Significance of name on marriage certificate

[Colin Rowledge]

OK folks this may sound stupid but I'm blowed if I know the answer.

On UK marriage certificates, the maiden name and any other names are indicated -if married previously. This makes it pretty easy to track the course of a lady's life.

Does the U.S. require the same detail?

I have a lady that married 4 times between 3 September 1929 and 21 May 1946. The 1st and 2nd marriage took place in the State of Washington. In both instances she used her maiden name. This was correct obviously for the 1st, but why omit her married name for the 2nd?
The same situation applied to her 3rd marriage which took place in Idaho.
For her 4th marriage, she used the surname of husband #3 and her mother was a witness. This marriage took place in the State of Washington.

All marriages were by License and the License issue date and date of marriage was either the same day or the day after.

Any ideas?

The only thought that occured to me was an annulment, but in her 1st marriage she and her husband were still living as husband and wife at the time of the 1920 census.

Colin

[Colin Rowledge]

On UK marriage certificates, the maiden name and any other names are indicated -if married previously. This makes it pretty easy to track the course of a lady's life.

Colin

I have at least one marriage cert. from the U.K. where both parties were divorced and she had indicated both her maiden name and that of her ex-husband.

I am also in contact with a lady in the U.S. who is divorced and she is now known by her maiden name.

So, maybe, both are correct in this instance and it is a matter of 'choice' for the lady.

Colin

[Nicolina]

have you checked later Censuses to see if her "ex" husbands were still alive? This could intimate either divorce or bigamy.

[Colin Rowledge]

have you checked later Censuses to see if her "ex" husbands were still alive? This could intimate either divorce or bigamy.

Hi Nicolina
Husband #1 was with her in 1930 US. censuss, age 19 - haven't found in 1940 - he was a truck driver hauling logs
Husband #2 was Italian - he was not on the the 1930 nor 1940 census - so may have returned to Italy - he was a miner.
Husband #3 was with her in 1940 - he was a miner
Husband #4 married her prior to the 1950 census which hasn't been released yet - he may have been a farmer, however am awaiting confirmation - have found 2 possible candidates for him in 1930 census.

Colin

[Colin Rowledge]

As I had previously mentioned, I have the marriage certificate for marriage #1, #2 & #4. None of the certificates indicate the marital status of the bride and groom. With the exception of marriage # 4, none of the witnesses appear to be related to either party. Are copies of the license applications retained in Clark County, Washington? Are these applications likely to tell me more about either party?

As all parties to each marriage are deceased or probably so, I can provide details of what was contained on the actual certificates.

Colin