The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-05
HE HAS MARRIED 1900
AN INDIANA PREACHER MAKES A
RECORD IN WEDDINGS.
Rev. w. 4. Meese. of Auburn Goes to
Chicago to His
randsOn N~uptiaIs.

CHICAGO, April 4.-Rev. w. A. Meese,
of Auburn, Ind. widely known as the
marrying %parson'' and founder of
'Meese's Matrimonial Association" last
evening solemnized the nuptials of his
grandson, WiIliam Lawrence Eaton. of no
Forty-second place, at the home of the
bride. who was Miss Esther NJ. Gauger. of
4241 Drexel boulevard. daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs. John A. Gauger. The wedding was
the fifteen hundredth at which the aged
parsOn oficiated, and Immediately after
the ceremony the bride and groom became
members of "Meese's Matrimonial Associa-
ton an organization founded Aug. 20.
1896. the membership of which is exclusively
made up of men and women who plighted
their marriage vows before the same ven-
cradle clergyman
II don't know that I've married more
couples than any other pastor" he said.
"but it's a fact that I'm getting buster and
buster in that line as I get older. / sup
pose the reason so many people come to re
married is that I've always taken a close
personal interest in the people whom I've
married ever since the first. My matri-
monial association is the only thing of that
kind in the world. so far as / can learn.
and it's growing so fast and spreading so
far that already we have members in every
State in the Union. They can't all come
TO our annual reunion, but they write to
me and to one another, their children and
their children's children become affiliated
with the organization, and not infrequently
/ am called upon to marry the children of
members. so that they in turn become part
Of the association.
Its a sort of endless chain, you see, and
l suppose brings many to receive the sac
rament from me who otherwise would be
content to be married by some other
preacher. There is no expense attached to
the association except the cost of our an
nua convention, and that is subscribed.
This year we will meet at Waterloo. Ind.
June %. The meetings take the form of
social merry-makings, witt debates, music
and generally "a picnic.
The only objection / ever heard to our
convention laughed the old pastor. was
that whenever we meet we put a stop 10
the threshing. and all other kinds of farm
work for that matter.
Pretty near every married couple down
our way is in the matrimonial association.
and so as not to break up the harvesting
we changed the date of our meetings from
fall to midsummer. Some of the older
members are grandfatherS like myself. and
/ expect to marry my first crop of grand
children this summer. Tn making. a good
start with my own grandson here.
Mr.. Meese is eighty years old. He has
lived in De Kalb county,. Indiana, since 1855.
nd during the early days Of his residence
there he served two terms as sheriff. He
began preaching in 1878. and since then has
so endeared himself TO his neighbors that
a wedding or a baptism in De kalb county
is hardly considered effective unless per-
formed by Pastor Meese. Yesterday he
said that he expected TO return to his home
in Auburn to-day, and that he had not been
asked to marry any other ~ChicagoanS.