My Great-Grandmother's Marriage in Tennessee in 1875

"Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-T5TL-C?cc=1619127&wc=Q63S-BTD%3A1589264674%2C1589373932 : 22 December 2016), Shelby > Marriage licenses, 1875-1876 > image 418 of 2789; citing Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties.

In my last post, Gloria Foster and I Find Our Great Grandmother's Son, we discovered Lucy Nelms had a son, Sam Bradford and his father was Sam Bradford as well. If you remember, they lived in DeSoto County, Mississippi. The following 1880 Census which was found by Steve Bailey shows them living next to their families:

Year: 1880; Census Place: Stewarts Store, DeSoto, Mississippi; Roll: 646; Page: 486A; Enumeration District: 054

Year: 1880; Census Place: Stewarts Store, DeSoto, Mississippi; Roll: 646; Page: 486B; Enumeration District: 054

You see, that marriage record happens to be the first I found among my fathers people. Bobby Foster's grandma, Lucy Nelms Bradford Nelms now that I think about it, it's the first marriage to be found among all my ancestors. It occurred on 18 March 1875 in Shelby County, Tennessee.

Now as I sit here thinking about this, I must not let you think that I found this due my own labor. First of all, it fits in line with what I have discovered so far. After finding both Sam Bradford's, it would stand to reason that I would find this marriage next.

I was directed to FamilySearch Family Tree:

Robin Renee' Foster (1965–Living) | Fan Chart View | Family Tree | FamilySearch

Next, I was directed to click on Lucy Nelms:

Lucy Nelms (1856–1929) | Fan Chart View | Family Tree | FamilySearch

Then, I clicked on Lucy Nelms:

Lucy Nelms (1856–1929) | Fan Chart View | Family Tree | FamilySearch

You can see a box comes up. I selected the Person View.

Lucy Nelms (1856–1929) | Person | Family Tree | FamilySearch

From there, I was directed to the Time Line:

Lucy Nelms (1856–1929) | Person | Family Tree | FamilySearch

Right away I could tell there was a marriage record waiting for me. This is what showed after I selected Review and Attach:

Source Linker — FamilySearch.org

I wanted to see the copy of the original marriage record, so I clicked on Record. That took me to the index:

Lucy Nelms, "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950" • FamilySearch

Lastly, I clicked on View Original Document:

Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950; https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-T5TF-B?cc=1619127&wc=Q63S-BTD%3A1589264674%2C1589373932

There were two documents for this marriage - the one just above and the first one I posted.

I sure appreciate the guidance I received. I do not think I would have found this by myself. It would have been a major stretch because this marriage occurred while I thought they were still living in DeSoto County, Mississippi.

In the next post, I will show you how this record will be attached permanently to Sam Bradford and Lucy Nelms in FamilySearch's Family Tree. These occurrences are common with me. If you want to know more about them, then read about how I found the formerly enslaved: My Best Genealogy Tips: Finding Formerly Enslaved Ancestors.