Marriages from a Justice of the Peace Docket 1814-1816, 1828-1829, Elck Lick Township, Somerset County

MARRIAGES FROM A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE DOCKET 1814—1816, 1828—1829, ELK LICK TOWNSHIP, SOMERSET COUNTY Gordon L. Remington, FASG * Justice of the peace dockets are usually concerned with small claims court cases and a few criminal matters. Two of the justices in Somerset County, however, recorded marriages in a book used by both of them. The dockets of Patrick Sullivan (1811—1818) and Shaphat Dwire (1825— 1834) are combined in one small notebook with the following “Title” pasted on the cover: Official Docket of Patrick Sullivan Esqr. Justice of the Peace of Elklick township commencing Feb 11 1811 and ending the 20 th March 1816 Also the entries of Shaphat Dwire Esq. Commencing the 26th day of March 1825 Presented by Jost J. Stutzman, Esq. Presented at the Fair 6 Oct 18591 Jost J. Stutzman (circa 1791—1867) was a prominent citizen of Elk Lick Township. He was a self-educated school teacher, was elected twice to the state legislature “against his wishes” and served for many years as justice of the peace (whence he doubtless came into possession of the Sullivan/Dwire docket record) and in later years devoted himself to money lending.2 The book is paginated in a later hand and consists of 233 pages. On pages 223–24 are recorded ten marriages performed by Patrick Sullivan between 1814 and 1816 and four marriages by Shaphat Dwire in 1828 and 1829. * Gordon L. Remington, FASG, PO Box 11685, Salt Lake City, UT 84147 is a professional genealogist specializing in English and American research. 1 The Justice of the peace dockets for Elk Lick Township, Somerset County, are in the Manuscript Collection, Manuscript Group 4 (County Record Collection 1767— 1918), at the Pennsylvania Archives, Harrisburg, and Family History Library [FHL] #1,032,471, item 4. Patrons using the FHL Catalog may find justice of the peace records under the township, rather than the county, as was true in this instance. If the docket is identified as including marriage records, it is catalogued under Vital Records in addition to Court Records. Although the cover states that Sullivan’s dockets go through 1816, the catalogs of the Pennsylvania Archives and the FHL indicate 1818. 2 History of Bedford, Somerset, and Fulton Counties, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of some of its Pioneers and Prominent Men (Chicago: Waterman, Watkins, and Co., 1884), 5554—55. Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine Vol. 43 (2003) Final copy 31 January, 2010 37 38 Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine [Vol. 43 Patrick Sullivan Esquire entryes of Marryages bene[ath here] On the 3d day of July 1814 John Saylor and Barbara Folk Were legally married each of them being of full age On the 11th Day of August 1814 Jacob Fuller and Reachel Mulhollon were legally Married being of full age On the 25th Day of January 1815 John Mussleman and Christina Plocker were legally Maried being of full age On the 26th day of Feby 1815 Abraham Peachey and Freney Libengood were legally married by Consent of their Parents On the 11th day of April 1815 Robert Sweet and Mary McGee were legally married being of full age On the 4th of June 1815 John Bohn and Nancy Shoemaker were legally married being both of full age July the 18th 1815 Thomas Stanton and Chatrina Leightecter[?] were legally Married being of full age August 6th 1815 John Eckenberger and Barbara Albright were legally married by Consent of their parents August 15th 1815 Adam Huff and Nancy Newman were were [sic] legally Married by the authority vested in me John Peachey Thomas Griffith was legally married to Barbara Libengood in the 20 of Febr 1816 Shaphat Dwire Esquire entryes of mariages [sic] beneath here 10 February 1828 Jacob Barnt and Elizabeth Griffith were legally married by Consent of their parents 4th Day of August 1828 John Ringer Jur and Margret Sterner were legally marryed by Consent of Parents December 27th 1828 Michael Cover and Elizabeth Peck were legally Marryed both of them each of them [sic] being of full age On the 22nd Day of Jenuary [sic] 1829 Adam Seas[?] and Harot Johnston were legally Married being of full age Final copy 31 January, 2010