Clark Eugene Drown, married Eva Marie Kling, on 11 July 1882. When trying to find where the marriage took place, there are two conflicting issues. In Eva Marie’s obituary, readers are left thinking that Clark and Eva were married in Ionia Michigan; however; Clark’s obituary said they were married in Tower City, North Dakota. A search for a Marriage record in Michigan, for Clark Drown and Eva Marie Kling resulted in no such record. A search for their marriage in Cass County, North Dakota also resulted in no so such record.
Tower City, North Dakota sits right on the border of Cass County and Barns County. Naturally one would look at Barns County as well for the record. A search for a marriage record for Clark Drown on 11 July 1882 in Barns County, also resulted in no such record. There is however, an Eva Marie Kling that has a recorded marriage in 1883 a whole year after the marriage took place.
It seems that the clerk filed the marriage a year after the marriage actually took place. The reason for this may be because of the way the marriage was recorded. Requesting a copy of the marriage certificate revealed that the marriage was never written down on a formal document, but instead was written on the back of a card. perhaps when the clerk or preacher wrote down the marriage it was on this card that got set aside or misplaced and that is why there was a delay in filing the record. Be sure to search far and wide during your research to make sure you do not miss some vital pice of information. Future posts will examine the marriage document and the information provided in it. This information will help to prove the family relationships for Clark Drown. 
Good job finding a marriage record! Sometimes, as researchers, we really need to think outside the box in order to find a record like this. This record is incredibly interesting as well. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI've heard that the 5 Drown boys (of North Dakota?) married the 6 Kling sisters, of anorth Dakota, leaving one unmarried. When one Drown brother became a widower, he went back and married the last Kling sister. That would make one hell of a story if it turned out to be true.
ReplyDeleteof a story if it turned out to be true. Quite interesting!
I'm new to this blog, looks very interesting.
Clark I Drown, Oregon
Great Great Grandson of Clark E Drown of Lee, NV