Wedding of JAMES C. DAVIS and SALLIE JOHNSON

Source: Beckwith, H.W. History of Fountain County, Indiana. 
Chicago: HH Hill, 1881 p 20

One of the first marriages in the county, if not the first, was that of 
James C. Davis to Sallie Johnson in April 1824. Miss Johnson was a 
daughter of Archibald Johnson, who came tot he county in 1823. 
Mr. Davis was the son of Enos Davis, who also settled here in the 
fall of 1823. The license was obtained in Terre Haute and young 
Davis walked from Terre Haute, coming by the house of John Hibbs, 
a minister of the gospel, who had shortly before taken up his 
residence in the south part of what is now Wabash Township, and 
procuring his service to celebrate the marriage ceremony, the two 
made their way to the house of the bride on foot. Perhaps in these 
days young men would think this was getting married under 
difficulties. This married pair lived long together and reared a large 
family of children, some of whom are yet citizens of the county. A 
wedding in those days was the occasion of a frolic. A writer upon 
this subject says, "The wedding was an attractive feature of 
pioneer life. FOr a long time after the first settlement *** the 
people married young. There was no distinction of rank and very 
little of fortune. On these accounts the first impression of love 
generally resulted in marriage. The family establishment cost but a 
little labor, nothing more. A description of a wedding in the olden 
time will serve to show the progress made in society, as well as 
preserve an important phase of history. The marriage was always 
celebrated in the house of the bride; and she was generally left to 
choose the officiating clergyman," or the "squire." A wedding, 
however, engaged the attention of the whole neighborhood. It 
was anticipated by both old and young with eager expectations. In 
the morning of the wedding day the groom and his intimate friends 
assembled at the home of his father and after due preparting 
departed en masse for the "mansion of his bride!" The journey 
was usually made on horseback. "It was always a merry journey *** 
on reaching the house of the bride the marriage ceremony took 
place and then dinner or supper was served. After the meal the 
dancing commenced, dances were 3 or 4 handed reels, or squre 
sets and jigs. The commencement was always a square four, which 
was followed by what the pioneers called 'jigging' - that is, two of 
the four would singl eout for a jig, and were followed by the 
remaining couple. The jigs were often accompanied with what was 
called cutting out - that is, when either of the parties became tired 
of the dance, on intimation the place was supplied by some one of 
the company without any interruption of the dance. "In this way 
the reel was often continued until the musician was exhausted. 
About 9 or 10 o'clock in the evening a deputation of young ladies 
stole off the bride and put her to bed. In doing this they had to 
ascend a ladder, the pioneer stairway "from the kitchen to the 
upper floor, which was" usually composed of loose boards. Here, 
in this pioneer bridal chamber, the young, simple-hearted girl was 
put to bed by her enthusiastic friends. This done, a deputation of 
young men escorted the groom to the same apartment and placed 
him snugly by the side of his bride. The dance still continued and if 
seats were scarce, which was generally the case, "every young man, 
when not engaged in the dance, was obliged to offer his lap as a 
seat for one of the girls; and the offer was sure to be accepted." 
This last statement needs a little qualification. the acceptance of 
the offer generally depended upon the question whether the right 
young man made it. The next day, or in a day or two, after the 
wedding an infair was had at the house of the groom's father. And 
here the same order of exercises were observed, except the escort 
to bed was usually dispensed with. It is to be hoped that the young
woman of today who may read this description of her grandmother's 
wedding will not be shocked at what may seem to her as indelicacy. 
These things belonged to the custom of the country; they were a 
part of its social laws; and it is not too much to say that the men 
and women who were married thus were as chaste in deed and 
thought, and as true to their marital vows as any that can be found 
now. The time and the manners have changed and it is no more to 
be expected that people of this day should follow the habits and 
customs of their parents and grandparents then that they should 
have their clothing made of the same material, and cut in the same 
fashion, as that worn by their ancestors. But while we are putting 
off old habits and customs we should take care that we do not 
drift away from that old fashioned honesty, and lose that indomitable 
pluck and energy that fitted these early dwellers in the forest to be 
the founders of all that prosperity that surrounds us now.