— from Milene Henley, County Auditor —
A treasure trove of genealogical information has been added to San Juan County’s website. Records of all marriages performed in San Juan County are now available online. The oldest dates back to 1874, the first year in which a marriage was recorded here. The happy couple was Enoch May and Miss Elizabeth Caham, married February 2, 1874, on Orcas Island. Edward D. Warbass, the Auditor at that time, used his personal seal on the document, “there being as yet no official seal provided for the office.”
Kira Sable, Customer Service Specialist in the Auditor’s office, worked with the oldest of the County’s marriage records. Paper documents that hadn’t been touched for a hundred and forty years were carefully unfolded and scanned, and the historical names within entered into our online database. “It was a powerfully moving and deeply satisfying experience, working on these marriage documents,” said Sable. “It was like seeing history unfold in front of me. I felt like I got to know some of these people, by seeing their names and their families over and over.”
Marriage laws have undergone a lot of changes since 1874. In the days of yore, a groom had to sign an affidavit stating that he was “not feeble-minded, an imbecile, insane, a common drunkard, not afflicted with pulmonary tuberculosis in its advanced stages, nor any contagious venereal disease.” The bride’s affidavit was exactly the same, but without the contagious venereal disease question. (Apparently young ladies of that time were not deemed likely to have venereal disease.) The occupations of both parties were also requested on the application, and the answers for the women were often “spinster” or “farmer’s daughter.”
Many of the old records are hand printed with beautiful calligraphy; others are scarcely legible. There are several records of double weddings. Many brides were 16 years old. The names are often familiar: Jensens, Guards, Boyces, Sundstroms and Wolds. Mr. Jasper Coffelt and Miss Rozilla M. Richey, both of Lopez Island, were married by Thomas J. Weekes, Minister of the Presbyterian Church on San Juan Island, on April 20, 1885. Their descendants are likely still on Lopez Island.
Take a moment to explore our website, www.sanjuanco.com/auditor, and search for historical marriage licenses. From the Auditor page, click on “Search Recorded Documents” on the left-hand navigation bar. Then choose “Marriage License” as document type and search by name or by date. Our staff is always available to answer questions or to help you navigate the website. Call (360) 378-2161 for assistance.
How very interesting.