This week’s #FridayFind is… a romance-loving priest?

For close followers of our Friday Finds, you might recognize the Rev. Caesar Spigardi from our July post about an incestuous marriage. Before the Reverend accidentally became enfolded into marriage fraud, he was well known in the St. Louis Italian community for helping arrange brides for Italian workmen.

According to the St. Louis Globe Democrat, after exchanging letters with a young woman of his mother’s choosing, the workman would pay for her travel from his hometown in Italy to St. Louis. When she arrived, the groom-elect would meet his bride-to-be for the first time at Union Station and immediately escort her to Rev. Spigardi’s residence to prepare for the wedding. Talk about a quick turn around!

Did any of your ancestors have an arranged marriage? Let us know and send an email to emma@backlog-archivicts.com!