Catherine SHIELDS and L.J. WHITNEY - missing person marriage
SHIELDS, WHITNEY, ELLIS
Posted By: James Butcher (email)
Date: 7/3/2006 at 17:27:14
One of the Shields children which lived in Jones County and married first to a Whitney (later married William Henry ELLIS) was Catherine M. Shields (1850-1876), daughter of John F. Shields and Eliza Jane Denison.
Her first husband has been elusive and only listed as L.J. Whitney, married in Wayne, Jones County March 7, 1870. This in itself is interesting as the 1870 census dated June 16, 1870 (one month after her marriage) shows Kate living with her father and a newborn born in May 1870 named Charlie Whitney. As you see she was at least 6 months pregnant when she married which may be a contributing factor as the husband is not seen with them in the 1870 census.
There is a biography for Leroy J. Whitney in Clay County, IA. He was born March 15, 1850 in Olean, Cattaraugus Co., NY and died December 1, 1931 in Spencer, Clay Co., IA. The biography specifically states he "first" married in 1880 and his family moved from Winnebago Co., IL to Kansas in 1870. No mention of a previous marriage nor living in Iowa but the 1880 census shows Leroy living with his parents in Kansas and status "divorced".
With this person having the right initials, the right age, shows to be divorced before 1880 though history states he did not marry his first wife until 1880 (she died in 1905), and he is missing in the 1870 census with a wife who was pregnant when married, I figured this is our man.
Is there any vital info listed on the 1870 marriage license at the courthouse?
Your thoughts?
Jim
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