Some time ago, someone on this list asked about the Marrying tree. I kept that message for a long time, knowing that someday I would find an answer. Well, I did find one explanation. It may not be the one we were looking for, but here it is: (From history of Sulphur Township in Miller Co. Arkansas). ____________________________ THE MARRYING TREES: After the railroad came, the groom-to-be could ride the train to Texarkana, walk over to the Miller County, Courthouse, Arkansas and purchase the marriage license, then walk back to the train. Then the couple would get the preacher and their witnesses and go to what was called the Marrying Trees across the Arkansas line and have the knot tied. If the Groom-to-be had gone to Linden the only way to get there would have been by horse-back or horse and buggy, going across red, muddy, narrow roads. The coming of the automobile ended this custom. _______________________________ So, I guess what this is telling us is that even though they lived on the Texas side of the sate line, it was still easier to go to the Miller Courthouse in Texarkana to get the marriage license, then marry in Arkansas, but live in Texas. I am pretty sure there is still another explanation, but I wanted to share this one that I just found. V Don't make your descendants wait seventy-two years to see your 2000 census information. Photocopy the form before you mail it back and place the copy in your genealogy files.