A MARRIAGE BY TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 3690, 19 December 1874, Page 2 (Supplement)

A MARRIAGE BY TELEGRAPH.

The following particulars of a recent marriage ceremony are given in the ‘ Journal of the Telegraph ;—“ Thursday, April 16th, a minister in the Keokuk (Iowa) office of the Western Union Telegraph Company married a couple at Bonaparte, lowa, he performing the ceremony and they pronouncing the marriage vow over the wire. Five o’clock was the hour fixed for the ceremony, and precisely at that time a despatch was sent to Keokuk to the eftect that the candidates were at the telegraph office in Bonaparte, and ready to proceed. The following was then sent:—‘Keokuk, lowa, 16th April, 1874. John Sullivan and Francis

Godown, Bonaparte, lowa : Please join hands and take the pledge. W. C. Prate.’ The following is a copy of the pledge which had been left with them ‘ You mutually and solemnly promise before God and the witnesses present that you will each take the one you hold by the hand to be your lawful and wedded companion: that forsaking all others, you will cleave to each other in sickness and in health, and perform all the duties of a faithful companion until you are separated by death. If to this you agree, send me a message to this effect.’ Then came the response : ‘Bonaparte, IGth April, 1874. Wm. C. Pratt, Keokuk: -We take the pledge. John Sullivan, Frances Godown.’ Ihe concluding despatch was then sent as follows: ‘ Keokuk, lowa, IGth April, 1874. John Sullivan and Frances Godown, Bonaparte, lowa By authority 1 pronounce you husband and wife, and may God bless you.— Wm. C. Pratt.’ The operators all along the line then tendered their congratulations to the happy couple upon their marriage by the lightning process. We believe that this is the first authenticated marriage ceremony performed through the medium of the telegraph.”