Wedding Wednesday: Marriage License: Johnson / Penn (1912)

The following marriage license was an exhibit in a 1913 chancery suit in Prince William County.


MARRIAGE LICENSE

Virginia Prince William County to wit:

To any Person Licensed to Celebrate Marriages:

You are hereby authorized to join together in the Holy State of Matrimony, according to the rites and ceremonies of your Church, or religious denomination, and the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia,

James L. Johnson and Gertrude A. Penn

Given under my hand, as Clerk of the Circuit Court of Prince Wm. Co. this 19th day of September 1912

J. E. Herrell  - Clerk


Time of Marriage, September 19, 1912
Place of Marriage, Manassas, VA
Full Name of Parties Married, James Linwood Johnson & Gertrude A. Penn
Race (white or colored), Colored
Age of Husband, 21 years
Age of Wife, 22 years
Condition of Husband, Single
Condition of Wife, Single
Place of Husband's Birth, Washington, DC
Place of Wife's Birth, Washington, DC
Place of Husband's Residence, Washington, DC 
Place of Wife's Residence, Washington, DC
Names of Husband's Parents, Jas. L. and Maria Johnson
Names of Wife's Parents, Chas. R. and Belle Penn
Occupation of Husband, Electrician

Given under my hand this 19 day of September 1912

J. E. Herrell - Clerk


Certificate of Time and Place of Marriage

I., M. D. Williams, a minister of the regular Baptist church or religious order of that name, do certify that on the 19th day of September 1912 at his Father's house under authority of the above License, I united in Marriage the persons named and described therein.

Given under my hand this 19 day of Sept. 1912.

Elder M. D. Williams

Will: John Athey (1866)

JOHN ATHEY Will

Prince William County Will Book R, Pg. 36

February 1866; proved 5 March 1866

I JOHN ATHEY being feeble in body but of sound and dispossessing memory do make this last will and testament, that is to say

I give and bequeath to my sister PALINA TURNER two hundred and fifty dollars ($250)

I give and bequeath to my sister JANE HAMMILL one hundred dollars (4100)

I give and bequeath to my niece HANNAH ANN WEST seventy five dollars ($75)

I give and bequeath to my niece ELIZABETH HAMMILL seventy five dollars ($75)

I give and bequeath to my niece SUSAN PENN two hundred and fifty dollars ($250)

I give and bequeath to my niece CATHARINE MCCARTY two hundred dollars ($200)

I give and bequeath to my nephew WILLIAM HAISLIP my gold watch

I give and bequeath to my nephew WILLIAM HAMMILL the gold watch I now use

I give and bequeath to HUGH HAMMILL all the remainder of my property of every description and kind, and do hereby appoint him my Executor. In testimony thereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this 9^th day of February 1866

John [his mark] Athey {seal}

Signed and acknowledged in our presence

BASIL BRAWNER

MILTON A. ISH

In Prince William County Court March 5 1866

This last will and testament of John Athey deceased was presented to the court by Hugh Hammill the executor therein named, who made oath thereto according to law and being fully proved by the oaths of Basil Brawner and Milton A. Ish subscribing witnesses thereto is ordered to be recorded and the said Hugh Hammill having taken the oath of an executor, and entered into bond in the penalty of two thousand dollars with Basil Brawner and JOHN CL WEEDON who justified as to their sufficiency conditioned as the law directs letters testamentary of the personal estate of said deceased is granted to him in due form.

A copy of my teste

M. B. SINCLAIR, clerk

Chancery: Long v. Long

In 1919, Gertrude A. (Penn) Long filed for divorce from her husband, Joseph S. Long, for abandonment.  Among the documents in this chancery case can be found the original certificate of marriage which gives the bride's maiden name, place of birth, and the marriage date of September 11, 1913.

In addition to the marriage certificate, the file contains the chancery notice published in the Manassas Journal, which includes the last known address of the AWOL defendant.

Other information found within the file included the name of the couple's only child, Hilda Long, who was born "about one year after" the marriage.