Buckley Teens Navigate Legal Hurdle to Marry
A young orphan and his teenage bride-to-be were initially turned away from the marriage license window, but a creative legal intervention allowed the wedding to proceed.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Homer McDaniel, 19, and Mary C. Rainey, 15, both of Buckley, were married yesterday afternoon by Justice Card. The youthful couple, attended by three friends from Buckley, appeared at the marriage license window and were informed that they could not get a license without the consent of parents or guardian. Young McDaniel was dejected when he heard the statement, for he is an orphan and has no guardian. In a moment, however, the problem was solved and the party wended its way to the prosecutor's office, where Deputy Bell appointed one of the party legal guardian over McDaniel. With the necessary papers, the couple again appeared at the license window and received the slip of paper that made them one.
“In a moment, however, the problem was solved and the party wended its way to the prosecutor's office, where Deputy Bell appointed one of the party legal guardian over McDaniel.”
This story highlights the significantly different social and legal standards regarding age and consent in 1909 Washington. The ease with which the 'guardian' loophole was manipulated by local officials reveals a very different relationship between teenagers and civic authority at the time.
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