52 Ancestors :: Week 23: Going to the Chapel

A "brick wall" on my husband's side has confounded me for many years. While I had a date for the marriage of Nancy E. Kincheloe and John H. Howard occurring somewhere in Kentucky, I could not substantiate it with original documents. The marriage date was the earliest evidence of John's existence, so I was desperate to find out if there were additional clues to help me learn more about him on those records. 

I'm still working on learning more about John H. Howard's beginnings. However, thanks to a distant relative through the Kincheloe side, I learned that the information I needed for his marriage was right there on Family Search - such a great reminder to check and recheck for digitized sources. New information is added every day!

The lovely bride, Nancy E. Kincheloe Howard - the only photo I have of her. I have yet to find one of her husband, John H. Howard. Source: Ancestry

The documents I found there have become some of my favorite records! You have to love a hand-written permission note from 1842, written by the father of the bride, complete with witnesses and evidence for where the note was written - I learned so much from this first document, as well as the following two:

Note of permission from Phil. Kincheloe [1]

Marriage Bond for John H Howard and Robert Stith [2}

Marriage license & certificate for John H. Howard and Nancy E. Kincheloe [3]

According to these records, the permission note was written and signed by Philip L. Kincheloe, Nancy's father, in Big Spring, Kentucky, on 2 August 1842.  Consent was required because Nancy was sixteen years old.[4] The note was brought to Brandenburg, Kentucky, the next day, August 3rd, by John H. Howard and Robert Stith (possibly Nancy's maternal uncle), where the marriage bond was paid and the license to marry was obtained. Then the marriage was performed by Peter Duncan, MG (Minister of the Gospel) on Thursday, August 4th.

I have since learned that Peter Duncan was the Methodist preacher assigned to the Big Spring Circuit (Hardinsburg District), in 1841 and 1842.[5] This leads me to believe that the marriage occurred in Big Spring, where the Kincheloe and Stith (Nancy's maternal side) families were living, rather than in Brandenburg, Kentucky, the Meade County seat. 

"John H Howard & Nancy E Kincheloe were married the 4th day of August 1842"

This same family member was also able to provide additional evidence for John and Nancy's marriage from the Kincheloe Family Bible.[6] What a thrill to see this in writing! I was so fortunate to have connected with this relative through Ancestry. The information from these documents greatly expanded my understanding of this family prior to their exit from Kentucky. I am holding out hope that one day I will have additional luck with finding more information about my brick wall groom, John H. Howard.

---

1. "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-Y6SY-67?cc=1804888&wc=QD3Q-WWF%3A148194401 : 17 May 2018), 004705557 > image 87 of 246; Madison County Courthouse, Richmond, Kentucky.

2. "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-Y6SB-9Y?cc=1804888&wc=QD3Q-WWF%3A148194401 : 17 May 2018), 004705557 > image 85 of 246; Madison County Courthouse, Richmond, Kentucky.

3. "Kentucky, County Marriages, 1797-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-Y6SX-7Y?cc=1804888&wc=QD3Q-WWX%3A148193201 : 17 May 2018), 004705554 > image 442 of 546; Madison County Courthouse, Richmond, Kentucky.

4. Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 15 June 2018), memorial page for Nancy Edwards Kincheloe Howard (2 Dec 1825-25 Mar 1897)  Find A Grave Memorial no. 22997250, citing Kincheloe Cemetery, Wright County, Missouri; photo credit bill (ID 46889067).

5. "Appointments of Preachers of Methodist Church from 1786 to 1845," Methodist Episcopal Church, pages 52 and 54, digitized online, Asbury Seminary, (http://place.asburyseminary.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=kentuckymethodistbooks : accessed 13 June 2018).

6. Philip L. & Caroline L. Stith Kincheloe Family Bible, loose page, "Marriages," digital image 14, courtesy of Bill Perry, 12 October 2016.