Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-08-05
,rne Firs, yyeddinr ON ,he ne.erye

y The first wedding ON the Western Re-
serve, says the Chdrdon Democrat, was i'm
what was afterwards called Mentor. in
Geauga county. Having no townships or
counties, they designated localities by the
name of settlement This wedding was
in what was called Marsh Settlement, in
1799. 1t was west of Black Brook, near
the lake shore.
In 1898. Colonel Alexander Harper, Major
William Mcfarland and Ezra Gregory, with
their families, arrived at what is since
known as Harpersfield, Ashtabula county,
from Delaware county, New York. In
Major MeFarland's family was fine young
widow by the name of Parthena Mingus,
whom, Major Mcfarland having no chill
dren of his own, had adopted when child.
She had been mar. led to man by the name
of Mingus, and had one child; but Mingus
died soon after the marriage. The widow
then returned to the family of her adopted
father, and came on to Harperstield with
them in 1898. ~ .lal
There lived in Newburg, six miles from
Cleveland, comely bachelor by the name
| of James Hamilton, who had purchased
land, put up cabin, but had no helpmeet.
The arrival of the new settlers at Harpers-
field, though fifty miles distant, was re-
markable event, and soon became known
through the whole region; and the young
widow stirred up the thoughts and heart
lordom. and resolved to be man. He pro-
cured two horses, On one of which he rode,
and, leading the other, he started through
the trackless forest, fifty miles, in search of
a housekeeper. With nothing but the
| instinct of love and marked trees to guide
him, he at last reached the Harper settle
ment, and in the young widow found the
object. of his search. Enl
In answer to the unspoken language of
his heart, her heart responded, in the Ian
| guage of Ruth, ''Where thou goest l will
go; where thou stayest / will stay; thy
God shall be my God, and thy people my
| people," ,..zI1lE
Both parties willing, nothing was want
| ing to crown their hopes and happiness but
the solemnities of the mirriage ceremony.
But here was the difficulty. The Western
Reserve was not organized into county
until the summer of $500, when the county
of Trumbull, embracing the whole Reserve,
was organized by the Legislature. No JUS
tice or other persons had been appointed or
authorized to solemniZe marriages, and the
young widow and her gay lover were sin a
fx." But 'where there Is will there is al
ways a way" In the Marsh settlement
there was man by the name of Moses
Park, who had once been Baptist preach
er, and. though he had abandoned his call
ling. and, in fact abjured his Christian char
acter, it was concluded he would answer.
| ~ " %. aSSOINlbSiJ oSACOu buapt OA OhOlA
way to Newburg, they would call on him,
and legalize, as far as circumstances would
allow, their marriage contract.
Accordingly, at early dawn on the fol-
lowing day, they mounted their horses,
Hamilton taking the widows child on his
lap, and the widow, for want of side
saddle, riding on her feather bed, and set
out in search of the quandam preacher
On arriving at his cabin, and making
| their business known, he at first declined
again putting on the sacredotal robes, as
he had not preached for several years, and
had totally abjured his former creed. On
reflection aud urgent solicitation, he fin
ally consented to act the priest, and with
the usual ceremonies he pronounced them
husband and wife. Money was out of the
question, they paid the priest in heartfelt
thanks for his services, and went on their
way rejoicing. ..ta a.
The descendants of that marriage are
living in Newburg. and by their respecta-
bility prove the marriage legitimate.