The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-02-11
MARRIAGE BLUE LAWS.
ENGAGEMENTS MUST BE POSTED OS THE
COURT HOUSE DOOR-A PEEs OS MARRY
ING A SERVANT N THIS STATE MUST
PAY HEAVY FINE OR A YEARS
SERNTCE 10 TIE MASTEE.


Probably very few, if any, of the thousands
of people who annually enter into the holy
bonds of matIimouy in this State ever think
of examining the statutes Of the Common
wealth which relate to the sacred rite. Scat
tered here and there throughout the statute
book there are numerous "bl1e laws" which
have been passed by the different Legisla-
lures since 17O1, defining who can aud who
cannot marry, and bristling with pains and
penalties for noncompliance.
Servants cannot marry without the con-
sent of their master or mistress. So says the
act Of 17OI ANY servant offending can be
compelled to serve for one whole year after
the indenture or engagement has expired,
while the person marrying the servant must
pay to the master, man GO, and if a mis-
tress &c, OF give one years service. More
over, the persons marrying are Liable TO for
felt 92O to the proprietary government, -
and damages to the party aggrieyed, the wit
nesses to the marriage fOrfeiting IS each
But by the second section Of this act it is
provided that this law shall not apply to
persons married in the religious society to
which they belong if notice is given to the
I fore the marriage is solemnized, and if the
/ consent in writing Of the masters and mis-.
tresses is first obtained
The parents and guardians Of folks pro
posing to marry should, ''if they convenient
ly can, be first consulted. The partie;
should also procure a certificate from some
credible person where they have lived or dc
live that they are clear Of all engagements
Their intentions Of marriage should also be
affixed on the Court House or meeting house
doors in the county where the parties reside
month before the marriage.
+ No Justice Of the Peace can marry indi
viduals under p years Of aEe unless a certif
/ cate of consent from guardians is first pro
duced. Originally the penalty was imposed
on him whether he knew Of the age of the
parties or not. De was bound to ascertain
. it at his peril but a case Of great hardship
. in 1871 caused an amendment TO the law
and he is not now liable for the penalty un
4 less he knowingly OF wilfully" disregard.
the law-that is, unless he knows or ha.
/ reasons to believe that the parties are undel
age.
+ No drunken person can be legally married
If Judge, Justice or clergyman perform.
. the ceremony when either Of the parties i,
intoxicated he is guilty Of a misdemeanor
and liable te a penalty Oh conviction of S5C
fine, or sixty days Imprisonment, or both
\ man must not marry his mother. faith
er's sister, mothers sister, sister daughter
. or daughter Of his son or daughter. \ wo
man cannot marry her father, fathers broth
. er, mothers brother, brother, son, son Of sol
or daughter These are the degrees Of con
/ sanGuinity. in the degrees OF affinity Il man
must not marry his fathers wife, sons wife
so1.'s daughter, vife's daughter OF the
daughter OF his wifes son OF daughter. or q
woman her mothers husband daughter
husband, husbands son, or son Of her hus-
bands son or daughter. Violation Of this
law is punishable by a fine not exceeding
$500, solitary imprisonmsn. Tor a period not
exceeding three years, or beth, and the mar
TiaGe Is void.
Il husband or a wife, upon a false rumor
Of the death Of the other, apparently well
founded, mauies a gain and the missing one
turns UP, the party marrying is not punisha-
bic when the other has been absent two
years. But the party returning can insist
upon having his or her former husband OF
wife restored OF the marriage dissolved.
husband is not now liable for the debt.
Of his wife contracted before marriage. The
law was formerly otherwise.
The wife Of drunken or proffgate mar
who neglects or refuses to provide for mi.
offspring is entitled to claim the children
and exercise her parental rights without
molestatiun from her husband
. No father who neglects his children for 3
F year or more before death has power to ap
point the guardians during minority.
y husband who deserts his wife OF ne
elects TO provide for her foTfeits all right t,
her estate after death. The property vhicl
belongs TO a woman when she is married i
not subject to the husbands control, nor Isl
liable for his debts, and her separate earn
ings while married accrue and inure to he
own benefit, and is not subject to any lega
claim on the part OF the husband, but, in OF
der to secure to her the earnings Of her labo
as distinguished from earnings Of her pro
perty, she must file petition in Court stat
ing her intention to claim them