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Question

Curious if there was a mistake in transcription of the marriage record. I have two possibles that dont match or are different marriages.

Answer 1

Vanderburgh and Posey Counties are neighboring counties. It is possible the license was obtained in one county but the marriage ceremony took place on another day in the other county. I looked to see if there was an image at Ancestry.com. There wasn't. Their index said the marriage place was in Vanderburgh County and that it took place on 16 Apr 1911. Here's the sharing link to the record I looked at...https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/161419?token=GzbZBymQ17Gu2WLKxnb3zYWR1mY2jIF5Mk8TzYaNv5c%3D

Edit...

Looked some more and found this image on FamilySearch for the Illinois marriage...https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GB2K-9K65?i=174&cc=1803970

This is a very curious situation. It does look like the couple may have married twice within just a couple of months but in two different locations, first in Illinois then in Indiana.

Comments

One thing I noticed which may relate to the mystery of the marriage dates...Bessie's year of birth is wrong on her profile. She was born in 1894 instead of 1892. So, she was only 16 in 1911, the year of both the Illionois and Indiana marriages. Perhaps, she and Mr. Lang eloped for the first marriage. Perhaps, her parents objected and had the marriage annulled. Perhaps, they relented a couple of months later (because Bessie was pregnant with her and Samuel's daughter who was born in November 1911) and allowed Bessie and Samuel to marry again. Lots of speculation on my part, of course.

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The different birthdate is why I paused in the first place. Her mother was supposedly born in 1877

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I havent researched it but I notice they are both related to the Turner family as well so there might be a story there too.

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The 1900 Census said she was born in Aug. 1894 and she was 5 years old. The 1910 census said she was 15 years old at that time. Her grave marker has 1894 engraved on it. Is it possible she may have fibbed about being 18 years old when she and Mr. Lang got married?

Answer 2

What I find curious is that this couple apparently married in both Illinois and Indiana. No image for Indiana.

Comments

doh... I was like where did you see the Illinois marriage...