Hi Joan, I don't know this priest in particular, but at that time Old St. Joe's covered all of NJ as a mission, so priests from Old St. Joe's would ride the circuit ministering to Catholics in NJ. If that's the case here, the records should be at Old St. Joe's -- whose early records have been published (by ACHS), so you might find the marriage record that way. Or, just contact the Philadelphia Archdiocesan Historical Research Center -- see http://www.pahrc.net/ and see their Genealogy / What We Have page that has info on the published Old St. Joe records -- and ask them to search for the record. They may also be able to supply info on the priest. The bad news is, I have the printed index to baptisms and marriages for Old St. Joe's (baps 1758-1810, marr 1787-1836) and neither surname appears (i.e., no Linm---, no Kig--- entries) (but maybe they were missed or misindexed?). Maybe they came over to Philadelphia to be married in Old St. Mary's? According to THE HISTORY OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA, in the early years, there was no clear parish boundary between Old St. Joe's and Old St. Mary's; the same source also says Carr (with whom you associate Stafford) founded St. Augustine's (obviously, an Augustinian parish, so a good place to look for an Augustinian priest), so that's another possible church to consult. The confusion re churches makes it all the more likely that PAHRC is the way to go, IMO. HTH Claire K. On May 14, 2010, at 7:26 PM, JYoung6180@aol.com wrote: > ...Mathias KIGER and Rebecca LINMIRE...actually Matthias KIGER and Rebekah LINMEYER...marriage on 29 Oct. 1803...marriage > record states that the couple were married by Rev. Philip Stafford. > > ..."In the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth there was but one > priest in the United States of that name,...first registers at St. Joseph's, of > that city, Oct. 30, 1800. ... > Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia, > Volume 19, p.383 > > It now appears the couple was married in a Catholic ceremony and that Rev. > Philip Stafford was in some way associated with Old St. Joseph's in > Philadelphia. ... > So, I'm wondered if anyone on the list has every run across Augustinian > Priest Father Philip Stafford? > > Joan