The Mysterious Marriages of Arthur Bauman and Margaret Haitz

I've heard of couples who get married twice, but usually they get a divorce first, think better of it, and then remarry each other. What I have never heard of is a couple who seemingly marry each other twice without ever divorcing, but I should never say never. I can now say that I think I have seen one and it's in my own family, too!

In 1929, Arthur Bauman and Margaret Haitz were supposedly married in the parish house of St. George Catholic Church in Cincinnati. I say supposedly because the only source I have found for this marriage is an article in the Ripley (Ohio) Bee dated 12 September 1929 and newspapers are not considered sources of proof. 

   An evening wedding Monday (Labor Day) at the parish house of St. Georges' Church, Cincinnati, united in marriage Miss Margaret Haitz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Haitz and Mr. Arthur Bauman, son of Mrs. Cora Bauman-Streif of New Richmond, O. The only witnesses at the ceremony were Robert and Elizabeth Haitz, brother and sister of the bride.

After a short honeymoon trip to the North they will life [sic] at 1402 Regent Avenue, Bond Hill, Cincinnati.

Everything was all well and good. I had entered this date into my Roots Magic genealogy software and made a note that I needed the marriage documents to consider this proven. Then I found the mystery element of this story. 

I was poking around on the Hamilton County Genealogy Society's website and found a marriage record for Arthur and Margaret in the Index of Marriage Banns at Hamilton County, Ohio Courthouse the society's free database. I thought I had found the document I needed to prove the 1929 marriage, but then I saw the date. This document was not for the 1929 marriage. It was a copy of a form that had been filled out and indicated a signature of Father Antoine Brockhuis. It said that he had married the couple on 20 February 1932 after banns had been twice published in St. George Catholic Church, Cincinnati.

Index of Marriage Banns at Hamilton County, Ohio Courthouse
Hamilton County Genealogy Society (database)

I wish I could say that I know why there are two marriages for Arthur and Margaret, but I can't. It could be that this form was copied, after the fact, into the marriage record book by someone in the church office and they mistakenly put that day's date instead of the date of the actual marriage. Maybe more research will enlighten me or maybe this is one of things that will remain a mystery forever. It wouldn't be my first unsolved genealogical mystery! Let me know by leaving a comment if you have a theory! 

The Marriage Record of Graydon Reid and Margaret V Koehler

Margaret Veronica Koehler was the youngest daughter of Henry John Koehler and his wife Mary M Pfeffer. She married Graydon Reid in Peru, Indiana on 30 November 1942. It was the second marriage for Graydon and the first and only marriage for Margaret.

The record of their marriage can be found on Family Search in the database, Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007. This database has actual images of the records and this particular one is from the 1938-1942 Miami County, Indiana Index F. It is the fourth entry which begins on page 67. The record is spread out over three pages and contains a lot of information on the bride and groom including the street address.

The record reads as follows:

Groom: Graydon Reid
Residence of groom: Marion, Indiana (3212 W 10 or 20 - the street number is difficult to read)
Groom's age on next birthday: 36
Color: white
Occupation: machine operator
Place of birth: Bath County, Kentucky
Father: Nick Reid
Mother: Francis Colliver
Number of groom’s marriage: 2
Bride: Margaret V Koehler
Residence of bride: Marion, Indiana (1925 W 9th)
Bride's age next birthday: 24
Color: white
Place of birth: Cincinnati, Ohio
Father: Henry Koehler
Mother: Mary Pfeffer
Number of bride’s marriage: 1
Place of marriage: Peru, Indiana
By whom married: Mabel A Personett (Ms. Personett was the Justice of the Peace in Peru, Indiana.)
Date of marriage: 30 November 1942
Record Number: 1663

The Marriage Record for Elizabeth Haitz and Albert Steele

This is the Brown County, Ohio marriage record for Elizabeth H Haitz and Albert F Steele.  Their marriage took place on April 15, 1933.  It was four years into the Great Depression, but each of them were employed.  Albert as a shoe worker and Elizabeth was a file clerk.  

Elizabeth was the fourth child of Joseph Haitz and Henrietta Koewler.  Frank Steele and Anna Flaugher were the parents of Albert.  He was their oldest child.

The marriage most likely took place at St. Michael Catholic Church in Ripley since Father P Ambrose Reger was the person who performed the ceremony.  However, since the exact place is not indicated on this document, I am forced to only acknowledge the location as Brown County.  I wish record keepers of the day had named, at least, the town that the marriages took place! 

Virginia Ann Haitz and Harry F Skaggs

This is an abstracted certificate of marriage for my great-aunt Virginia Ann Haitz and Harry F Skaggs.  

Ohio. County Marriages, 1789 - 2013. Digital images. Family Search. Ohio, County Marriages, 1789 - 2013. https://www.familysearch.org : 2015.  

Ann was the fifteenth child of Joseph and Henrietta (Koehler) Haitz.  

Fred had an older sister and brother and two younger sisters.  His father, William, was also a shoe repairman.    

Marriage Banns for Albert Haitz and Mary Louise White

While I have had good luck in finding marriage license and certificate records online for my Haitz family members, my luck ran out with Albert and his bride, Mary Louise White.  If I want to have a copy of their record, it looks like I will need to go to the Brown County Probate Court to get one so that task has been added to my To-Do list.

My search for some record of their 1940 marriage, however, was not entirely in vain.  I found a notice of the third reading of the marriage banns in a Portsmouth newspaper on the website, Newspapers.com.  

The Third Reading of the Marriage Banns for
Albert Haitz and Mary Louise White.

Marriage banns are published three times before a marriage in a Catholic Church, and some other Christian churches, not only to announce the forthcoming wedding ceremony, but to allow time for  anyone to come forward with objections to the marriage.  The banns for Albert and Mary Louise's marriage were read for the third and final time in Saint Michael Catholic Church in Ripley, Ohio on Sunday, February 4.  The wedding took place the next day, February 5.

"Couple To Wed," Portsmouth (Ohio) Daily Times, 4 February 1940, marriages banns were read for the third time at St. Michael Church for Albert Louis Haitz and Mary Louise White; digital images, Newspapers.com (http://www.newspapers.com : accessed 20 June 2015); citing the original.

Marriage of Joe William Haitz and Hestel Faye Swearingen

This is another of my grandfather's siblings who was married by Father Anthony Hoch who the subject of my previous post.  

1936 Marriage License and Certificate for
Joe William Haitz and Hestel Faye Swearingen

Joe William, or Joe Bill as everyone called him, married Hestel Faye Swearingen on Saturday, August 29, 1936.  He was 27 years old and a farmer.  She was 25 and her occupation is listed as housekeeper.  She most likely helped her mother at home.  

Her parents were Homer Swearingen and Bertha Sheeler was her mother.  They lived in Decatur, Ohio where they were farmers.  

Ohio, County Marriages, 1789 - 2013, page 169, Brown County, Joe William Haitz and Hestel Faye Swearingen, 29 August 1936; digital images, Family Search, Ohio, County Marriages, 1789 - 2013 (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 23 June 2015); records found in county courthouses. 

Emma J Haitz Marries Elwood Griffith

1938 Marriage License and Certificate
Leonard E Griffith and Emma J Haitz

The 1938 marriage document for my great-aunt Emma J Haitz and Leonard E Griffith can be found in the Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013 database on Family Search.  From it, I was able to learn several new pieces of information while it also raised a couple of questions.  

I was not aware that Emma's husband was named Leonard.  All I have ever seen or heard was Elwood.  For this marriage license application, he stated his birthdate as February 7 and since he was 20 years old that previous February.  He still resided in the town and was a truck driver there.  His parents were Marion Griffith and Selma Shelton.  It was his first marriage.

Emma J Haitz was about 5 years older than her husband according to this document.  Her date of birth was December 7 and her 26th birthday was just around the corner from the time she and Elwood were granted the marriage license.  I do not know what Emma's middle name was and finding out has been added to my To-Do list.  Her parents were Joseph and Henrietta (Koehler) Haitz and she was a housekeeper, most likely helping her mother at their house in Ripley, Ohio.  She had not been previously married.

Due to Leonard's age, the consent of his father was required and Marion's signature is below that of the couple's.

The Rev. Father Anthony Hoch of St. Michael Catholic Church in Ripley married the couple.  His signature can be found on the bottom of the marriage certificate that was filed and recorded in probate court on December 22, 1938.  Therein lies the big question I have about this marriage.  The date that Father Anthony wrote on the marriage certificate is December 26, 1938, but how can a certificate be filed before the marriage was performed?  Did Father Anthony make a mistake in writing the date?  Was the marriage performed on November 26 instead of December?  Writing the wrong month would be an easy mistake to make, especially if the calendar had already turned by the time Father Anthony had completed this form.  It can be easily seen that he had already written Leonard's name where the date is indicated.  

My plan is to try to find a wedding announcement in The Ripley Bee that will clear up the mystery when I can get a chance to take a road trip to Ohio.  Until then, the question remains!

Robert Haitz and Virginia West - Marriage

Ohio, County Marriages, 1789 - 1994, page 267, Robert Haitz and Virginia West, 21 May 1934; digital images, Family Search, Ohio, County Marriages, 1789 - 1994 (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 24 June 2015); original records found in county courthouses.  

Robert Haitz married Virginia West on his 29th birthday, Monday,  May 16, 1934. The marriage most likely took place at St. Michael Catholic Church in Ripley, Ohio, although this document only states that Father Anthony was the priest at the church.  

Robert was the second child and first son of his parents, Joe and Henrietta (Koehler) Haitz.  He was the proprietor of a restaurant in Ripley.  His bride, Virginia, was the daughter of Thorton and Ivy (Eagle) West with whom she made her home in West Union.  She was stenographer.  

This document has at least one mistake in it.  Henrietta's last name is spelled incorrectly. It should be Koewler.   I also am wondering if Virginia's father was Thornton instead of Thorton.  

The Two Anniversary Marriage

On page 343 of the Brown County, Ohio Marriage Record book, there is an entry for the marriage of my grandparents, George H. Haitz and Janet Becker.  It is dated January 4, 1934 and is signed by Father G. Anthony, the Catholic priest in Ripley, Ohio.  The application for the marriage license that is above the marriage certificate is dated December 30, 1933 and giving consent to the court were their mothers, Henrietta Haitz and Amy Becker.  A fairly straight forward record documenting the date and place of a marriage between two people who were in love or so it would seem, however, that isn’t the whole story of my grandparent’s wedding.   

"Ohio, County Marriages, 1789 - 1994," digital images,
Family Search (https://familysearch.org accessed: 20 March 2015),
issue of marriage license and marriage of
George Haitz and Janet Becker; citing volume 30, page 343.

No matter what the document states as the marriage date, my grandparents celebrated the anniversary of their wedding on December 26, the day after Christmas for that is the true date of their marriage, or at least the first one anyway.  I’ll never know how long their plan had been discussed and perfected, but at the age of nineteen, George along with sixteen year old Janet crossed the Ohio River, found someone with authority in Augusta, Kentucky, and were married.  

I’m not sure how long the secret stayed between them, but the cat was certainly out of the bag by December 30 when the application for a marriage license for the two of them was granted in Georgetown, Ohio.  I wasn’t there, of course, but I can imagine that no one in either family was overly happy with the situation, the exception being George and Janet.  When George’s Catholic parents discovered what had occurred on the day after Christmas, a church wedding was immediately planned and on the fourth day of January in 1934, George and Janet found themselves once again vowing to love, honor, and obey each other, only this time in front of the parish priest.  

I haven’t been able to locate the record for that first elopement date and only know the story from my grandmother telling me.  She has been gone now for 31 years, but I wish I had back the time to ask a few more questions. 

When and how did she meet my grandfather?  George had graduated from Ripley High School that spring and she was a junior.  She was a town girl and he was a country boy so I suppose they met in school, but how long had they known each other?  

Why did they decide to go to Kentucky to elope rather than stay in Ohio?  Did they return that day or the next?

Was she scared or nervous when she left her house on Second Street knowing that when she returned she would be a married woman or was she filled with sixteen year old bravado?  How about my grandfather?  He had to have known that his parents would not be happy.

What did my great grandparents, both the Beckers and the Haitzs say and do when they were told?

Did she and my grandfather have a plan for the future or were they just hoping it would all work out in the end?

The marriage license states that my grandfather was a clerk.  Was he working for my great-grandfather Becker in his Ripley dry-goods store, Becker’s, at that time?  Is that where and how they met?

There is a little more to this story.  My grandfather lost a baseball career opportunity as a result of his elopement, so stay tuned!