Ancestors and Valentines

Happy Valentine's Day!

This year I've been thinking about love and marriage in years long gone - the years of my ancestors.

I wonder, but don't know, how or if my ancestors celebrated Valentine's Day. No postcards nor candy boxes nor love letters remain in my possession or in the possession of any distant relative I know.

In the care and work of a day 50 or 100 or more years ago, perhaps Valentine's Day was not a topic of conversation. Perhaps it warranted not a passing thought. And yet I can't help but believe - and hope - that the love that Valentine's Day represents was a part of their lives.

And so with love and marriage and Valentine's Day in mind, I'm sharing marriage dates and the lengths of marriage of some of my known ancestors.

Lee Doyle and Audrey Meinzen were married 48 years, 8 months, and 4 days.
Married on 15 September 1938. The marriage ended at Lee's death on 19 May 1987.

William Carl Robert Meinzen and Emma Virginia Bickerstaff were married 58 years, 4 months, and 30 days.
Married on 8 September 1914. The marriage ended at Emma's death on 7 February 1973 (which happened to be the day before her husband's birthday).

Edward Jesse Bickerstaff and Mary Thompson were married 49 years, 5 months, and 22 days.
Married on 15 March 1891. The marriage ended at Mary's death on 6 September 1940.

John Thomas Thompson and Lydia Bell were married 50 years, 5 months, and 9 days.
Married on 23 September 1872. The marriage ended at John's death on 4 March 1923.

William Bickerstaff and Susan Holmes were married 63 (or 64) years and 18 days.
Married on 4 March 1829/30. The marriage ended at Susan's death on 22 March 1893.

Henry Carl Meinzen and Elizabeth Armitage were married 50 years, 2 months, and 2 days.
Married on 24 April 1870. The marriage ended at Elizabeth's death on 26 June 1920.

Gust Doyle and Beulah Mae Gerner were married 1 year, 3 months, and 22 days.
Married on 19 Dec 1911. The marriage ended at Beulah's very premature death on 2 April 1913.

William Doyle and Tressa Rose Froman were married 51 years, and 10 days.
Married on 17 March 1885. The marriage ended at Tressa's death on 27 March 1936.

Andrew Doyle and Elizabeth Jane Laws were married 46 years, 8 months, and 12 days.
Married on 11 November 1861. The marriage ended at Andrew's death on 23 Jul 1908.

Frederick Gerner and Elvira Bartley were married 53 years, 8 months, and 2 days.
Married on 24 July 1872. The marriage ended at Fred's death on 26 March 1926.

Dixon Bartley and Rebecca Smith were married 63 years, 5 months, and 13 days.
Married on 16 July 1836. The marriage ended at Rebecca's death on 29 December 1899.

Happy Valentine's Day to my ancestors - and to you, dear readers!


Sources
Card at upper right is an 1862 Valentine's card from Wikimedia Commons at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:My_Dearest_Miss.jpg
Marriage dates are from various sources including family records, county records, transcribed records, and obituaries. If you want specific information, please contact me.

Copyright © 2010 by Nancy Messier.