Rita and all, Much the same happened with my German descendents (well, my secret is out...I'm not French at all...my fiance is the Frenchman in this house!) Anyways, in the early days there seems to have been a shortage of priests (pastors) just about everywhere in the US. What seemed so odd about this case is that he had 9 children before marriage, and with pregnancy time, we are talking about almost 12 years from the conception of the first child until the time they married. And one child was already 9 years old when he was finally baptized. That's what made me so curious about this. The children were all baptized in the church, so apparently whatever happened, the church recognized their ligitimacy (sp). So it really doesn't matter in the long run...but I had to wonder what happened in this case... Anyways, thanks all for the info! I especially found the "jumping the broom" custom fascinating! Debbie Rita Mcpherson wrote: > Debbie, > I don't have alot of knowledge about this, but here is some of what I've > picked up and or figured out. This will be general info since I don't know > all the circumstances. Hopefully someone will be able to give us both more > info. > > It was not uncommon for couples to "jump the broom" when living in isolated > areas. This was a recoginized practice and was done in the presence of > friends and neighbors. Sometimes a priest was only in the village once a > year or less. There may be a civil marriage that has not been located. The > church service was sometimes viewed as a formality. > > It was also common for several family members to be baptised at the same > time... for the same reason. Or that Baptism and First Communion be > administered at the same time. > > Many girls were married and/or mothers in their early teens; by 20, you > might be considered an 'old maid', 'long in the tooth'. My father was 38 > when he married my mother; she was 17. He used to kid her that when she was > ready to turn out to pasture', her baby sister (born 5 months after they > married) would be ready to take her place. And this train of thought was as > recent as the 1940s. > > I'm sure this doesn't give you any solid answers; maybe it will give some > possibilites. > Good luck in your search! > > Rita McP > ritamcp1@bellsouth.net > > debbie wrote: > > > Question for you all....how are illigitmate births shown in the Baton > > Rouge Sacremental records or are they indicated at all? > > > > I have a man and woman who had 9, yes count them 9, children before they > > were married! The first four were all baptized together on one date > > (some almost 4 years old at the time, in 1829) Then in 1839, then next > > 5 were baptized, about 3 weeks prior to the marriage of the father and > > mother! > > > > (He was also previously married to a minor (about 15 years old) with > > which he had 2 children before he married her! She did die, as she is > > shown as deceased on her sons marriage record in 1825. Thought maybe he > > was still married to the first wife and couldn't marry the second for > > some reason until she divorced him(if this was even allowed) or the > > marriage was annulled or something.) > > > > I am just wondering at the late date of marriage....they are not closely > > related or anything, curious..... > > > > Thanks for any ideas on what may have happened here. I am not familiar > > enough with the customs of the times to hazard a real idea of what might > > have happened... > > > > Debbie