Turn of the Century Marriages

Turn of the Century Marriages

by Karen Utter Jennings

My great-grandmother, Ollie Francis Johnson Utter Brier was born in August, 1895 and died August 1975, during her years she witnessed a lot of history. I've thought her life story is interesting and so I've taken on the task of writing it ~ I'm writing chaper 27 now.She married in 1909, barely at the age of 14 to my grt-grandfather, Dee Jay Utter, who was 23. When I spoke with my brother Bill, who's reading my first draft, he
just can't come to terms with WHY a little girl would marry an "old" man...

Believe me, I struggled with that very question & put off writing the chapter for a very long time. Just the other day I knew I had to plunge ahead and write it or it would never get written. So I forged ahead giving the feeling in the story that she was in love and that Dee Jay, was also in love.

Still, my brother just can't buy it. So it got me to thinking that maybe I need a more plausible reason for her to marry at that age? Maybe I need a good plot device to make the story more interesting. Marrying for love? Hmmmm, I know people marry for many other reasons besides being in love.

So, I put it to my friends and I'm gathering their thoughts while researching it on the web. Not much turned up on the websites. But answers from my friends are flowing in about why young girls married so darn young way back then.

But, even my mother married my father when she was only 15; Dad was 20. However, there is a very good reason for mom marrying at that time....and that's HER book!  ;)

Anyway, when I finally decide about the plausible reason for her to marry so young, I'll post the answer coming up.....
Karen Utter Jennings