This is the marriage "bond" that my Great-Grandfather, William, had to post when he married my Great-Grandmother, Joanna "Josie". William had to post this $100-dollar bond before he could marry Josie. Josie's parents were killed in a horse and buggy accident, so her grandfather, one H. J. Anderson from Whitley County, KY, required that William put up the bond so her wouldn't back out on the deal. Apparently, that was common practice back then. . .
Josie was 16 years of age, and that was considered OLD-maid age at that time. William was 29 years old, and I guess my GGG-Grandfather, H. J., wasn't going to take a chance on William changing his mind! But William was more than happy to post the bond, and looked very happy in this wedding day photo of he and Josie. Josie, on the other hand, looks scared and bewildered. Sadly, they were only married for 2 1/2 years, before William reportedly "fell off of a bridge" and developed "scarfulous". (Our family has researched "scarfulous" and can't find anything remotely similar, so we assume he acquired gangrene in his leg.)
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