Ancestral Marriage Locations

I posted this quite a few years ago, but it has been updated with additional details of the marriage location of my parents through my great-great-grandparents. The only one I “know” was in a church was my parents’ wedding. The others who were married by a minister probably had it done at the parsonage or in the church, but I’m not certain. The only reason I know where a set of my great-great-grandparents married is that it’s mentioned in their Civil War pension papers.  Marriage records don’t often provide the precise location of the ceremony. Newspaper accounts of a marriage may provide additional details.

I’m not a big fan of writing prompts, but reviewing these locations records to see if I have more precise information might be a good idea. One never knows what one might discover.

My parents:

  • Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois–in church (local)

My grandparents

  • Keithsburg, Mercer County, Illinois–eloped (minister)
  • Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois–eloped (minister)

My great-grandparents

  • Breckenridge, Hancock County, Illinois–minister (local)
  • Tioga, Hancock County, Illinois–minister (local)
  • near Basco, Hancock County, Illinois–minister (local)
  • Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois–minister (local) at parsonage

My great-great-grandparents

  • St. John, New Brunswick, Canada
  • Walker Township, Hancock County, Illinois–minister (local) at bride’s home
  • Tioga, Hancock County, Illinois–minister (local)
  • Soap Creek Township, Davis County, Iowa–justice of peace (local)
  • near Basco, Hancock County, Illinois–minister (local)
  • Golden, Adams County, Illinois–minister (local)
  • Prairie Township, Hancock County, Illinois–minister (local)
  • Coatsburg, Adams County, Illinois–minister (local)

All the marriage locations were local to where the couples were living–except for both sets of my grandparents. My paternal grandparents drove several counties away to get married–they were well beyond legal age (32 for grandpa and 25 for grandma). My maternal grandparents got married in a town about fifteen miles from where they were living, but still within the county limits as my grandmother was under age and had to get consent.

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4 thoughts on “Ancestral Marriage Locations

  1. In my state, the groom and bride can obtain the license in one county (perhaps where they are living) and drive to another county for a minister or justice to marry them. One has to be aware that the marriage record will not be recorded in the county where the marriage actually took place.

  2. When hunting for solid and verifiable information on a “great” in Church marriage records where I thought she might be I was amazed to find that that church kept records of everyone in the wedding party. And there she was, my third great grandmother’s name, listed as a bridesmaid (to a cousin)- and partnered with her was my third great grandfather! who at that point in my research I didn’t even know had moved to Illinois from Wisconsin!! They married a year later. And then moved to Alabama….
    One never does know what might be discovered by hunting for ancestral marriage locations.
    Thanks for all your good suggestions.

    • You are welcome. I have more to add to my list, but this is a great activity–especially on those families that we think are already “done.”

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