Tuesday's Tip - Westmoreland County PA Marriage Records

My mother's family is all from western Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, there aren't many vital records online for this region. I rely on Ancestry.com as my best source for historical records, but in this case it wasn't helpful.


From my own family history, I did know the names of many of my aunts and uncles and great-aunts and great-uncles, but very few spouses.


After a lot of searching for marriage records, I fell upon a new resource from Westmoreland County, PA.


This online searchable database doesn't provide a copy of the certificate, but gives you some very useful information including:

• Bride's full name
• Groom's full name
• Date of marriage
• Record number
• License number

They have records for since the late 1890's online.


In their newer records (from the last 10-20 years), they include more information including:

• Bride and groom's mailing addresses
• Date of birth for each
• Occupations
• Level of school attended

Presumably you can contact the county directly with the record number and license number information and receive a copy of the full marriage license application.


I haven't tried that, yet


Here is the link: http://westmorelandweb400.us:8088/EGSPublicAccess.htm

The Loves of a Sailor.....James Henry Fuller

It may be true the old saying that a sailor has a girl in every port.

Benjamin C Cromwell Schooner

My Great-Great Grandfather, James Henry Fuller was a sailor living in Portland, Maine.  He was a captain or first mate on commercial ships which sailed from Portland to Boston and New York.  He was born 9/12/1827 in Windsor, Nova Scotia and was a commercial sailor from 1847-1905.  These weren't steam or diesel ships, but the old three masted schooners powered by nothing but sails and wind.


When not at sea, or possibly because of so much time at sea, James Henry Fuller was married 4 or 5 times!!  He married:  Mary Farr, Ellen Downey, Laura Freeman, Margaret Armstrong O'Hagen (she had been married before) and possibly Mary Newcomb.  For Mary Newcomb, the "intention to marry" was filed with the City of Portland, but I can't find an actual marriage record, so they may have called it off before the wedding.


It would appear the James H Fuller liked getting married, but may not have enjoyed being married quite so much.  To be fair to him, diseases that we don't worry much about today like scarlett fever, measles and pneumonia claimed many people at a young age.  It is likely several of his wive's died young and caused him to remarry.


He married his last wife, Margaret Armstrong O'Hagen, when he was 55 years of age (12/31/1882).  It was a good thing he did, because Margaret gave birth to my Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth M Fuller in 1886.  He was 59 and still spent much of his time at sea.  I don't think I would be up to being a father of a newborn at that stage of my life.


Here is a copy of Maine Marriage record of James H Fuller and Margaret Armstrong O'Hagen.


How did I uncover this information about the many marriages of James H Fuller?  The State of Maine has put most of their birth, marriage and death records online.  They are easily accessible on Ancestry.com.  If you aren't a member of Ancestry.com you can also go to Mainegenealogy.net or  Familysearch.org which offers the same state of Maine vital records.


More on the life of James Henry Fuller in future posts.....