Kenneth Massey Branchflower married my grandmother Ada Grace Colby Werst on 22 May 1944 after a long courtship. Their families lived on farms on opposite sides of Old Yamhill Road about 2 miles outside of Newberg, Oregon.
.JPG)
I believe the box either belonged to Kenneth's maternal grandmother Lutharia Ruggles Massey or to his mother Cora Massey Branchflower.
At the bottom of the box, folded in sixths, was this wedding certificate. It reads:
Marriage Certificate
This Writing is to Certify
that on the 2 day of November A. D.
1870 at the house of Stanley Ruggles
in Marion county, Wm P. Massey and Lutharia Ann Ruggles were by me united
in the bonds of Wedlock, in due accordance with the forms of law
and the ordinance of God.
Witnesses
Mary J. Long
Elizabeth Massey
Signed
J. C. Knight
Pastor Congregational Church
Salem
I decided to post this information on my blog to see if we could find descendants interested in the Marriage Certificate so it could be returned to the family.
We always considered Kenneth Branchflower to be our grandfather "Poppy" and he did not have any children of his own. His grandparents William Pleasant Massey and Lutharia Ann Ruggles had six children. I don't believe that sons William S. A. "Ad" Massey, Ira Massey or Harley Massey had children. Harley was married to my grandmother's sister Madge Colby. Daughter Emma married a man named Wilmot O. Cooper and they had at least three children. According to a family tree on ancestry.com, daughter Lula married a man named Wiley Milton Wilson in 1907. That tree does not list any offspring.
Hopefully, a descendant of Wm. P. and Lutharia will see this posting and comment.
That's really neat! I hope someone from the family finds this post!
ReplyDeleteWOW - Very cool. What a fun find. I am Hal Massey's step granddaughter. Hal married my grandmother Marie Whetzel several years after his divorce from Madge.After the divorce, and lived with his sister Lou and Wiley Wilson in Troutdale Oregon. He later resumed being a dentist in Portland. My sisters and I really enjoyed and loved Hal.He doted on us. The Wilsons and the Masseys had along association. William P. married Olive Wilson, second wife. Wiley Wilson's grandfather was the wagon train leader, when William P. Massey came as a little boy to Oregon.
ReplyDeleteCheck out you tube colorpress1948 Family farm - my sister Barbara has put up some old films which she had converted to video. Branchflowers, Hal, Lou and Wiley and some unidentifed people. Sandy Affleck Besseling- afflecksl@yahoo.com