Part 24 (1/2)

CHAPTER XVII

_The Early Marriage Record_

An interesting book in the office of the county clerk at Marion is the first marriage record kept in the county. Through the courtesy of County Clerk William Dennis we are enabled to give below a record of marriages that took place in the county from 1841 to 1855. The names and the dates have been transcribed with care, though it is possible some names here printed are not correct in every particular, due to the inability to read the writing in the record. As a rule the penmans.h.i.+p of our early clerks was distinct and readable. This is true in especial manner of the inc.u.mbency of Hosea W. Gray, who was clerk during most of the years covered by this transcript.

The book consulted in the preparation of this chapter contains both the licenses granted and the returns of the marriages. In a few instances the names in the licenses are different from those given in the returns.

A thing to be noted in this early marriage record is the youth of many of the parties. In many instances the records show the marriage of young girls of 15 and 16 years.

A number of licenses are recorded, but there is no evidence in the book that the marriages were ever celebrated, due doubtless to the failure of the officiating clergyman or justice to make the proper returns.

Many names familiar in the early days appear in this record. And it is valuable not only because it lists those pioneers who here set up their household G.o.ds soon after they arrived in the county, but also because it gives the names of the early ministers and justices of the peace in Linn county.

In this record book are recorded the licenses of the ministers of the gospel who were authorized to perform the marriage ceremony. Here are some of the names, many of them doubtless familiar to the survivors of that time:

Reverends John Hodges, Michael Summer, John Stocker, William C. Rankin, Israel C. Clark, F. R. S. Byrd, James L. Thompson, Warren B. Morey, Salmon Cowles, Isaac Searles, Henry Reed, Christian Troup, John Hindman, Allen Johnson, Uriah Ferree, James M. Fanning, Peter Robinson, Joel B. Taylor, Daniel Worthington, Luther McVay, S. H. Greenup, Duff C. Barrows, Absalom A. Sellers, Charles D. Gray, John S. Brown, John Walker, Edward R. Twining, Jacob Miller, Joshua B. Hardy, James S.

Fullerton, Robert Miller, Stephen Porter, Solomon T. Vail, Abner Corbin, Richard Swearingen, George B. Bowman, David Wanerich, Nelson Rathbern, Almiron R. Gardner, John Hayden, J. N. Seeley, J. H.

Harrison, Danforth B. Nicholas, John W. Boal, Isaac Whittimore, Bennet Roberts, E. D. Olmsted, Wesley R. Blake, Nelson A. McConnel, Elder Noah Willson, Deacon Pliny B. Yates, William Sayler, John Williams, Solomon Kern, Charles N. Morbeley, John Demoss, George P. Smith, Lucas C.

Woodford, Alexander Colwell, Samuel Farlow, Williston Jones.

Here is the record of marriages covering the period noted:

1841

July 25, Joseph Crane to Agnes Bogard, by C. W. Phelps, J. P.

August 26, James E. Bromwell to Catherine Gray, by Rev. J. M. Hummer.

October 18, John Hunter to Hannah Barbary Hines, by Calvin W. Phelps, J. P.

October 30, John Mann to Mary Mann, by C. W. Phelps, J. P.

November 3, A. Safely to Margaret Hunter, by John Stewart, J. P.

December 1, Julias Allen Peet to Ester Ann Crow, by Rev. Thomas P. Emerson.

December 7, Aaron Moriarty to Hannah Ross, by Thomas Goudy, J. P.

Dec. 12, Samuel Ross to Mary Vaughn, by John Stocker.

----, Charles Roe to Phebe Putnam, by C. W. Phelps, J. P.

1842

January 16, James c.u.mmings to Mary Ann Dorsey, by D. W. King, J. P.

January 18, Nathan Cochran to Eliza Ann Nichols, by C. W. Phelps, J. P.

February 19, James Leverich to Hannah Brody, by Aaron Usher, J. P.

March 8, William B. Hampton to Mary Ann Van Zant, by John Stewart, J. P.

April 3, Jacob Minton to Charlotte Lewis, by Aaron Usher, J. P.

April 17, Alfred Williams to Elizabeth Oliphant, by James M. Denison, J. P.

April 18, Franklin Kimble to Lidia Bristol, by C. W. Phelps, J. P.

April 24, David Rickey to Mary c.o.o.n, by Rev. John Stocker.

May 22, Harvey Dwyer to Elizabeth Bartlett, by C. W. Phelps, J. P.

May 29, Robert C. Cregg to Mary E. Dowing, by Rev. Wm. C. Rankin.

August 25, David Willson to Mercy Brody, by C. W. Phelps, J. P.

September 22, Casper Nick to Christena Briney, by John Stewart, J. P.

October 9, James Huntington to Aurilla Archer, by Thomas Goudy, J. P.

November 21, John Henderson to Manilla N. Howard, by L. M. Strong, J. P.

December 1, William B. Harrison to Emma Osborn, by Thomas Lockhart, J. P.