Marriage Record:
Husband: William Henry Somers
Birth Date: August 2nd, 1894
Wife: Lillian Mae Weaver
Birth Date: September 24, 1903
Date of Marriage: February 5th, 1920
Performed by: O.A. McKeney, Justice of the Peace at Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Editor's Note : I'm so happy to share this bit of America's Christian history with you! Great Grandfather Henry Francis Somers was a "Circuit Rider" for the Baptist Church in the Southern Missouri/Tennessee/Arkansas region and areas beyond! What a wonderful legacy he has left for his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;... Deuteronomy 7:9 (KJV)
Family Folklore: Lillian (16 yrs.) eloped with my grandfather (25 yrs.) after he had recently been released from the army when WWI ended. The story is that when he asked my grandmother's parents for permission to marry their daughter, they said "Absolutely not!" So, while my great grandfather was repairing a roof he saw two people running across a muddy field hand-in-hand and remarked how silly they were to be out in the mud. Well, it turned out to be his daughter and my grandfather rushing off to the justice of the peace. Grandma (a good Christian girl) wrote "18" on a piece of paper, stuck it in her shoe and when asked if she was over 18 by the justice, she replied "Yes, I'm over 18."
ReplyDeleteAfter the elopement, they went back to Lillian's parents home and grandpa fearfully stayed in the wagon while grandma went in to break the news. My great grandmother marched up to him and said "Rascal! Come on inside." I believe she continued to call him "rascal" as a nickname from that time forward.
[…] The family story is that my grandparents requested permission from Maggie and William to be married. Their response was “Absolutely not!” Maggie and William probably thought this would end the couple’s relationship. But, instead of putting a damper on the young couple’s feelings, it appears they became stronger and the two hatched a plan to elope. Now mind you, grandmother was only 16 years of age and grandfather was probably 26 years old at the time of their elopement. […]
ReplyDelete[…] The family story is that my grandparents requested permission from Maggie and William to be married. Their response was “Absolutely not!” Maggie and William probably thought this would end the couple’s relationship. But, instead of putting a damper on the young couple’s feelings, it appears they became stronger and the two hatched a plan to elope. Now mind you, grandmother was only 16 years of age and grandfather was probably 26 years old at the time of their elopement. […]
ReplyDelete[…] at the end of the war, returned to Butler County, Missouri and began his civilian life with marriage to my grandmother, Lillian Mae […]
ReplyDelete