In my research, finding two marriage ceremonies for the same couple is no longer unusual. I think this is thanks to indexes becoming more readily available online for New York and New Jersey. In some instances, the reasons may not be apparent on the face of the documents and the length of time between ceremonies. For Theodore Marmorstein and Rose Roth, the purpose of their double nuptials was clear- they were married in a civil ceremony and then a religious ceremony in May of 1929 in New York City. The civil ceremony was at the municipal building on May 4th. The religious ceremony was performe ..read more

A wedding invitation from 1882 appeared on eBay. This family heirloom was offered at $150. Nobody purchased the item. Picture of wedding invitation, 1882, for Charles Demarest and Martha Duryea via eBay The groom was Charles E Demarest (1859-1937). The bride was Martha Jane Duryea (1861-1950). Below is the marriage record filed with the state of New Jersey. They married on June 28, 1882 in Washington Township, Bergen County. New Jersey Marriage Return from 1882 Groom- Charles E Demarest. Bride- Martha J Duryea. This image is from microfilm housed at the New Jersey State Archi ..read more

Who were the children of Florence Lutter (1892-1983) and Adam Hofacker (1893-1974)? A mistake in the 1920 federal census might lead someone astray in this inquiry. Florence and Adam were married in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey in 1915. Marriage certificate of Adam Hofacker and Florence Lutter, October 16, 1915 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. Groom's parents- William Hofacker and Minnie Christophe. Bride's parents- Charles Lutter and Annie Lau. The couple appeared in the 1920 federal census in Newark with two children. Their daughter, Mildred, was age 3 and 5/12. Her calculat ..read more

Found on eBay-  this small card measuring two and a half by four inches. A child in Victorian garb is depicted on one side. Reproduction of a painting. Child holding an open book. Wavy hair to the shoulders. Shirt sleeve rolled up past the elbow. Garments tied around the waist. Skirt to the knees. Toes peeking out. The other side is what interested me. The card was trimmed at the sacrifice of the wording. From what I can ascertain, the inscription reads:           Grand Ball           of the           ..read more

On this day in my family's history, my great grandparents, Eugene Everett Cook (1898-1979) and Rene Marion Duryea (1900-1943), married in Manhattan, New York. Marriage Record of Eugene Cook and Rene Duryea August 6, 1919 Manhattan, New York, United States. Harold Lockwood Duryea and Alwine Wrage were the bride's brother and sister-in-law. (Certain New York City records are available online free of charge at the Department of Records and Information Services) Both resided in New Jersey at the time of this marriage. It was not uncommon for residents of New Jersey to marry in nearby New ..read more

While researching the life of Augusta Luther (1892-1956) (my first cousin, three times removed), an advertisement in a newspaper from 1922 surfaced featuring a supposed testimonial for the "medicine" Tanlac by her husband, James Kittson. "Gains 25 pounds and says it saved his life." Perth Amboy Evening News. July 7, 1922. They resided in Harrison, Hudson County, New Jersey in the 1920s. Family of James Kittson in the 1920 federal census. Harrison, Hudson County, New Jersey. Gussie, wife. James, son. Martha [Luther] (born Klindt), mother [in-law]. Pyron Getz, boarder. A sea ..read more

In May I saw and touched pottery made by the company of my third great grandfather, Ezra Dunn (1821-1898). This collection is housed at the Matawan Historical Society. Several historical locations in Monmouth County were open as part of the Weekend in Old Monmouth organized by the Historical Commission. Description: beige vase with navy imprint of tulips and the initials A.H.C. Description: beige cylindrical container with navy tulips. Imprinted Van Schoik, Dunn, & Co., Makers, Middletown Point, NJ. Description: brown glazed cylindrical container with impr ..read more

 Does anyone have information on cemeteries in Millerton, Dutchess County, New York? I continue searching for information on the death of Catherine Donnelly, my third great-grandmother. She was born around 1833 in Ireland. With Michael Preston (1813-1904), she had at least six children and lived in Pine Plains, Northeast, and Stanford in Dutchess County before relocating to Independence in Warren County, New Jersey in the 1880s. No death certificate has been located in New York or New Jersey for Catherine. I figure she died around 1900, when she was last seen in the federal census. Her hu ..read more

What became of George D Russell is no longer a mystery. In 1946, he returned from service in World War II to his home in Forest Hills, Queens County, New York. I could not find him after this date- until now. George died in 1997 and was buried in Saint Charles Cemetery in East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York. (As of this writing, the picture of the gravestone on the FindAGrave page is not his, but rather another person of the same name in the same cemetery. There are many men named George Russell; hence, narrowing them down is challenging.) About five years ago, George D Russell became a ..read more

The index of marriages for New York City and New Jersey at Ancestry is a great help to researchers. Many people living in northeastern New Jersey crossed the Hudson River into New York to be married. George Henry Holsten (1882-1955) and Hilda Rachel Frey (1884-1943) married twice. Their first ceremony was in New York City on September 17, 1905. The second was in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey on September 16, 1906. Images are below. Certificate and Record of Marriage George Henry Holsten and Hilda Rachel Frey married September 17, 1905 in New York City Certificate and Record ..read more