Marriage Licenses Issued More Than 100 Years Ago
Some Interesting History Revealed by Old Records Found in the Probate Judge's Office in
Bennettsville
It is not generally known that marriage license were required in this state before
the passage of the marriage license law in 1911. For a long time before that people had
been marrying without licenses anywhere in South Carolina.
It appears, however, that marriage licenses were required more than a hundred years ago.
perform the marriage ceremony. At least they were granted by court officials here in
Marlboro County.
There are now on file in the probate judge's office here a number of old marriage licences. Some of them were granted by a county judge and attested by the clerk of the court. Later on they were issued by the county ordinary which was then the same of this office now called probate judge.
The licenses were then directed to the minister who was to perform the marriage ceremony.
The following was issued by John Wilson, clerk of court
Feb 6, 1788 Nicholas Powers and Sarah Gillespie, To Rev. Joshua Lewis
The following were issued by Joel Winfield as clerk of court, in the name of Morgan Brown and other judges;
July 13, 1791 Christopher Vernon Esq of Chesterfield County and Ann Mary Hedgegood of Marlboro To Joshua Lewis
June 8, 1791 John Wilson and Charlotte Hicks To Rev Joshua Lewis
Feb 17, 1794 Thomas Lide and Nancy Irby To Rev Joshua Lewis
Feb 8, 1797 Charles Strother and Elizabeth Pledger To Rev. Joshua Lewis
Dec. 27, 1789 Joseph James and Patsy Stevens to Rev. David Lilly
Feb 1, 1795 Malachi Nicholas Hedgegood and Catharine Murfee To Rev. Joshua Lewis
Jan 17, 1794 Edward McNally and Elizabeth Hustess. To Rev Joshua Lewis
March 8, 1797 - John Rogers and Mary Griffin To Rev. Joshua Lewis
1800 Robert Lide and Frances Wright . To Rev. Joshua Lewis
Joel Winfield afterward became ordinary, and issued the following licences from that office.
March 3, 1800 Col Thomas Evans of Marlboro, and Wilhelmina Amelia Charlotta Stewart, of Darlington. To Rev Joshua Lewis
Dec 1, 1803 - Thomas Evans Esq and Rebecca Dewitt, of Marlboro. To Rev Joshua Lewis
Aug. 5, 1801 - Wilson Barrentine and Nancy McNatt To Rev Joshua Lewis
July 12, 1802 - William Henry Pledger and Sarah Strother to Rev Joshua Lewis
June 22,1803 - John Irby and Elizabeth Dewitt. To Joshua Lewis
The following were issued by William Easterling. Ordinary
Aug 30, 1804 - Wm Galloway and Mary Pherson of Marlboro To Rev Robert Parnell.
Oct 8. 1817 - Daniel Evans and Alsey Edwards, of Marlboro. To Rev Robt. Parnell
Jan 21, 1807 - Robert Beverly and Mary Beverly To Rev Wm Bennett.
March 28, 182- - Benjamin Covington of Anson County NC and Mary Hodges. To Rev Wm. Bennett
Dec. 23, 1807 - James Pegues and Sarah Godfrey. To Rev Joshua Lewis
April 3. 1807 - John W. Covington and Elizabeth Strother. To Rev. Joshea Lewis
Jan17, 1807 - Thorogood Pate of Richmond county, NC and Frances Bright of Marlboro. To Rev Wm Bennett
Dec. 23, 1807 - William F. Ellerbe and Elizabeth Robertson . To Rev. Joshua Lewis
Dec. 6, 1807 - Joseph Wright and Mary Twitty. To Rev Joshua Lewis
June 11, 1807 - Giles Newton and Elizabeth Smith. To Rev. Robert Purnell.
Nov 19,1808 - Silas Bennett of Anson County NC and Rebecca Easterling of Marlboro Rev. Wm Bennett
July 25, 1811 - William Hamer and Unleny Curg Durganey Rev Wm Bennett
Aug 18, 1813 - W. M. Adams and Julah Ballard of Marlboro Rev Robert Purnell
Dec. 27, 1808 - James Harrington and Eleanor Wilson Rev Joshua Lewis
Dec 23, 1813 - James Easterling and Sarah Manship Rev Wm Bennett
Dec 23, 1825 - Barnabas Henagan and Elizabeth Covington To any legal clergyman. Married by Rev. Chas. McRae
In connection with this license there is on file a marriage contract between Barnabas Henagan and Elizabeth Covington, limiting the amount of property which she should receive from his estate.
Nov. 20, 1820 - Smith Doudge and Elizabeth Bright. ToRev Robert Purnell
Oct 23, 1811 - Chistopher H. Pegues and Elizar H. Evans. To Rev. Joshua Lewis
Feb. 1, 1816 - Purrenton Bright and Charlotte Easterling. To Rev. Joshua Lewis
Feb 19, 1817 - Aaron Bodiford and Isabelle McLeod. To Rev. Robert Purnell
March 4, 1816 - Jonathan Adams and Mary Bright. To Rev. Robert Purnell.
Nov. 15, 1807 - Lazarus Hinson and Sarah Harvel. To Rev. Joshua Lewis
Feb. 13, 1817 - Peter McKaskill, of Anson county, NC and Nancy Rankin of Marlboro. To Rev. David McKay
July 25, 1812 - William Newton and Hanna Adams of Marlboro. To Rev Wm Bennett.
March 21, 1917 - Joel Easterling and Obedience Adams. To Rev.Daniel McKay
Nov. 3, 1809 - James B. Ferguson and Eleanor Dewitt. To Rev. Joshua Lewis
March 24, 1818 - Basset Bright and Obedience Adams. To Rev -------------
July 5, 1818 - John Brickhouse and Franky Pate Rev Robert Purnell
Dec. 7, 1818 - Alexander McGilvary, of Robeson county NC, and Mary Mendeville, of Marlboro. To any lawful clergyman. Married by Rev. Daniel Smith.
Dec. 19, 1826 - John Meloy, of Richond county, NC and Miss Harriet Adams of Marlboro. To Rev Campbell Stubbs.
In the above that are recognized the names of some of the most prominent early citizens
of Marlboro county.
Gregg's history of the Old Cheraws says John Wilson emigrated from Maryland to Pee Dee when quite a young man. He settled on the east side of the river, near Cheraw, and entered upon a successful career as a planter. His first wife was a daughter of Col Thomas Lide. The only surviving child of this marriage was the late Governor John Lide Wilson.
His second wife was Charlotte Hicks, youngest daughter of Col. George Hicks, who came from Virginia. He was a man of means and influence amassed a large fortune.
John Wilson died in January, 1823. Mrs Wilson following him in August of the same year.
Thomas Lide, was a son of Col. Thomas Lide, a brother of the mother of Governor John Lide Wilson.
Nancy Irby, also called Anne, was a daughter of Charles Irby, who came from Virginia and was a prominent citizen.
Capt. Joseph Jones led the Tory band which killed Col. Abel Kolb on April 28, 17--.
He was a man of considerable attainments, and made the first surveyer's compass in this section.
Malachi Nicholas Bedgegood was the only son of Rev. Nicholas Bedgegood, who came from England and was associated with John and Charles Wesley and George Whitfield in religious work near Savannah and came to Marlboro in 1759 to become pastor of the Welch Neck Baptist church, which was near the Society Hill bridge. He, like his son, married a Miss Murphy.
John Rogers was a son of Benjamin Rogers, a Welch settler, John was a member of the legislature. One of his daughters married Gen John McQueen and another Dr Alexander McLeod. He was a brother of Col. Ben Rogers, grandfather of T. I Rogers.
Col Thomas Evans was a son of "Old Col. Tom" Evans, and a great grand son of the Thomas Evans who came with the first Welch settlers to the Welch Neck. This Col. Thomas Evans was a distinguished soldier in the war of 1812. He was a brother of Judge and United States Senator Josiah J. Evans.great grandfather of the present Josiah J. Thomas and Miss Alexina Evans, of this county.
This Wilhelmina Amelia Charlotta Stewart, whom Col. Evans married, was a beautiful young widow, the widow of Charles Stewart and daughter of Baron Poeinitz who came from Poland assisted in the Revolution, and settled at "Ragtown" in lower Marlboro.
After the death of Col. Evans she married Robeson Corloss. Some of her descendants, are Dr J. F. and W. B. Kinney, Mrs Amelia Dudley, the Townsends of Blenheim, and others.
Thomas Evans Esq. was a county court justice in Marlboro and a member of the legislature.
Gregg's history says that James Pegues, a son of Claudias, grandson of another Claudius, and great grandson of the first Claudias Pegues wo came from France, arrived Jane Johnson of -------NC. Perhaps he married more than once, and Sarah Godfrey was another wife.
Christopher B. Pegues, who married Eliza Evans, was a brother of James Pegues. Elisa Evans was a daughter of Old Col. Tom Evans, a brother of Col. Thomas and Judge Josiah J. Evans.
William F. Ellerbe was a son of Wm. Ellerbe, and grandson of Thomas Ellerbe, one of the early Welch settlers in this county. At first the name was spelled Elerby. Thomas Elerby, is said to have been Thomas Ellerbe, is said to have been the first slave owner in this section.
Ann Robertson, who married Wm. F. Ellerby, was a daughter of Major Drury Robertson, who lived in the old house now owned by Senator John L. McLaurin, at McLaurin's mill. Major Robertson there entertained General Lafayette and other prominent people of that time.
James Auld Harrington, who married Eleanor Wilson, was a son of General Henry W. Harrington, a prominent leader in the Revolution.
Barnabus Henagan, whose name was changed to Henagan from Sweeney, was grand father of Dr B K. Henagan, governor of South Carolina and E. L. Henagan, sheriff of Marlboro for several years.
Of Rev. Wm. Bennett, who married so many of the above couples, Capt Thomas says: "William Bennett, ancestor of a family of that name came originally from Maryland to Anson County, NC where he was living during the Revolution. He was a Baptist preacher yet spent some time with the patriot army. He seems to have made himself especially obnoxious to the Tories who fired a volley into his dwelling in Anson. Whether it was the prayers or the sword of the old man the enemy most hated, the tradition did not say. He soon after made his home on Crooked creek, in Marlboro about a mile above what is known as the "Burnt Factory" where he raised his family and where his ashes lie in ground still owned by his posterity. William, Joseph and Nevil, his sons, have representatives in this and Marion county"
Rev. Joshua Lewis was a Baptist preacher, and was pastor, during the Revolution, of the Welch Neck Church, the first church in Marlboro county, near where the Society Hill bridge is now located. Bishop Gregg says: "The cause of religion partook largely of the general depression caused by the troubled state of things during the Revolution. After the resignation of Mr. Winchester to September, 1779, the Rev. Edmund Bodsford took charge of the Welch Neck church. Mr Bodsford was very highly esteemed. He remained until the 1st of June, 1780, when, upon the threatened approach of the British troops, he went to Virginia; returning to Pee Dee, however, in 1782. During his advice, the church was supplied a part of the time by the Rev. Joshua Evans, an excellent man, who long continued his faithful labors in this region"
Rev Robert Purnell was a local Methodist preacher, a member of the first Methodist church in Marlboro organized at Beauty Spot in 1783. Capt Thomas says "he preached in the county -for fifty years and died in 1830". His daughter, Dorcas, married Rev. Cornelius D. Newton. One of their sons was the late Hope H. Newton of Bennettsville.
Transcribed by Mary Lewis, 1 Feb 2003.