Martin Gahagen and Wife

 

Gahagen

Arelia

His Wife

Born

Nov. 11, 1843

Died

May 15, 1905

Martin

Gahagen

Born

Apr. 4, 1823

Died

July  10, 1914

Buried Green's Chapel Cemetery, Crittenden County, Kentucky. Tombstone photographed 9 March 2017.

The tombstone above gives no hint to the circumstances surrounding the courtship and marriage of Arelia (Sabin) and Martin Gahagen. They became acquainted through correspondence and never met until Arelia arrived in Evansville, Indiana from her home in Michigan. They met in Evansville,  married on 21 February 1900 and returned to Martin's home in Weston, Kentucky. [1] Unfortunately, Arelia only lived five years after her marriage.

This was not the first marriage for Martin Gahagen. On 4 March 1868 he had married Miss Margaret T. Cain in Crittenden County[2]. They were married a number of years before their marriage ended in divorce. Then came the marriage to Arelia Sabin. On 20 February 1906, Martin married Mrs. M.B. Ford[3], who survived him.

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[1] "Met By Correspondence," Evansville Courier, Thursday, 22 February 1900; reprinted in Crittenden Press.

[2] Brenda Joyce Jerome, Crittenden County, Kentucky Marriage Records, Vol. II 1866-1886, (Evansville, IN: Evansville Bindery, 1991) 16.

[3] Crittenden County Genealogy, Inc., Crittenden County, Kentucky Marriages 1900-1910, (n.p., 2016) 91.

Originally published 21 Dec 2017 and repeated 11 Dec 2024.

Martin Gahagen (1823-1914)

Gahagen

Arelia

His Wife

Born

Nov. 11, 1843

Died

May 15, 1905

Martin

Gahagen

Born

Apr. 4, 1823

Died

July  10, 1914

Buried Green's Chapel Cemetery, Crittenden County, Kentucky. Tombstone photographed 9 March 2017.

The tombstone above gives no hint to the circumstances surrounding the courtship and marriage of Arelia (Sabin) and Martin Gahagen. They became acquainted through correspondence and never met until Arelia arrived in Evansville, Indiana from her home in Michigan. They met in Evansville,  married on 21 February 1900 and returned to Martin's home in Weston, Kentucky. [1] Unfortunately, Arelia only lived five years after her marriage.

This was not the first marriage for Martin Gahagen. On 4 March 1868 he had married Miss Margaret T. Cain in Crittenden County[2]. They were married a number of years before their marriage ended in divorce. Then came the marriage to Arelia Sabin. On 20 February 1906, Martin married Mrs. M.B. Ford[3], who survived him.

---

[1] "Met By Correspondence," Evansville Courier, Thursday, 22 February 1900; reprinted in Crittenden Press.

[2] Brenda Joyce Jerome, Crittenden County, Kentucky Marriage Records, Vol. II 1866-1886, (Evansville, IN: Evansville Bindery, 1991) 16.

[3] Crittenden County Genealogy, Inc., Crittenden County, Kentucky Marriages 1900-1910, (n.p., 2016) 91.

Published 21 December 2017, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Tombstone Tuesday - Boyd Fleming Gahagen

Boyd Fleming

Gahagen

Dec. 23, 1853

Jan. 21, 1933

Buried Green's Chapel Cemetery in the Bells Mines community of Crittenden County, Kentucky. Tombstone photographed 9 March 2017.

According to his death certificate, Boyd F. Gahagen was born in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania and was the son of Martin Gahagen and -- Allen, both born in Pennsylvania. At the time of his death, Boyd F. Gahagen was a widower.[1]

On the 20th of January 1933, Boyd F. Gahagen wrote his will, naming his son Laurence Gahagen and Malvina Gertrude Walker as his only heirs. The will was presented in court 13 February 1933 and recorded 16 May 1933.[2]

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[1] Kentucky Death Certificate #653, Boyd F. Gahagen, Ancestry.com, accessed 3 August 2017.

[2]  Kentucky, Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989, Crittenden County, Vol. 2, p. 100, Ancestry.com, accessed 3 August 2017.

Published 24 October 2017, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Tombstone Tuesday - Rozella A. Gass

Rozella A. Gass

May 31, 1878

May 15, 1926

Buried Repton Cemetery, Crittenden County. Tombstone photographed 27 September 2010.

According to Kentucky Death Certificate #24802, Rozella Augusta Gass was the daughter of Martin Gahagen and Margarette Cain. Rozella was listed as divorced.

The 1910 Crittenden County census shows Rozella as the wife of Thomas M. Gass and mother of J. Ray and Annie M. Gass. Also living in their household was her mother, Margaret T. Gahagen, who was listed as a widow.

Published 24 January 2017, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/

Never Too Old To Marry

Newspapers are full of wonderful stories. The following article is just one example. It appeared in the Evansville, Indiana Courier on Thursday, 22 February 1900 and was then reprinted in the Crittenden Press.

Met By Correspondence

Martin Gahagen of Weston, Ky. [Crittenden County], and Miss Amelia Sabin of Coldwater, Mich. were married in Evansville Wednesday. The wedding was the result of correspondence. The bride and groom never knew one another until they met in this city.

The groom is a well known and prosperous farmer of Weston. He is in his 70th year and carried himself with a degree of erectness for one of that age. He was born in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, and came from the sturdy Pennsylvania German stock. This is his third venture in the matrimonial field and he has a family of five children, all grown.

Mrs. Amelia Sabin, the bride, is a dressmaker and gives her age at 53 years. She is a lady who bears a determined expression on her countenance. Her face is beginning to become wrinkled, while silvery locks are displacing the jet black hair of a few years ago. Her eyes are penetrating and have not lost their girlhood lustre, while her figure robed in a blue traveling suit, made her an impressive bride for one of her age. This is her second marriage.

Mr. Gahagen, who is a well known farmer, read an advertisement in a matrimonial journal several weeks ago. It read: "I am a widow." He answered the advertisement and a courtship followed. The climax was marriage.

Immediately after the ceremony, Mr. and Mrs. Gahagen left for Weston, Ky., where they will reside in the future. The marriage ceremony took place at the Victoria hotel, at the corner of Main and Eighth streets.

Published 31 October 2013, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/