42 Smix City Academy of Science and Letters. 



sister's. What to do I did not know. Just then the man 

 who had come after me handed me a paper and said: 

 "This is their license." I took the license and looked it 

 over, pretending- to read, but, in reality, I was trying 

 to make up my mind what to say. Having made it up, 

 I asked the parties to stand up and join hands. Then 

 I asked if there were any objections to the union of the 

 couple. There being none, I said, "By virtue of the 

 authority vested in me as a Justice of the Peace I pro- 

 nounce you man and wife," and it was all over and just 

 as well done as if it had been performed according to 

 the elaborate Episcopalian ring service. 



PERFORMS MARRIAGE CEREMONY IN DAKOTA TERRITORY. 



On the first day of January, 1858, there came to my 

 office in Sioux City a company of half-breeds and. Indians 

 from across the Big Sioux, who wanted me to come over 

 there and marry a Frenchman and a Grow squaw. 



While I was first a Justice the title "Squire" became 

 attached to may name. After I had thrown up the office, 

 following the escape of Allen, the murderer of 

 Craven[s], I was still "Squire." Some years later I was 

 appointed Justice by J. P. Allison, County Judge, to fill 

 out an unexpired term. But when asked to go over to 

 Dakota Territory^ to marry this couple I was not a Jus- 

 tice at all, and so had no authority to perform such cere- 

 monies. Even if I had been a Justice, my jurisdiction 

 would not have extended outside of Woodbury County, 

 much less outside of the State. So, of course, I refused 

 to go. 



The company went dow^n town and saw Mr. L. H. 

 Kennerly, who sent them back to me with instructions 

 to go over and marry the couple. By and by Mr. Ken- 

 nerly, himself, came up and talked with me. He said 

 the Indians wanted me very badly and honestly believed 

 that I could legally perform the ceremony. I repeated 

 the statement that I had no authority, but finally, after 

 Mr. Kennerly had presented the matter at length, I ar- 

 ranged for an escort of some twenty men and promised 

 to go. 



1. This phrase is allowable, though Dakota Territory was not 

 established till March 2, 1861. 



