License

Take a look at this announcement about a marriage license:


(Click on image to enlarge)
Hobart Gazette 11 Aug. 1922

The Hobart News used the same wording, but prefaced with "This item has been handed in to The News for publication," as if to say, "Don't blame us, we just print what we're given."

The lack of enthusiasm and the reference to both of them living in Gary spurred my imagination to a gallop, and it leapt over all the more innocent possibilities, to the conclusion that this item must have been "handed in" to inform local gossips that an irregular situation was about to be regularized.

As you may recall, the James Jeffrey family moved to Ross Township in 1921. May was listed in the 1910 Census as their eldest child, at seven years of age, so she was about 19 in 1922.

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In the item just above that, we find Mr. and Mrs. Hoken Hazelgreen leaving Lake Station to go live with their daughter in Crisman. I believe these are Elna's parents, Hoken being Mr. Hazelgreen's Swedish name (more commonly spelled Haken), which he often Americanized to Henry (when he wasn't just using his initials, H.S.). On the other hand, if any of their daughters ever married a Pete Nicholson, I haven't been able to document it. Update: There has to be a mistake in this item. By 1922, both Haken and Christine Hazelgreen were dead. The mother of Pete Nicholson, Jr. of Crisman had been a Hazelgreen, or Hasselgren, but whether any relation to Haken I don't know and don't intend to find out. Pete Jr.'s wife's maiden name was Gustafson. Perhaps Pete Jr.'s parents went to live with him, and the Gazette's editor had a moment of confusion (in which I sympathize) preserved for posterity.


Additional Source: "Local and Personal." Hobart News 10 Aug. 1922.