Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== History of Cass County, Iowa Continental Historical Co., Springfield, Ill: 1884 -311- CHAPTER VIII OTHER OFFICIAL MATTERS MATRIMONIAL As in several other instances the record of marriages in Cass county in the early days of its existence is quite incomplete. The first marriage in the county was that of ALVIN JESSUP and HARRIET DRISCOLL. The license for this was granted on the 8th of June, 1853, and the ceremony performed the same day. The second was that of GEORGE SHANNON and MELISSA HEDGES, in the early part of 1854. The third was the ceremony that united the destinies of the present incumbent of the treasurer's office, G. I. CHIZUM and HANNAH BRADSHAW, on the 23d of August, 1854. None of these three appear upon the records of the county, but have been gathered either from the parties interested or their friends and neighbors. The first that appears to have been made a matter of entry, and which has been preserved, was that of WILLIAM PORTER to CATHARINE PICKETT. License was granted in accordance with the law of the State, on the 13th of August, 1855, and they were united in wedlock on the day following by his honor, W. N. DICKERSON, the County Judge. The next was the license issued to JAMES ADKINS and ELIZABETH A. LOOKABILL, on the 31st of August, 1855. Licenses, during the year 1856, were issued to the following parties: JOHN DYER and MARY PORTER, February 4th. They were married by W. H. DICKERSON, the County Judge on the 6th of the same month. E. V. SMITH and JULIA L. KNOWLAND, February 27th. ASAHEL B. DAVIS and EMMA ROE, March 18th, married the same day by Rev. J. S. RAND. ALLEN J. McCARTY and NANCY ANN BRENTON, March 14th. JOHN ERWIN, a justice the peace, performed the nuptial ceremony. D. J. SMITH and MARY A. FANSLER, April 1st. The ceremony was performed by Rev. BOWATER BALES. CLARENCE PORTER and POLLY PICKETT, July 2d. The were married by W. N. DICKERSON, County Judge. EDWARD GINGREY and ALMIRA DONAR; July 27. J. W. BRINKERHOFF, J. P., performed the rite. HUDSON REYNOLDS and MARTHA E. CHAPMAN, September 15th. Rev. J. S. RAND certifies that he performed the ceremony. ROBERT F. KIRK and LUCY F. LOCKWOOD, October 12. Married by Rev. BOWATER BALES. G. E. HAYCOOK and ZEREULA M. HEDGES, October 25th. United by the same party. MORRIS ALBOUGH and LUCY ANN BRADSHAW, October 10th. Judge DICKERSON performed the ceremony. ELYA L. PEARSON and ADELINE M. BRINKERHOFF, December 27th. Married by J. W. BRINKERHOFF, J. P. This comprises all the licenses issued during the year 1856. In 1857 licenses were issued as follows: To WILLIAM BRYAN and HELEN PORTER, February 10th. Married by E. W. DAVENPORT, acting County Judge. FRANK NORTMAN and CATHARINE STOODT, January 26tb. Married on the 22d of the following month, by P. KANAWYER, J. P. ALEXANDER KENANEY and SUSAN STEWART, August 30. Married by Rev. BOWATER BALES. AMASA CHAPMAN and AMANDA DYER, August 7th. Married by G. B. HITCHCOCK. HENRY PAPPE and SARAH J. M. PORTER, October 6th. Married by George B. HITCHCOCK. JAMES DUNCAN and EMILY FANSLER, November 26th. Married by Judge LORAH. GEORGE M. ELSEY and ADAMANTINE LITTLEFIELD, December 1st. Rev. J. M. RUST performed the ceremony. REUBEN GOUCHER and CATHERINE SETTZER, December 2d. Married by JOHN IRVIN, J. P. ALBERT WAKEFIELD and ELLEN NORTHGRAVES, December 3lst. Married by R. D. McGEEHON, J. P. In 1858 licenses were issued to the following parties: HENRY L. BRADSHAW and MARY E. LONG, April 5. Married by H. SMITH, J. P. CYRUS BAUGHMAN and RUTH A. CLARK, April 2. SIMEON FEES and FANNIE ALEXANDER, May 3d. GEORGE CONRAD and ELIZABETH DONER, June 2d. WILLIAM CHAPMAN and ELIZABETH DYER, August 8th. JAMES BAXTER and EUPHEMIA RICHARDSON, August 12th. HENRY WORMINGTON and HANNAH HOPLEY, August 18th. JOHN B. CAREY and MARY C. J. CROSSTHWAIT, December 19th. GEORGE I. TURNER and HANNAH MAHAN, December 2d. In 1859 licenses were issued to the following: JOSEPH EVERLY and ADELIA PAGE, May 10th. DAVID ROBINSON and MARY E. CLARK, August 16. NELSON BALL and MARY E. JUDD, August 3. DANIEL PALMER and SOPHIA MORRIS, September 8. NEHEMIAH C. MOFFETT and SARAH I. LITTLEFIELD, October 6. JOHN A. SMITH and MARTHA MORRIS, November 3. OZRO STOUT and ESTHER J. LORAH, November 8. Licenses were issued in *1850* (sic)to the following couples, who were duly joined in the bonds of matrimony: OTIS HARDENBERG and MARGARET HOPLEY. JOHN E. McCONNELL and MARY EARLY. JOHN W. BROWN and NANCY A. CANNON. LEWIS BEASON and AUGUSTA WOOSTER. B. J. WALTERS and MATTIE DOUTHER. FREDERICK MERRIHEW and HANNAH SMITH. TERRY LANDERS and PHOEBE PHIPPS. JOHN WHITNEY and LOUISA M. PAGE. JOSEPH PORTER and HESTER E. ATWOOD. LORENZO TEAGUE and SUSANNAH STRINGHAM. WILLIAM S. REYNOLDS and ARABELLA MACOMBER. JACOB NETH and LOUISA WORTH. William McMillan and Laomia Teague. Andrew Barenger and Mrs. Philena Gronshaw. The following table shows the number of marriages contracted from the year 1854 to 1883 inclusive: 1853..... 1 | 1870..... 54 1854..... 2 | 1871..... 58 1855..... 2 | 1872..... 63 1856..... 12 | 1873..... 80 1857..... 8 | 1874..... 117 1858..... 9 | 1875..... 149 1859..... 7 | 1876..... 143 1860..... 14 | 1877..... 140 1861..... 15 | 1878..... 154 1862..... 13 | 1879..... 158 1863..... 12 | 1880..... 181 1864..... 22 | 1881..... 189 1865..... 17 | 1882..... 200 1866..... 27 | 1883..... 108 1867..... 30 | --- 1868..... 29 | Total 2,189 1869..... 34 | A glance at the foregoing figures shows conclusively that the matrimonial market is affected by the state of the times. In 1854, and for the first few years the county was too sparsely settled to furnish any indication of it. In 1858 banks suspended and a season of depression set in, and there were fewer marriages contracted for several years, although this county was not visibly affected until 1860, when there were only a few marriages. Again, in 1875, hard times causes a visible decrease in this respect. The war, too, caused a falling off in the number of marriages annually contracted, but in 1864 and 1866, when the boys in blue came home, there were larger numbers of licenses issued by the county clerk than in any prior years. ===========================================================================