Multiple Marriages a Major Plus

Multiple marriages are a godsend for genealogists. Whether because of divorce or widowhood multiple marriages create multiple records and increase the likelihood of research success.

I have come upon two individuals who married 4 times each yet never to one another. John Meade(1864-1942) married in New York City three times in Manhattan 1887, 1897 and 1920 and once in Brooklyn 1933. Catherine Knapp(1880-) married about 1897, 1902, 1914 and 1925. The latter three in Hell’s Kitchen.  

John Meade had children with his first two wives and a collection of civil and church records mark these nuptials. He provided examples of all the civil and church records available to researchers from ledger style marriage registers, marriage certificates and marriage licenses. 

Catherine Knapp was more interesting by far; marrying four times and bearing each husband at least one child. She first apparently married Edward McGovern in about 1897. This is based on their 1900 federal census enumeration where they were living together with her mother on West 35th Street along with their daughter. No other record exists of this union except that on 1 Jun 1915, Catherine attests on her daughter’s marriage license that Edward was deceased. I am hopeful that once St Michael’s records become available that I might find both an 1897 wedding and an 1898 baptism for this family.

On 20 March 1902, Katherine Marie Knapp wed Walter Joseph Hussey at St. Chrysostom Episcopal Church. This raises the question, Why?. Catherine was a baptized Catholic of German-born parents and would raise all her children in that faith. Possible reasons are that she and McGovern divorced or that Hussey was divorced. Both were listed as single on the civil marriage certificate. 

The three children born to this union were born in 1902, 1905 and 1909. All three were baptized at St Raphael Catholic Church and the latter two confirmed there in 1919. It is worth noting that the eldest was born 6 months after her parents’ marriage. On 12 Jul 1911 Mr Hussey died. 

According to subsequent census and marriage records a son named William McCormack was born to Catherine c. 1914 and she married Michael McCormack on 6 May 1914 at Holy Cross Catholic Church. On 21 Feb 1916 she bore a daughter named Murphy. This created a quandary as to the timeline for a marriage to McCormack, William’s birth, his father’s death/divorce and a new marriage to John Murphy. 

Finally with the online availability of Manhattan Catholic records the puzzle was solved. On 27 Apr 1913 William McCormack was born to Michael J McCormack and Agnes Hussey(sic) and baptized at Holy Cross on 13 Jul 1913. This birth was a full year before his parents’ marriage. Michael McCormack died a year after the christening on 18 Jul 1914. Oddly little William is NOT enumerated with his mother in either 1915 or 1920. He does appear as stepson in the Murphy household in 1925 and 1940. William McCormack was confirmed at St Raphael in 1925.

Catherine would bear a total of 4 children with John Murphy; 1916, 1919, 1920 and 1924 at age 44. All four were baptized at St Raphael Catholic Church. The three eldest Murphy children were confirmed there in 1929.  

On 20 Mar 1925 a marriage requiring a dispensation was recorded at St Raphael. Outside sources(civil and church) indicate that Mr Murphy was married to Margaret Golden in 1898 at St Raphael. Their daughter Annie was baptized at St Ambrose and died a few months later. Margaret Golden remarried in 1904 to Bernard Gaughran and had 4 children with him 1905, 1908, 1910 and 1920. Margaret Golden died on 6 Feb 1925 apparently freeing the Murphy’s to normalize their relationship. The church record recorded Catherine as Knapp while the marriage license rightly recorded her legal name McCormack. 

Remember that the second and subsequent children to a marriage gestate for 9 months. The first child, however, comes when it comes; sometimes months after a marriage, sometimes years before the marriage and sometimes with no marriage at all. This does not preclude a person from actively participating in the life of the congregation with regular attendance at Mass and reception of the sacraments for one’s children. Irregular situations can be brought into line with church teaching at a moment’s notice. Check all church records carefully.