Daniel Bickerstaff's Two Marriages

I felt pleased with myself for finding the marriage record of Daniel Bickerstaff and Mary Lauretta Sanford.  Just as my Aunt Dot had told me, he'd been married.  And then I happened upon a note in my old phone notebook, written in April, 2006, recording my aunt's words about Uncle Dan's marriage. 

My brief note read,

   Uncle Dan's wife – Beulah Fritz
                       divorced



Beulah Fritz?!  What about Mary Lauretta Sanford?!  My memory had not served me well or I would have remembered this note and the name Beulah Fritz would not have surprised me.

I set out to find Beulah at FamilySearch.  When I typed her name, her parents' names, and estimated birth date, based on Uncle Dan's dates, I came up empty-handed.  Then I added his name and found their 1926 marriage record.   

Transcription

[page] 314       Marriage Record
Probate Court, Trumbull Count, Ohio
No. 12523      Marriage License.       Application.
To the Honorable Judge of the Probate Court of said County:
In the matter of,
Daniel Bickerstaff
and
Beulah Fritz
The undersigned respectfully make application for a Marriage License for said parties, and upon oath state:
That said Daniel Bickerstaff
is 28 years of age on the 9 day of April 1925
his residence is Mineral Ridge, O
his place of birth is Steubenville, Ohio
his occupation is Electrician
his father's name is Edward Bickerstaff
his mother's maiden name was Mary Thompson
tha [sic] he was once previously married and divorced
and that he has no wife living.
   
That said Beulah Fritz
is 21 years of age on the 15 day of Oct 1925
her residence is Niles O.  Trumbull County, Ohio.  28 Blaine St
her place of birth is Kittanning Pa.
her occupation is clerk
her father's name is Phillip Fritz
her mother's maiden name was Moss Mechling
that she was not previously married
and is not a widow or divorced woman
that she has no husband living.
   That neither of said parties is an habitual drunkard, epileptic, imbecile or insane, or under the influence of any intoxicating liquor or narcotic drug.
   Said parties are not nearer of kin than second cousins, and there is no legal impediment to their marriage.
   It is expected that (Meth church - Min Ridge)
   Consent [blank]....    Daniel Bickerstaff [signature]
   Consent [blank]....    Beulah Fritz  [signature]
Sworn to before me and signed in my presence, this 15 day of February 1926
                     Margaret Richard   Deputy Clerk.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Marriage Certificate.     No. 12523     The State of Ohio, Trumbull County, ss:
   I Do Hereby Certify, That on the 15 day of February A. D. 1926, I solemnized the Marriage of
Mr. Daniel Bickerstaff with Miss Beulah Fritz
Filed and Recorded   July -- 23 1926      Rev. A. I. Dickenson
                                                             Minister of Gospel
          Joseph Smith    Probate Judge   Mineral Ridge, O.

Observations and Comments

• Finding a second marriage record is one way of discovering a divorce from a previous marriage.  It's possible I can find divorce records but I don't have much hope.
• Daniel's age is accurate on this record.  He was born on April 9, 1897, and would indeed have been 28 on April 9, 1926.
  
• I have not identified children from either of these marriages.  No children were ever mentioned, but then I come from a long line of non-storytellers.  Quick, brief searches have not revealed children.
• It makes sense that my aunt would not have known about Daniel's first marriage to Mary Lauretta Sanford (previous post).  She was born in 1921 and Daniel and Mary were married in 1916. 
  
• Don't trust your memory.  Occasionally review notes from when you first began working on family history as you continue to research now.  You may have made a note then that didn't seem relevant but now that you know more, it may be helpful. 

This record is from the collection Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016, specifically in Ohio, Trumbull County, marriage records, 1913-2010.   View these records using your free FamilySearch account.

-–Nancy.

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