Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1888-10-19


Two things tended to make this place
popular with young couples in the past.
There was some romance in having the
ceremony performed amid such wild
scenery. 1t was the most convenient
spot runaways could reach. The mar
riage laws of Virginia are very strict;
and ten years ago the laws of Maryland
were correspondingly lax. On pay
ment of the fec, license would be
granted the applicant, and the contract
ing parties themselves might be abso.
lutely non-eXistent Harper's Ferry
is connected with the upper valley by
n railroad, a branch OF the Baltimore IL
Ohio. As Maryland was just across
the Potomac, this was the most Access
sible point for lovers whose parents
looked too coldly upon their wooing.
The building of u parallel road has vis-
IDLY lessencd Harpor's Ferry's import
ance as Gretna, so that its glory in
this respect has probably departed
My first charge of a church was in this
place, and as my house was convenient
TO the depot was very often called
upon TO marry these runaways. The
bridge crossing the Potomac was the
spot generally selected, and for the rea-
son that the ceremony must be per-
formed in Maryland. II was in the CEN
ter of this great iron structure and
amid surroundings as romantic rs can
be found anywhere that the knot was
usually tied.
The early morning train from the
upper valley usually brought the run
awuys. Sometimes they had ridden all
night to escape and catch the early
train. They were easily spotted on the
train by the conductor or the train
hands, and as kind of agreement ex-
listed between these and the telegraph
operators, an offer would soon be made
TO procure the license and insure its ar
rival in time to allow them to return on
the next train. The bargain was soon
struck, and as the insurance was the
important part, the fee charged was
generally gauged by the size of the
prospective groom's purse. The license
arranged for, the next step was to find
preacher.
Even the street urchins had learned
to know the status of these couples,
who arm in arm wandered listlessly
about the street, and offered to find the
preacher for them. Sometimes the de-
nominational preferences would prevail,
but this was not often, and most of the
work came to me.
Occasionally the dress and manner of
the parties would indicate wealth and
cultivation; but this was not often the
case. More frequently the language
and dress indicated the low position
they held in the social strata. Imagine
n big, raw-boned fellow dressed in store
clothes, paper collar, an insignificant
necktie and unblackened boots, and you
have the makeup of the individual be-
fore you.. You mentally wonder as you
look upon the groom: What must the
prospective bride look likem II she is
pretty and attractive, we are not sur
prised at opposition. Sometimes | in
quired why they had come so far to be
married, and particularly why they had
run off. The reason was likely to be
no decided objection, but mere captious-
ness upon the part of parent, who re-
fused to comply with the requirements
of the law. / once asked young fel-
low why he had come so far, and espe-
cially since the cost was so great. His
reply was: "The gals father never TUX
no count NV her, an when asked him
To give me letter To the clerk, sayin'
he was willin', he lowed that he hadn'
nuver give it to none the yuther gals
an he want goin' to give it to her, an
80 | had to come here or not get mar
ried for some time" j felt sorry for
the poor fellow and married him. The
first couple / married was from the
northern part OF Pennsylvania. They
had come to Virginia 10 live. could
never understand why they had not
been married before they left home, as
both seemed to be very nice people. In
ignorance of the stringency of Virginia
laws they had gone to Winchester, ex-
pccting to be married there, but not be-
ing able to procure IA license they re-
turned TO Harper's Ferry and ordered
one sent from Hugerstown. As they
could not receive this in time TO allow
them to return on the evening train,
the license WAS ordered TO Weverton,
three miles below the Ferry, and we
went there and i married them in the
railroad waiting-room. AS canal boat
was then In the lock, we all got aboard
and rode back TO the Ferry to the train.
think the girl was the happiest crea-
ture / ever saw when she found that she
was really married.
The marriage ceremony was gener-
ally performed on the railroad bridge
crossing the Potomac. 1t was neces-
sary TO go on the bridge in order to be
within the bounds of the State of Mary
land, whose authorities had granted the
license. A marriage on the bridge al
ways attracted Il crowd, which would
gather in spite OF the attempts OF the
couple and the minister TO outwit them
IL was amusing TO the crowd and an
noying to the minister TO meet with a
groom OF more than ordinary stupidity,
who choose his own way of answering
the questions.
The question addressed to the groom
was rather long one, and the answer
was not expected until / had completed
IL; but we sometimes proceeded In thia
way, for which there was no remedy.
"Yon. the man, take the woman
.1lea"vHwhOm yoa hold by tho right