Sometime in January of 1904 the local newspaper, Northern Indianian had
the following article.
MUST MAKE THE RETURN
Many Ministers fail to comply with Marriage
Law
A List is Given Wherein the Parties Married Have No Legal Record of the
Ceremony.
An examination of the marriage records in the county clerk's office
by a representative of this paper revealed a rather startling state of
affairs. Two hundred couples to whom marriage licenses have been issued
within the past twenty-five years, are not duly married --at least there
is no record of the return of their marriage in the clerks's office at
the court house, where the law states plainly it must be made. The fault
does not lie with the county officer, but with the officiating minister,
priest, judge, justice or whoever performs the wedding ceremony, and the
officiating persons at each of the 200 weddings which have not been
recorded is guilty of violation of the state law and subject to a fine of
from $5 to $100. The failure to record the marriage does not invalidate
the marriage, but there is no legal wedding as the parties might discover
in many cases of real estate transactions and in court proceedings.
A widow of an old soldier, who died recently, applied for a pension
and for the reason that the officiating minister failed to make a record
of their marriage in Marshall county twenty-three years ago she will
probably be unable to secure the pension. The officiating minister is
dead, as are all of the witnesses to the ceremony and although the couple
had lived together since their marriage they have no legal proof that
they were ever married.
The following list is the list of marriage licenses which have been
issued in the past twenty-five years --from January 1, 1880, to October
28, 1904 -- and for which there is no marriage return for legal record:
1880
William A. Wise and Lucetta Wertenberger
John W. Walburn and Lottie Henry
William M. Jones and Laura M. Streiby (type is broken... I am guessing)
Davis W. Finters and Cynthia A. Heighway
Thos. D. Townert and Mollie Harsh
William Yohn and Rosa Kelkes
Elmon Schutt and Marie Anderick
1881
Frank Henry and Mary A. Carty
Hiram P. Platt and Emma E. Ovill
Byron E. Eherenman and Elizabeth Woods
John R. Secor and Margaret A. Warn
Jasper Hively and Florence Henderson
1882
Charley Wray and Adaline Powell
Horace W. Smith and Nevada Ball
Gainer M. Pierce and Nannie C. Peck
Howard Zimmerman and Clara J. Bowman
John F. Burkett and Belle Weimer
Lewis E. Sherwood and Sarah C. McCuen
Patrick J. Walsch and Mary A. Harp
1883
Ira Shireman and Alice Study
Melvina W. Sellers and Estella Zimmerman
George Easterday and Katie Miner
William Hudson and Ada Whetstone
William H. Elder and Cora A. Moore
Andrew Stafford and Nancy Miller
1884
Stephen Losgoski and Agnes Valeroski
John W. Cannade and Sarah Perhamus
Benjamin F. Ulrey and Mary Melary
Ewald Von Messow and Carrie E. Thompson
Harry Boyd and Emma Frush
Rudolph Wilkinson and Emma Beard
1885
Edwin Huff and Kittle Stoner
Daniel W. Bratt and Tina Bright
Alonza F. Bright and Dora F. Miles
Isaac F. Whitney and Rachel Jacke
Lewis C. Hahn and Amanda B. Mocke
Henry N. Baker and May Calvert
1886
James Paxton and Laura Adams
George Wrigley and Mary E. Warner
Abraham L. Markley and Matilda Coy
James E. Smith and Miranda A. Hillery
1887
John B. Smith and Milda Hunter
George F. Robinson and Martha A. Nickler
Charles Collier and Mary Smith
Glenn Ervin and Mary Rapp
John Harmon and Edna V. Wray
Alphonsus Walsh and Mary Whalen
John H. Cooper and Ida B. Fisher
Frank Mills and Jennie McKrill
John Elder and Anna Dingledin
Edward A. Bayliss and Mary C. Cress
Ephraim M. Stahl and Rosa Bortz
Harry Dangler and Ettie C. Hendrickson
1888
John Salsgiver and Rachel A. Middletroff
Sherman Evans and Anna Near
James Biller and Eliza Hobach
Abraham Roberts and Lorena Fisher
George W. Barnes and Mary A. Barnes
1889
Charles Amiss and Debbie Rhoades
Abraham Dillman and Mary Olinger
Alford S. Bright and Fannie E. Spangle
David
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Bilby and Lavina Spiker
John W. Bratt and Harrick Johnson
William H. Maston and Marie Galbreath
Milton H. Wolf and Mary Johnson
Charles Beck and Sarah A. Geyer
1890
Adam H. Smith and Hattie B. Miles
1891
Frank Holderman and Lillie Stoner
Elijah Neff and Lizzie Robinson
1892
William Linn and Maggie Heminger
W. J. Brady and Annie Nelson
David Karns and Mary Petra
1893
1894
Melvin M. Minear and Myrtle Smith
Edward Oster and Tillie Fox
1895
William Hawk and Mary Kuhn
1896
William J. Foley and Mattie Thompson
John Dilsaver and Etonetta Rhoades
John M. Denberry and Lulu E. Bothel
1897
George Latteridge and Pearl Kinder
Martin Brumbaugh and Anna Hoffer
Sylvester Lentz and Laura Evans
Darius Hall and Marie L. Nelson
1898
Marmaduke Johnston and Emma Warner
Elwood Golbert and Lillie Smith
1899
Melvin Ricket and Ida May Shannon
1900
Elmer Jacobs and Cora Oswalt
1901
Ira Collins and Elsie Jacobs
1902
Archibald L. Crinns and Augusta Halderman
John Fifer and Florence Strain
Joseph M. Cook and Addie Grisso
1903
Charles Wilcox and Elnora Darr
Homer Vancuren and Mabel Orr
Nathaniel Francis and Mary Rovenstine
Charles W. Culler and May Sarber
Emery L. Hossler and Eva J. Workman
1904
William L. Sutherlan and Grace Stillwell
Edward L. Starner and Rosa C. O'Connell
James Deford and Lesta I. Bradbury
Clyde C. Freeman and Mary E. Schollard
.......The article goes on to ask the officiating personage to please
come in and complete the record. The names have been given as they were
in the paper. No attempt (at this time) has been made to confirm or deny
any of this material. If there is someone who wants a particular
marriage in this listing checked against the official record, I can do
that. marge priser
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