Mystery Monday – “disapointment not married”

While researching another family, I came across this image for a marriage license issued to Pelatiah Safford and Frances Ferris on 20 March 1861 in Union County, Ohio:

Source: "Ohio County Marriages, 1790-1950", Union County marriages,
FHL film number 573777, digital folder 4701456, image 162, Safford-Ferris, 1861;
 index and images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 18 Feb 2012). 

How sad! What happened? Who was disappointed? My curiosity led to me to see if I could find out a little more about Pelatiah and Frances.

A Fanni Ferris (age 48, born in New York) along with 6-year old Frances Ferris is enumerated in the household of wagonmaker Rowland Lee in Paris Township, Union County, Ohio.[1] There is no woman named Frances or Fanni Ferris in the 1850 census for Union County.

In 1860, P. Safford (age 59 born in Vermont) was enumerated in the household of H. Danforth in Union County, Ohio; Safford was listed as being a farmer with real estate valued at $2,200. An Adaline Safford (age 44, also born in Vermont) was also in the household. [2]

In 1850, Pelatiah was in Union County, Ohio, enumerated with what appears to be his wife Arinbaha(?) and seven apparent children ranging in age from 0 to 19 years.[3]

A quick check of burials in Union County reveals a memorial for Azubah Austin Safford, wife of Pelatiah, died 11 April 1860, buried in Raymond Cemetery. [4] She died just two months before the 1860 census enumeration! Pelatiah died 15 July 1886 and is buried in the same cemetery.[5]

When Pelatiah applied for the license to marry Frances, he had been a widower for a year. Since they were not enumerated with him, his young children may have been living with other family members or others in the community. Did he hope that Frances would help him raise his children?

It appears that Frances “Fanni” Ferris was a widow with a young daughter to raise. Was she looking for someone to provide support for her so she could raise her child?

Who disappointed who?

Pelatiah certainly was not deterred by this turn of events. He married twice in the following ten years: first to Cynthia A. Finch on 4 March 1862 in Delaware County, Ohio,[6] and then to Martha A. Bartlow on 3 June 1871 in Union County, Ohio.[7]

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[1] 1860 U.S. census, Union County, Ohio, population schedule, Paris Township, page 184, dwelling 1412, family 1402, Fanni Ferris; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 February 2012), citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm publication M653, roll 1044.

[2] 1860 U.S. census, Union County, Ohio, population schedule, Taylor Township, pages 123-124, dwelling 931, family 916, H. Danforth; digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 February 2012), citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm publication M653, roll 1044.

[3] 1850 U.S. census, Union County, Ohio, population schedule, Taylor Township, pages 80B-81A, dwelling 1083, family 1100, Pelatiah Safford, digital images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 19 February 2012), citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm publication M432, roll 736.

[4] FindAGrave Memorial #27977242, Azubah Austin Safford, created by judy price on 2 July 2008, Findagrave, (www.findagrave.com : accessed 19 February 2012).

[5] FindAGrave Memorial #39763956, Pelatiah R. Safford, created by Rose Marie on 22 July 2009, Findagrave, (www.findagrave.com : accessed 19 February 2012).

[6] "Ohio County Marriages, 1790-1950", Delaware County marriages, FHL film number 391396, digital folder 4016691, image 13, Safford-Finch, 1862; index and images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 19 Feb 2012).

[7] "Ohio County Marriages, 1790-1950", Union County marriages, FHL film number 573776, digital folder 4701456, image 595, Safford-Bartlow, 1871; index and images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 19 Feb 2012).

© 2012 Denise Spurlock, Ancestral Trees Research