Early Ft. Smith Arkansas Black Marriages -Freedman's Bureau 1865-1867
Marriages By Groom*
(Names are listed in order of Groom's surname, Given name, Age, Surname of bride, Given name of bride, age of Bride and Date of Marriage. Note that in some cases a surname is not listed for the bride.)
Alexander,Lambert 35 - Johnson Delila, 23 (Both of Sebastian County), Jan 21, 1867
Bennett, Porter 23 - Blackman, Arena, 23 (Both of Sebastian County) April 4, 1866
Blair, Henderson 22 - Louza Van 22 (Both of Sebastian County)Jan 20, 1867
Bliss, William 23 - Amanda 20 (Groom was in Co.A of 57th US Colored Troops) Jan 2, 1866
Brown, Austin 23 - Vinne, 27 Feb. 6, 1866
Brown, Isaac 21- Walker, Rachel 22 (Both from the Choctaw Nation)Feb. 19,1866
Brown, James 25 - Miller, Clarissa Dec. 14, 1865
Burton, Hardy 21 - Williams, Louvenia 18 (Co. B of 57th USCT) Jun 2, 1866
Busby, Thomas 21, - Walker, Bennie 18 (Co. B 57th USCT) Jan 28, 1866
Carney,Robert 35 - Frances, Mary 34 (Co. G 57th USCT) Jan 10,1866
Carter, Nathaniel 22 - Cole, Lucy 20 (Co. H 57th USCT)Jan 18, 1866
Cole, Nelson 30, - Maria 24 (Co. H, 57th USCT) Nov 25,1865
Connelly, Henry 21 - Porter, Ida 18 (Co. E 57th USCT) Mar. 31, 1866
Davis, William 21 - Brooks, Annette 19 (Co. D, 57th USCT) April 15, 1866
Dawson, Nelson 25 -Nicholson, Pinkie 19 (Co. G 57th USCT) May 13, 1866
Dean, Samuel 24 - Dixon, Emma 19 (Both from Crawford Co.) May 27,1866
Douglas, Richard 21 - Fulsom, Amanda 17 (Both from Sebastian Co.) Jun 3, 1866
Dovey, John 39 - Kripe, Ann 30 (Co. B. 57th USCT) Feb 21, 1866
Easan, Burl 28 - Louis, Dilsie Ann 27 (Co. F 57th USCT) Dec. 25, 1865
Emerson, Samuel - Caroline (Co. C 57th USCT) Mar 31, 1866
Evans Robert 22 - Julia 21 (Co. B 57th USCT) Feb 2, 1866
Flannagan, John 30 - Lucy 24 (Co. B 57th USCT Jan 8, 1866
Francis, Isaac 46 - Peak, Mary 23 ( Co. I USCT) Oct 31, 1866
Franklin, Doctor** 43 - Parella (Co. E 57th USCT )Recorded Dec 29, 1865
Green,Robert 27 - Sanders, Belle 21 (Both of Sebastian Co.)
Grey, Joseph 36 - Wheeler, Margaret 22 (Co. F 57th USCT)April 29, 1866
Harris, General 31 Reding, Elizabeth 24 Jan 2, 1866
Harris, Peter 36 - Elizabeth 35 (Co B 57th USCT) Jan 22, 1866
Henson, Elias 25 - Martin, Ida (Mrs.) (Co. C 57th USCT)April 7, 1866
Holmes, Simon 27 - Allen, Hannah 19 (Both of Sebastian Co.) Nov. 9,1866
Jackson, Andrew 25 - Sparks, Louisa 23 (Co. F 57th USCT) April 29, 1866
Jackson, Thomas 33 - Ross, Catherine 24 Jan 7 1866
Jackson, William 30 - Dougherty, Lovace (Co. E 57th USCT) April 8, 1866
Jenkins, John 32 - Hattie 26 (Co. C 57th USCT) Dec. 24, 1865
King, Solomon 25 - Vernon. Amanda 19 (Both of Sebastian Co.) Feb 10, 1867
Kirkwood, William 23 - Ellenburg, Delila Ann 20 Dec, 4, 1865 (Co. G 57th USCT)
Lock, Anderson 22 - Weber, Rosa 22 (Co. F 57th USCT) Feb 11, 1866
Lyons, Robert, 28 - Ellen 23 (Co. G 57th USCT) Aug. 18, 1866
McClure, John 26 - Powell, Marie 16 (Co. I 57th USCT) Dec 24, 1865
McDaniel, Isaac 28 - Hale, Gracie 27 (Co. F 57th USCT) Dec 25,1865
Miles, Ryal 31 - Linda 26, (Co. K 57th USCT) Nov. 29, 1865
Murry, George 24 Magee, Harriet 22 (Co. E 57th USCT) April 4, 1866
Nicholas, Samuel 35, - Jones, Jane 17 (Co. E 57th USCT) Dec 28, 1865
Patrick, Albert 28, Coleman, Emily (Wife born in Choctaw Nation) Nov 7, 1866
Pennington, Albert 28 - Alexander, Elizabeth Jane 21 (Co. K 57th USCT) Jan 29, 1866
Peoples, William M. 27 - Nicholson, Pinkie 19 (Co. G 57th USCT) March 11, 1866
Perry, Charles 22 - Gunter Susan 27 Dec 22, 1865
Ragsdale, Boone 46 - Johnson, Hester, 28 (Both of Sebastian Co.) Feb 24, 1867
Reed, Harrison 24 - Knox, Annie 23(Gr Sim. Co. Kansas, Br Sebastian co. Ark) Mar 29, 1866<
Robison, Thomas 48 Clarissa 40 (Co. H 57th USCT) Jan 13, 1866
Scott, James 35 - Bennett, Harriett (Co. G 57th USCT) May 10, 1866
Shields, John 23 - Wagner, Elizabeth 22 (Co. H 57t USCT) Nov 28, 1865
Skipper David 38, - Holtcomb, Caroline 37 (Co. I 57th USCT) Dec 24, 1865
Smith, Charlie 26 - Smith, Mary Ann 30 (Co. B 57th USCT) Jan 28, 1866
Smith, Oliver 24 - Amanda 20 (Co. A 57th USCT) Jan 3, 1866
Thompson, Edward 35 - Jane 23 Dec 2 1865
Thompson, Major 27 -Henry, Amanda (Both of Sebastian Co.) Nov 7, 1866
Walker, Duncan 23 - LaFleur, Jane (Both from Choctaw Nation) Feb 27, 1866
Ward, William 22 - Prior, Laura 21 (Co. B 57th USCT) July 31, 1866
Washington, John 25 - Owens, Mary 17 (Co. B 57th USCT) March 8, 1866
Washington, William 23 - Paris, Susan 19 ( Co. K 57th USCT) Dec 2,1866
Watson, Shelton 20 - Allen, Isabel 16 (Co. G 57th USCT) July 29,1866
Young, James, 27 - Elizabeth 20 (Co. A 57th USCT) July 31, 1866
Weber, Leve 21 - Brown, Katie (Co. H 57th USCT) Feb 11, 1866
Webster, Berry Franklin 18 - Edwards, Lavenia Jane Jan 4, 1866
Williams, Daniel 45 - Mattie 25 (Co. F 57th USCT) Jan 8,1866
Williams, Nathaniel 25 - Sanger, Martha 17 (Co. D USCT) Feb 11,1866
Williams, Thomas 27 - Han, Martha 29 Dec 24, 1865
Woodson, Edward 29 - Bolin, Emeline (Co. A 57th USCT) Dec 17, 1865
* The source of this data comes from the original records at the National Archives in Washington DC, of Record Group 105--The Bureau of Refugees, Freedman and Abandoned Lands from the Military Branch of the National Archives. These marriages are listed as part of Entry # 381 beginning on page 49, in records from the Ft. Smith Arkansas Subordinate Field Office to the Freedman's Bureau.
**Doctor Franklin and Parella were originally married on Nov. 18, 1864 and their marriage was re-recorded on Dec 19,1865 at the Freedman's Bureau.
This marks the end of the entire list of Black Marriages performed at the Freedman's Bureau Office in Ft. Smith, Arkansas, between December 1865- and Spring of 1867.
In 1865 17 marriages were performed.
In 1866 48 marriages were performed.
In 1867 4 marriages were performed.
A total of 69 marriages were performed by the Ft. Smith Freedman's Bureau prior to the city recording all black marriages in court house records. This is the earliest known list of black marriages known to date.
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