An interesting book in the office of the county clerk at Marion is the first marriage record kept in the county. Through the courtesy of County Clerk William Dennis we are enabled to give below a record of marriages that took place in the county from 1841 to 1855. The names and the dates have been transcribed with care, though it is possible some names here printed are not correct in every particular, due to the inability to read the writing in the record. As a rule the penmanship of our early clerks was distinct and readable. This is true in especial manner of the incumbency of Hosea W. Gray, who was clerk during most of the years covered by this transcript. The book consulted in the preparation of this chapter contains both the licenses granted and the returns of the marriages. In a few instances the names in the licenses are different from those given in the returns. A thing to be noted in this early marriage record is the youth of many of the parties. In many instances the records show the marriage of young girls of 15 and 16 years. A number of licenses are recorded, but there is no evidence in the book that the marriages were ever celebrated, due doubtless to the failure of the officiating clergyman or justice to make the proper returns. Many names familiar in the early days appear in this record. And it is valuable not only because it lists those pioneers who here set up their household gods soon after they arrived in the county, but also because it gives the names of the early ministers and justices of the peace in Linn county. In this record book are recorded the licenses of the ministers of the gospel who were authorized to perform the marriage ceremony. Here are some of the names, many of them doubtless familiar to the survivors of that time: Reverends John Hodges, Michael Summer, John Stocker, William C. Rankin, Israel C. Clark, F. R. S. Byrd, James L. Thompson, Warren B. Morey, Salmon Cowles, Isaac Searles, Henry Reed, Christian Troup, John Hindman, Allen Johnson, Uriah Ferree, James M. Fanning, Peter Robinson, Joel B. Taylor, Daniel Worthington, Luther McVay, S. H. Greenup, Duff C. Barrows, Absalom A. Sellers, Charles D. Gray, John S. Brown, John Walker, Edward R. Twining, Jacob Miller, Joshua B. Hardy, James S. Fullerton, Robert Miller, Stephen Porter, Solomon T. Vail, Abner Corbin, Richard Swearingen, George B. Bowman, David Wanerich, Nelson Rathbern, Almiron R. Gardner, John Hayden, J. N. Seeley, J. H. Harrison, Danforth B. Nicholas, John W. Boal, Isaac Whittimore, Bennet Roberts, E. D. Olmsted, Wesley R. Blake, Nelson A. McConnel, Elder Noah Willson, Deacon Pliny B. Yates, William Sayler, John Williams, Solomon Kern, Charles N. Morbeley, John Demoss, George P. Smith, Lucas C. Woodford, Alexander Colwell, Samuel Farlow, Williston Jones. Here is the record of marriages covering the period noted: 1841