1897 Marriage Record for Andrew Doyle and Margaret E. Taylor

I've started going through stacks of papers with genealogy/family history records that need attention and thought I would begin posting some of them....

Andrew Doyle, born January 8, 1873, is the son of Andrew and Elizabeth Jane (Laws) Doyle.  He is their sixth child and third son.  He was a miner and later also a farmer.  (I continue to find more and more miners among my Pennsylvania relatives, descendants of my Northumberland miners.)

Andrew married Margaret E. Taylor on March 17, 1897, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania.  Coincidentally, Andrew's oldest brother, William who is my great-grandfather, married Tressa Rose Froman on the same date in 1885.  William and Andrew were born 10 years apart and married 12 years apart.

Marriage Record and Transcription

[page] 206
No. 4654
Andrew Doyle born in Pardoe
on the 8 day of January A. D. 1873 residing at Stoneboro Pa
and a miner by occupation not related by blood or marriage
to the person whom he desires to marry
not married before
and Margaret E. Taylor born in Stoneboro Pa
on the 30" day of July A. D. 1877 residing at Stoneboro Pa
.... not married before  
And now this 16" day of March 1897 Marriage License issued in legal form.
Consent of Thomas Taylor residing at Stoneboro Pa.....
     Filed this 16 day of March 1897
     Duplicate Certificate returned and filed this 27 day of March 1897 showing
ceremony to have been performed by John Kelly
on the 17 day of March 1897

FamilySearch Citation and Link to Image
"Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VF9R-YC9 : accessed 01 Feb 2014), Andrew Doyle and Margaret E. Taylor, 17 Mar 1897; citing Mercer Pennsylvania, United States, v 7 p 206; FHL microfilm 878938.

Notes and Comments

• If I want to research Andrew's wife, Margaret Taylor, it's helpful that the record included her father's name.
• I wish a marriage location more specific than the county were included.  Were they married in a church, a courthouse, or somewhere else?
  
• John Kelly performed the marriage.  It's such a common name that I don't hope for much success in find him in 1897.  If I could perhaps it would help me to know a more specific location of their marriage.   
  

I have other records for this couple and family....  Somewhere.

—Nancy.

Copyright © 2023 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
.

Found! A Marriage Record for Robert Laws and Elizabeth Thompson

Robert and Elizabeth (Thompson) Laws are my third great-grandparents.  I've had their names and marriage date for a dozen or so years but my source was undocumented family records, passed by word of mouth, then written and copied, then passed on again and again.  That source for records in my Doyle line has been inaccurate many times.  I knew the record was available at a FamilySearch Center (on Film 1068674 Item 6 or 4629104 which may be the same) but I never made my way to the one near my home.  This record comes from FindMyPast's Northumberland Marriages collection which, I believe, was transcribed from the records held by FamilySearch.


This is a transcription of the record.

[At top of page, not visible in photo]

Marriages solemnized in the Parish of Tynemouth in the County of Northumberland in the Year 1834
page 67.

[Transcription of image]

Robert Laws of this Parish
Bachelor
and Elizabeth Thompson of this Parish
Spinster
were married in this Church by Banns
this Twenty-first day of
June in the Year One Thousand eight hundred and thirty four
By me Christⁿ Reed, Vicar
This Marriage was solemnized between us  { Robert Laws   his X mark
                                                                      { Elizabeth Thompson   her x mark
In the Presence of  { Thomas Oxley 
                               { James Pye
No. 200.

Notes and Comments

• My line from this couple:  Robert & Elizabeth -->  Elizabeth Jane Laws Doyle -->  William Doyle -->  Gust Doyle --> Lee Doyle --> me
  
• June 21, 1834, was a Saturday.  That surprises me, though it probably shouldn't.  Robert was a miner, likely having only Sundays off work so it makes sense that they would arrange to marry the day before.
• Robert was 24 when they married.  Elizabeth was 17.  It's surprising that a 17-year-old was described as "spinster."
  
• Civil marriage records in England began in 1837.  Had they waited till then to marry, that record would have stated Robert's occupation.
• This marriage record is available for viewing with a subscription at FindMyPast.  I'm grateful for the image but I do wish I could get to the first pages of the marriage registry to see for myself that it comes from Christ Church. 
• I was curious about Christ Church in Tynemouth and found this short video giving a history of the building.  I love seeing the places where events in the lives of my ancestors happened.  (And listening to British accents.)
  

I'm grateful for online images and the indexing that makes them easier to find.

—Nancy.

Copyright © 2023 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
.

A Poor Copy But It Gets the Job Done: Marriage Certificate of Andrew Doyle and Elizabeth Laws

Below is the 1863 U.K. GRO (General Register Office) marriage certificate for my great-great-grandparents, Andrew Doyle and Elizabeth Laws.  This looks like a scan of a poor photocopy.  The background is dotted with spots.  The type is light and hard to read.  But it's legible.  And it's a certified copy.  As a certified copy it gets the job done for family history research.  (And I have no complaints about the GRO.  They've done very well by me.)

Here is a transcription of the record.  Even though the date looks like 1862 I will trust that it's 1863 because that's what the GRO tells me.

1863. Marriage solemnized at Woodhorn Church in the Parish of Woodhorn in the County of Northumberland
No.  177
When Married.  Novr 14
Name and Surname.   Andrew Doyle, Elizabeth Laws
Age.   full age   full age
Condition.   Widower   Spinster
Rank or Profession.  Miner    ----
Resident at the time of Marriage.  North Seaton   North Seaton
Father's Name and Surname.  William Doyle   Robert Laws
Rank or Profession of Father.   Miner   Miner
Married in the Parish Church according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church by me, after Banns,  [Illegible first name] T. H. Ashhurst, Curate
This Marriage was solemnized between us  Andrew Doyle    Elizabeth Laws
in the Presence of us,  John Mitcheson   Martha Doyle

This certificate is in the collection Year 1863, Quarter D, Volume 10B, Page 463.

FreeReg.uk.org tells me Andrew and Elizabeth were married in St. Mary the Virgin Church in North Seaton.  I've yet to find an image of the church marriage record.

This is the full page of the record as it appeared when it arrived in my mailbox. 

And just for fun, this is a photo of the watermark on the certificate.  I love those crowns.

-–Nancy.

Copyright © 2021 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
.

A Marriage License and a Marriage Certificate May Not Be Together

My experience with mid- to late-1800 marriage records is that marriage licenses and certificates are recorded at the county level with both on the same page, license above the certificate.

For at least one of my ancestors, the marriage license and the marriage certificate were recorded separately, in different county books, a fact I just noticed as I was updating sources in RootsMagic.  I had already recorded the separate documents and sources for both but because my g-g-grandfather's wife is not an ancestor and because the records didn't contain much family information, I hadn't given them much attention or thought.

The grandfather of these documents is my second great-grandfather, Ellis H. Bickerstaff, who married his second wife, Sarah J. McCune, in 1880 in Jefferson County, Ohio.

Their marriage license is recorded in Jefferson County (Ohio) Marriage Licenses, 1872-1886, Volume 2, p. 682, viewable online here at FamilySearch (with a free account).

Transcription

The State of Ohio, Jefferson County, ss:
Personally appeared before me Isaac H. Clifton
who after being duly Sworn deposes and says that Sarah J. McCune
is an unmarried female, of the age of eighteen years, and that she is a resident of Jefferson
County, Ohio. That Ellis H. Bickerstaff is an unmarried man of the age
of twenty-one years, that they are no nearer of kin than second cousins, and that there is
no legal impediment to their marriage to the best of his knowledge and belief.
Isaac. H. Clifton [signature]
Sworn and subscribed to before me, this 14th day of April
A. D. 1880.
J W Jordan [signature]
Probate Judge

Their marriage certificate is recorded in Jefferson County (Ohio) Marriages, 1866-1883, Vol. 8, p. 673, viewable here at FamilySearch (with a free account).

Transcription

The State of Ohio, Jefferson County, ss:
I Hereby Certify, that on the 15th day of April A. D. 1880
Mr. Ellis H. Bickerstaff and
Miss Sarah J. McCune were legally
joined in marriage by me, a minister.
Given under my Hand, this 15th day of April A.D. 1880.
J. M. Carr [signature]
16568 [handwritten]

We can't assume that a marriage license denotes an actual marriage.  Of the two documents, the marriage certificate is the most important because it certifies a marriage.  However, individual and family information such as full names, birth dates and locations, parents' names, etc., may be found on either or both records.  Best to look at both license and certificate if they're available.

-–Nancy.

Copyright © 2021 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
.

1903 Marriage Record of Alma M. Gerner and Francis E. Kitch

Alma M. Gerner is the daughter of Fredrick K. and Elvira (Bartley) Gerner.  She is the seventh child and fourth daughter (of 16 children). 

This marriage record comes from FamilySearch's collection of Pennsylvania County Marriages and specifically from the Mercer County, Pennsylvania, Register of Wills, Marriage License Docket, Volume 9, 1902-1905, page 202.  With a free FamilySearch account you can see the image and other pages of the docket here.  

No. 7649
Francis E. Kitch born in Coolspring Twp.
on the 20" day of March A.D. 1886 residing at Fairview Twp
and a Farmer by occupation not related by blood or marriage
to the person whom he desires to marry
never married before
and Alma M Gerner born in Butler Co.
on the 29" day of Jan A.D. 1881 residing at Mercer Co
a ---------- by occupation never married before
_____________________________________________
And now this 28 day of Oct. 1903 Marriage License issued in legal form.
Consent of [blank] residing at [blank]
and [blank] residing at [blank]
      Filed this 28" day of Oct. 1903
      Duplicate Certificate returned and filed this 28" day of Oct 1903 showing
marriage ceremony to have been performed by Albert D. Lero.
on the 28 day of Oct 1903.

Notes, Comments, Observations

• I like the fact that this marriage records gives the dates and location of birth of both spouses.  Unfortunately, Alma's location of birth is not accurate:  she was not born in Butler County, Pennsylvania.  According to her county birth record, she was born in Scott District, Putnam County, West Virginia. 
  
• Alma's birth record gives her name as Mary Alma.  Through the years of her life she went back and forth, finally settling with Alma as her chosen name.
• Alma's father moved their family from Butler County to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, sometime between 1900 and 1910, then back to Butler County between 1910 and 1920.  Did Fred have a touch of wanderlust?
• There is a discrepancy in birth dates between this record (January 29) and Alma's birth record (January 20).  It's hard to dispute the birth record even though it is a set of ditto marks from two records above it.
• It has always interested me to see marriage license applications given on the same date the marriage occurred.  For many years now, at least in Ohio, a couple must procure a marriage license days or weeks before the marriage occurs.
• Alma is noted as divorced in the 1930 U.S. Census and is living with her daughter and son-in-law, Kathryn and Elbert Knox, in Bruin, Butler County, Pennsylvania.

-–Nancy.

Copyright © 2021 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
.

1897 Marriage Record of George Doyle and Emma Everall

Last week I posted Gust Andrew Doyle's death certificate.  It named his parents as George Doyle and Emma Everall.  Below is their Pennsylvania marriage record, found on page 297 of Mercer County Marriage License Docket 7, September 1895-May 1899,  Entry No. 4929.  (You can view it here if you have a free FamilySearch account.)

George Doyle, of this record, is the younger brother of my grandfather, William Doyle.  They are both sons of Andrew and Elizabeth Jane (Laws) Doyle.  George is my grandfather Gust Doyle's uncle.  William was born in 1863; George was born in 1877; and Gust was born in 1888.

This is a transcription of the marriage record.

[Page] 297
No. 4929
George Doyle born in Stoneboro Mercer Co Pa
on the 9 day of April A.D. 1877 residing at Stoneboro
and a Miner by occupation not related by blood or marriage to the person whom he desires to marry
not married before
and Emma Everall born in Stoneboro Pa.
on the 12 day of May A.D. 1878 residing at Sandy Lake Twp Pa
a Housekeeper by occupation not married before
And now this 11" day of December 1897 Marriage License issued in legal form.
Consent of Andrew Doyle residing at Stoneboro Pa
and Thomas Everall residing at Stoneboro Pa
Filed this 11 day of Dec 1897
Duplicate Certificate returned and filed this 29 day of Dec 1897 showing marriage ceremony to have been performed by G. W. Porter, J. P.
on the 20 day of Dec 1897

Comments and Observations

• I was thinking how skimpy the information on this record is but when I looked at some other marriage records from about the same time I realized that wasn't true.  From this record I have the marriage date, birth dates of both husband and wife, birth locations, occupations, and where they were residing at the time of their marriage.  Since both bride and groom were underage, consent for the marriage was required.  I know that Andrew Doyle was George's father.  I assume that Thomas Everall was the bride's father and, with a little research, could probably confirm that assumption.  
• I notice that George is a miner.  His father and grandfather, William and Andrew, respectively, were also miners.  It would be interesting to see how many other of George's brothers were also miners.
  

-–Nancy.

Copyright © 2021 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner. 
.

Jefferson County, Ohio, B-M-D Registers at FamilySearch

Before there were state birth, marriage, and death certificates, there were county registers.  If you're searching for Jefferson County ancestors' records from about the mid-1850s until state records were required in 1908, you might find these records helpful.  Below are the links for all Ohio counties, then Jefferson County records.

Death Records
Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001   From this link choose a county.
Jefferson County Death Records, 1867-1908, Vol 1-1A

Birth Records
Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003  From this link choose a county.
Jefferson County Birth Registers, 1867-1908

• Birth registers 1867-1879 Vol 1
• Birth registers 1879-1894 Vol 2
• Birth registers 1894-1906 Vol 3
• Birth registers 1907-1908 Vol 4 

Search all Ohio, County Birth Records, 1841-2003  Will it find all spelling variations?

Marriage Records
Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016   From this link, choose a county.
Jefferson County Marriages, 1789-2016  (52 volumes, organized by date)
Search Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016

One of the things I love about these browsable records is the way they're presented to us, almost as a static roll of microfilm.  Click an image, check the date, and move on (or not) as necessary. 

As I continue to clean up my sources and citations, I believe these are record sets I'll use often.  I do not currently know any active Jefferson County researchers but someone may find these links helpful.

-–Nancy.

Copyright © 2021 Nancy Messier.  All Rights Reserved. 
Do not copy or use any content from this blog without written permission from the owner.