The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-01-25
CHAMPION MARRYING PARsoNS
Believed That Rev. T. r. yesterday OF
500 Holds State Record.

II Is believed that Rev. Thomas r..
yesterday of the 500 holds the state
record for the number Of MARRIAGES he
has performed during an unusually ac-
tive life i'm and out of the ministry.
Data which Mr. Easterday has i'm his
| library shows that he has Joined in
wedlock 1881 couples. 80 OF which
services were performed in 1910 out of
the 2l6 licenses issued in the county
during the year.
Mr. yesterday arrived in the 500 on
the old steamer Concord on the last
day of November. 1864. it being the
last trip of the steamer 10 the Lake
Superior country that year. His home
was previous 10 that time in Spring
field, H.. from whore he was Obliged
to move by reason of the in health of
his wife, the doctors advising a north
ern climate for her After his arrival
NJ the 500 he was engaged as pastor
of the First Presbyterian church,
preaching his first sermon on Christ
mas day. 1864. and continued his pas
torate for 17is years, voluntarily re-
signing by reason OF a stroke of par
alysis from which he suffered.
Mr.. yesterday is of Scotch German
parentage German on his fathers side
and Scotch on the side of his mother.
which is largely responsible for the
number of marriages he has been call
ed upon TO perform. When he arriv-
cd at the 500 there was no Presbyter-
ian minister nearer than Marquette
and Detroit. and but one other Protest
ant minister, he being of the Episcopal
faith and residing at Garden River
Ont. BY reason of the clannishness
displayed by the Scotch they came to
Mr. yesterday to be married from all
along the Canadian border between
Fort William and Killarney, and it is
said that Mr.. yesterday is related by
marriage" to more than half Of the
residents of that portion of Canada
and of Chippewa county
The largest fee Mr.. yesterday ever
received for performing a marriage
ceremony was $50 and it came to him
as he believes as an act Of Providence.
The day before he was called upon to
perform the service he was discussing
the great need he had for carpet for
his library. the floor of which was de-
void of a covering of any nature The
two decided that they would put away
all of the marriage fee money he re-
ceived until sufficient had been accum-
ulated to purchase the carpet. Then
came a big Scotchman from Fort Will
hams and his bride just over the wat
ers from Scotland. who met at the 500
by agreement. to be married and Mr..
yesterday tied the knot that binds.
In the eXuberance of his great joy
the bridegroom peeled off couple of
twenties and a ten spot from a big
the asonished hands of the miniser,
who had been in the habit of receiving
from 81 to s. for such service and in
many cases his fees were promises to
pay. 1t is needless to say that no time
was lost in the purchase of the carpet.
He is yet often called upon to per-
form the marriage service for child or
grandchildren of parents whom he
married years ago, and who would not
think of having anyone else. Only
few weeks ago he was called to White
fish township to perform a marriage
between young people and had to
travel nearly hundred miles in going
and coming by stage and over roads
that were nearly impossible by reason
of snow drifts.
Mr.. Easterly was personally ac-
quainted with the martyred Lincoln
and went to school with his son, Rob-
ert r., and also with John Hay at
Springfield He is a graduate of the
University of Illinois and before COM
ing to the 500 was principal of the
Shelby seminary at Shelbyvile. ILL.,,
and his time was divided between
teaching and preaching.