Behold the marriage license of Jesse Graham and Elizabeth Hunnicutt, my great x3 grandparents. Jesse and Elizabeth were the parents of Jesse F Graham, who married Sarah Scott.

“Benton County.” The name of the county changed to Calhoun in 1854.

“Jessie Graham.” Records are about evenly split between spelling his name Jessie or Jesse. There’s one census that spells it Jessee. I have decided to use the spelling Jesse when writing about him. Jesse was born circa 1822, making him about 17 at the time of this marriage.

“Elizabeth Hunnicutt.” Elizabeth was born between 1814 and 1820. The records can’t agree. Census records indicate she was three to nine years older than Jesse. Assuming an 1814 birth, she would’ve been about 25 here. Assuming 1820, she would’ve been 19.

“25 day of Dec in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and 39.” The license was issued on Christmas Day!

“M. M. Houston.” Matthew M. Houston, Clerk of Benton County. This is interesting to me as there are some Alabama Houstons on mom’s side of the family. This could be my maternal ancestor recording the marriage of my paternal ancestors!

“26 day of Dec 1839.” The actual marriage date. It was a Thursday, as I recall, and cold…

“Jno W Thompson J.P.” John W Thompson, Justice of the Peace, and conductor of the rites of matrimony. The justice may have been Elizabeth’s uncle – Elizabeth’s mother Rebecca had a brother named John Thompson.

Bibliography

“Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKZS-9T5T : 4 November 2017), Jessie Graham and Elizabeth Hunnicutt, 26 Dec 1839; citing Calhoun, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,035,493.