Charlevoix county herald., 1918-10-18
MARRYING
PARS0N' DEAD
Nh HAD HOTEL BUILT ON LINE
OF TWO STATES TO AID
g sWEETHEARTs II
WED 5142 COUPLES IN rs YEARS
Married Couples on Street Cars, In
Buagies and on the Border Line

Parson" of Bristol Is dead at the age
OF SO years. The Rev. Mr.. Burroughs
resigned from the active ministry rs
wears ago to establish what was proba-
bly, the most famous marrying mecca
In the United States. He built and
equipped a hotel for the exclusive use
of runaway couples-probably the on
ly hostelry of It's kind in existence.
At the time of his death he had per-
formed the marriage ceremony for
5142 couples.
He was called "Parson' Burroughs
and was known over four states in
particular and throughout the United
States in general as the Marrying
Parson."
The majority of the couples who
came to him were from states where
the laws prohibited the arriage of per-
sons under 81 without parental con-
sent.
"Parson" Burroughs believed that
the wishes and consent Of the con-
tracing parties was all that is neces-
sary to make a marriage and SO he
did not bother much about the legal
aspect of the case except in so far as
to remain within the laws of the state
In which he resided.
He had devoted himself to this uni
que occupation for full quarter of
century. His Gretna Green has long
since become of world renown. Some
years ago the Ministerial Association
of Bristol memorialized the Tennessee
Legislature to put stop to the hun
dreds of "hasty and indecent mar
riages" performed annually at the
Bristol mecca.
Every room in his elopers' hotel Is
bridal chamber. 1t is situated square
ly upon the dividing line between Vir-
ginia and Tennessee. The strategic To-
cation Of the house, one half of which
lies in one state and the other half in
g neighboring state, is at once appar-
ent for the execution of the purposes
for which 1t was built. Elopers from
one state had only to cross the hall to
be within the jurisdiction Of the adj
joining state. The hotel is also within
a short distance from the West Vir-
ginia, Kentucky and North Carolina
lines.
"Parson" Burroughs performed mar
riages under every conceivable cir
numstance-in a racing carriage thru
the streets at night with an irate
mother in full pursuit; with the couple
standing In the middle of a moving
street car, the tracks on which 1t was
running lying in different states, with
hands clasped across the boundary
line the bridegroom in one state and
his bride in another. He had been the
friend of love lorn lads and lasses
long enough to marry the children Of
the couples who first came to him.
He went to his death believing that
he had the worlds record for the
number of people united In marriage
by single individual.
Matrimony for revenue only as in
terpreted by "Parson" Burroughs,
proved a lucrative vocation when
compared to the average salaries paid
TO ministers of the Gospel. He had
emassed considerable competence out
Of his unusual calling. So general be-
came his fame that not infreQuently
he was called upon by from one to
four couples at one time-one cere-
mony and one blessing answering for
all. Only recently he was called upon
t. marry five couples with single
ceremony. He had barely concluded
this service when two more pairs OF
young peopls were ushered into the
reception rooms. requesting the i'm
mediate services of the man who had
earned the title of strenuous uniter
of young lives.'
The marriages performed by Parson
Burroughs have included many ro-
mantle and unusual affairs. 1t fire.
quently happened that the bride was
girl Of 16 or IL while the bride
groom was a widower of from 40 to
so. Sometimes the reverse was the
case, the bridegroom being a mere
youth, while the bride numbered sill
yer threads among the gold or black
or brown.
Irate fathers have been known to
follow their fleeing daughters over
frozen SHOWS and across mountains,
sometimes to capture and tale them
back, but more frequently to learn
that the couple had arrived at the
mecca ahead of him.
IT have been criticized" said this
old preacher shortly before his death,
|. "for marrying so many young clippers.
believe as q rule those who came
here and get married n opposition to
the wishes ftheir parents turn out
better than those who are married ac-
cording to the wishes Of their par
ents.
"Of the thousands OF couples mar
ried at my mecca during the last quar-
ter of century, so far as have been
able to trace, only about dozen have
been divorced. I do not believe that
the marriages made at home will com
pare favorably with this record.