MARRIED – On the 4^th of March last, at Dayton, Illinois, by W. L. Dunavan, Esq. Mr. William Lewis to Miss Eliza Ann D. Holdman, all of this county.¹ 

The above announcement appeared in the Free Trader on April 24, 1841. The date given for the marriage is more than a month previous, but perhaps the word didn’t reach the newspaper in a timely fashion.

However, the actual request for a marriage license was filed on April 3rd, 1841 in the county clerk’s office, as shown below. The newspaper, apparently, was off by a month.

To make matters worse, Wm. L. Dunavan, Justice of the Peace who performed the ceremony, says that he married them on May 4th. However, he recorded the said marriage on April 17th, 1841.

Both documents agree that the marriage was performed on the 4th day of the month. They just can’t agree on which month – the newspaper says March and the JP says May. In fact, based on the date of application (April 3) and the date of registration of the JP’s return (April 17), the marriage must have been performed on April 4, 1841.

MORAL: Be careful: any record can have errors. 

1. The Illinois Free Trader, April 24, 1841, p 3, col 3