For our first ever #FridayFind we have the case of a missing marriage record

Why would a 20th-century marriage appear in the church records (as seen here) but not in the civil records?

Thanks to a deep dive by our genealogists, we now know that Rev. Peter Engel, the priest who performed Thomas Florence and Catherine Prelli’s wedding, never returned their marriage license to the county. While unusual, an unfiled marriage record is not without precedent. As penalties could be inflicted for late filing, clergymen worried about the accumulation of late fees never returned them.

Have you hit a stonewall while researching your family? Reach out to us at emma@backlog-archivists.com!

Stay tuned to learn more about what our genealogists unearth in their research!

Illinois, Diocese of Belleville, Parish Records, St. Clair, East St. Louis, St. Elizabeth Parish, Marriages 1905-1932. Pg. 53, 25 Nov. 1917