Marriage licenses were supposed to be issued in the County of the Bride. That may be of some help, but it was rarely enforced. Earnie ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Dunklin" <dunk1432@swbell.net> To: <ALMORGAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 3:06 PM Subject: [ALMORGAN] COURT RECORDS OF LAWRENCE CO, AL IN 1874 > I need a little input here regarding the following information about my > great grandfather, Abram Willson/Wilson. I do not know who his parents > were or if he had siblings so I am unable to go back any further than > Abram. > > Abram Wilson was first found on the 1870 Morgan Co, AL census living in > the home of a Mary Woodall. Abe is shown as age 18, white male, farmer, > born in GA. Mary Woodall is shown as age 33, white female, keeping > house, born SC. I have not been able to identify this Mary Woodall or > gather any other information on her. Note also that a Sarah Crosby, age > 21, blind, white female, born in GA is also shown living next door to > Abram and Mary Woodall. There is also a 9 month old infant son living > with Sarah Crosby but no adult male is shown in the household. More > about a Crosby couple is found below. > > In Oct of 1870, Abram Willson/Wilson married Sarah Jane Nesmith of > Morgan Co. AL. > Though Abram was living in Morgan County at the time, the marriage was > performed in neighboring Lawrence Co, AL. I have a copy of the license. > Also included with this license is a copy of a letter/note that is > addressed to the Probate Judge of Lawrence Co, AL. This document gives > permission for "Abram Willson" to marry. The print is extremely faint > and very hard to read. It is signed by what appears to be an H. H. > Crosby and S. E. Crosby. Up until this document, any Crosby family had > been unknown to my Wilson line. I'm wondering why send a letter to the > Probate Judge? Would this indicate that Abram's parents were most likely > dead and that the Crosbys had legal authority to sign? My first thought > was that Abram's father had died and that his mother had married this H. > H. Crosby. But if his mother was the S. E. Crosby in the letter, would > the Probate Judge have been involved? Couldn't she have just given her > permission? Since it was sent to the Probate Judge in Lawrence County, > would this indicate that Abram's family probably lived or had lived in > Lawrence County at one time? Would it indicate that an adoption, > indenturship or any other legal matters concerning Abram had been > carried out in Lawrence County? > > On the chance that Abram had been adopted by this Crosby, would Lawrence > County be the most likely place to look and where would I go to look for > such info? Since I live in TX and am unable to go to AL to do the > research. What would be the best way for me to find out the information > that I need? > > I would appreciate any help, suggestions, etc. > > Paula Wilson Dunklin > > > > > ==== ALMORGAN Mailing List ==== > Remember to bookmark the new URL for Morgan Co.: http://www.genealogyshoppe.com/almorgan/index.htm > >