Claudia, I have people in my family tree that went to Oakland from WV to wed. A cousin says that he got married in a church beside the courthouse. At that time no blood test was needed in MD, but was required in WV. I believe things are changed now. My cousin married a 14 year-old girl; they lied about her age, and no questions were asked. A lot of marriage records can still be researched at the courthouse. Of course, a justice of the peace could also unite the couple. My latest find said the couple was married by John Davis, LP. If anyone knows what that means, please let me know. Delores

Hi there, My husband's grandparents, Fanny Idona Gregory & James Quinter Sines, both of Goshen,Upshur Co. WV, traveled to Garrett Co. in Nov. of 1913 to be married in Oakland. I'd always thought that odd in as much as Quinter's father was one of several Ministers in the family who'd married couples in the Goshen & Canaan communities of Upshur Co. WV. His father didn't die until 1955 so I've always wondered why they would travel so far, (about 125 miles by train back then, I think) especially when it was that late in the fall, to be married in Maryland instead of at home near friends/family. After reading Delores' comment about her cousin's 14 year old bride, I pulled their file and found that Miss Fanny was just 16 at the time while Quinter was 23. Likewise, a distant cousin C.B. Sines, author of "The book of the Sines", (also of Upshur Co. WV) eloped to Oakland as well to marry his 16 year old wife in 1903. He states in his 1958 book: "...I told her I would be ready anytime after the 11th of August, as I wanted to wait until I was twenty-one. Under the law men must be twenty-one or older and girls had to be sixteen or older...." On August 11th, 21 year old C.B. and his 16 year old bride-to-be arranged to meet each other in Oakland where he told her that if she still wanted to get married they would make the arrangements that very day. "....She agreed to my plans and we got the license and engaged a minister, Rev. John M. Davis of Oakland. He ran a hardware store on Second Street, where the five & ten cent store and Warnick store is now located. Rev. Davis lived in the part where Warnick has his store..." . It does seems to have been rather easy then to get married quickly to teenage brides in Oakland! "LP"...Licensed Preacher? Hmmm? Just a suggestion! {;o) Bye for now, Kathleen ----- Original Message ----- From: Thomas Shade <tomdel2@webtv.net> To: <MDGARRET-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, August 29, 2003 7:49 PM Subject: Re: [MDGARRET] GENERAL MARRIAGE QUESTION > Claudia, I have people in my family tree that went to Oakland from WV to > wed. A cousin says that he got married in a church beside the > courthouse. At that time no blood test was needed in MD, but was > required in WV. I believe things are changed now. My cousin married a 14 > year-old girl; they lied about her age, and no questions were asked. A > lot of marriage records can still be researched at the courthouse. Of > course, a justice of the peace could also unite the couple. My latest > find said the couple was married by John Davis, LP. If anyone knows what > that means, please let me know. Delores > > > ==== MDGARRET Mailing List ==== > Looking for your Garrett County ancestors? Make sure to visit us on the web at: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~mdgarret/index.html >