Category: Marriage

Friday Find: Hocker—Drake Marriage Announcement

Newspapers are a wonderful resource for finding not only the genealogical date, but the also the details that make a person’s life colorful.

For instance, from the marriage announcement for T.P. Drake and Alice Hocker, we find they were married at her sister’s home on 1426 Hubbard Street, Jacksonville and that the decorations included palms and cut flowers, that the bride wore “a costume of white satin trimmed with pearls and point lace,” and that “her long bridal veil was caught up with a pearl and diamond ornament.”1 We also learn that they planned to live in Florida for most of the year, but spend their summers elsewhere.

Hocker-Drake marriage

Have you found any interesting details about the lives of your ancestors from newspapers?

Marriage Monday – William Hocker & Isabella Smith

Marriage Record-William Hocker and Isabella Smith

William Hocker and Isabella Smith, 1914 Marriage Record

My great grandparents, William Hocker and Isabella Aitken Smith were married on 13 October 1914 in Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. This is a transcription of their application for marriage license.

Application for Marriage License

No. 153 F3

County of Dauphin, SS

We, the undersigned, in accordance with the statements hereinafter contained, the facts set forth wherein we and each of us do solemnly swear are true to the best of our knowledge and belief, do hereby make application to the Clerk of the Orphans’ Court of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, for a license to marry.

William H. Hocker

Isabella A Smith

Statement of Male
Full name and surname: William Hocker
Color: White
Relationship of parties making this application, if any, either by blood or marriage: None
Occupation: Carpenter
Birthplace: Dauphin Co., Pa
Residence: Hbg, Pa
Age: 24 yrs
Previous marriage or marriages: None
Date of death of former wife or wives: —
Is applicant afflicted with any transmissible disease: None
Name and surname of father: Albert C.
of mother: Lillian
Maiden name of mother: Leedy
Residence of father: Cumberland Co., Pa
of mother: same
Color of father: White
of mother: white
Occupation of father: Farmer & Carpenter
of mother: Housewife
Birthplace of father: Dauphin Co, Pa
of mother: Perry Co., Pa
Is applicant an imbecile, epileptic, of unsound mind, or under guardianship as a person of unsound mind, or under the influence of any intoxicating liquor or narcotic drug? No
Has applicant, within five years, been an inmate of any county asylum of home for indigent persons? No
Is applicant physically able to support a family? Yes

Signature of application [signature]

Statement of Female
Full name and surname: Isabella A Smith
Color: white
Occupation: Telephone Operator
Birthplace: Dauphin Co., Pa
Residence: Hbg, Pa.
Age: 21 yrs
Previous marriage or marriages: none
Date of death or divorce of former husbands: none
Name and surname of father: William
of mother: Elizabeth
Maiden name of mother: Bonnington
Residence of father: Decd
Color of father: —
of mother: Hbg, Pa. – white
Occupation of father: —
of mother: Housewife
Birthplace of father: Scotland
of mother: Edinburgh, Scotland
Is Applicant an imbecile, epileptic, of unsound mind, or under guardianship as a person of unsound mind, or under the influence of any intoxicating liquor or narcotic drug No

Signature of applicant [signature]

Sworn and subscribed before me this 13th day of Oct A.D. 1914
[Seal][signature] Clerk of the Orphans’ Court

duly attested and acknowledged consent of
to this marriage filed.

In accordance with the above application of a Marriage License was issued in due form of law, this 13th day of Oct A.D. 1914.

[signature] Clerk of the Orphans’ Court

duplicate Certificate signed by Rev. H. Everett Hallman certifying to the solemnization of said marriage at Harrisburg Pa on Oct 13-14, received and filed.