cape worn by the 1996 ball captain.

Sarah Spratling and her team of talented floral designers used shimmering drapes of gold and silver lame to create a festive setting for the presentation of the court. Stargazer lilies, Belles of Ireland, hot pink roses, purple orchids and lavender stock cascaded from swags along the staircase and hung from ribbons from bare branches in the grand foyer. Greeting arriving guests as the reception committee were Sid Coleman, chairman, Dee Moody, Bill Davis, Thomas Tankersley and George Thompson.

As Charlie Harris, the master of ceremonies announced the program, Randy Foster, piano, and Dennis Harrick, trumpet, played the fanfare. Nancy Elizabeth Smith Wilson, daughter of Ham and Cindy Wilson, reigned as queen of the 81 year-old society. For all of the years except during WWII, the men have ushered in the New Year with a formal ball.

For her special night, Nancy Beth wore the same gown her sister, Hallie, wore in 2003 when she was queen of MOR and that her sister, Bradley, wore as queen of Harlequins, several years earlier. With it, the queen wore the society’s fur-trimmed train.

Presented as maids were: Laura Kathryn Chambless, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Chambless; Susan Huntley Chapman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alan Craig Chapman; Mary Grant Démére, daughter of Mrs. Martha Teasley Démére and the late Raymond Sullivan Démére; Alison Coats Goodwyn, daughter of Leslie Coats Goodwyn and George Thomas Goodwyn Jr.; Jennifer Anne Hackett, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Joseph Hackett; Elizabeth Brooks Hall, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Allen Hall; Elizabeth Ruth Humphrey, daughter and Mr. and Mrs. Steven Jack Humphrey; Anne Ferrell McDonald, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Fairley McDonald III; Carrie Alice McLemore, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Jackson McLemore IV; Molly McGlynn McLemore, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold McGlynn McLemore; Nancy Catherine Pearson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joel Hartley Pearson; Julia Ann Starke, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bolling Powell Starke III; Camilla Ann Thompson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Lamar Thompson and Elizabeth Owen Wiatt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Streeter Wiatt Jr.

Serving as royal pages were William Micou Jordan Barganier II, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Micou Jordan Barganier, William Bonner Engelhardt Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Miller Bonner Engelhardt, and Walter Turner Taylor, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Lewis Taylor.

Following the presentation, Tapestry provided musical entertainment in the main ballroom and in the club’s Colonial Room and Frankie Velvet and the Veltones played in the main bar.

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