(Transcribed from the Saturday, October 1, 1971 edition of The Green River Sprite, published Columbia, Ky.)

Mrs. George Beard tells of unusual wedding;

6 couples were married

by Mrs. George Beard

It was December 22, 1896. The Roley Christian Church was crowded to overflowing with friends who had come from far and near--we might say, sightseers, for they had come to see a sight that didn't happen very often.

On this day six couples were to be united in marriage, although only three couples were to be married in the church.

Three couples were to be married in the home of the bride and then drive to the church to join the other three couples that were to be married there. The officiating minister was Brother Z.T. (Zac) Williams, who lived at Columbia, Kentucky, and was very familiar around Roley, having held revivals there at different times and also held the pastorate there.

The names of the couples were as follows:

O.S. Dunbar -- Nora Tucker

Cyrus Dunbar -- Maud Pendleton

W.R. (Will) Hopkins -- Ada McWhorter

Crawford Hopkins -- Allie Chelf

Burk Tucker -- Laura Chelf

Robert Hood -- Minnie McWhorter

You will notice there are two of each name except Hood and Pendleton--something else unusual. This group was composed of two brothers, two sisters, one brother and sister, two uncles, one aunt, seven first cousins, three nieces and one nephew. Oh, is somebody going to marry kinfolk? Let's take a look to see if anyone really married kinfolk.

O.S. Dunbar was uncle to Cyrus Dunbar, for he was half-brother to Cyrus' father--not related to anyone else in the group.

Cyrus being nephew to Dr. O.S. Dunbar was also first cousin to Burk and Nora Tucker, because their mother was mother was sister to Cyrus' mother.

W.R. Hopkins, brother to Crawford Hopkins, but not related to anyone else.

Robert Hood not related to any of the group.

Burk Tucker, brother to Nora Tucker, uncle to the McWhorter sisters, for their mother was sister to Burk Tucker. He was alsouncle to Allie Chelf for her mother was his sister.

The occupations of the boys: two farmers, two carpenters, one dentist and one medical doctor.

They were all members of the Christian Church.

All of them with the exception of two lived less than five miles apart.

These six couples brought 25 living children into the world, 20 of whom are still living.

Most of these couples lived to a ripe old age.

O.S. Dunbar, born Feb. 29, 1864, died July 8, 1947, at 83; W.R. Hopkins, born 1865, died November 2, 1949, at 84; Crawford Hopkins, born December 12, 1870, died December 17, 1917, at 47.

Cyrus Dunbar, born 1873, died 1949, at 76; Burk Tucker, born May 27, 1874, died 1913, at 39; Ada (McWhorter) Hopkins, born May 27, 1874, died 1962, at 87; Nora Tucker Dunbar, born March 14, 1876, died June 17, 1963 at 87.

Minnie Hood, born February 25, 1877, died 1964, at 87; Allie Hopkins, born January 13, 1880, died April 7, 1962, at 82; Laura Tucker, born September 13, 1875, died August 9, 1946 at 71. [Robert Hood wasn't mentioned in the list of the deceased.]

The husbands of all died first, that is, each one before his wife. Yes, everyone of these girls was left a widow. They're all gone now and we have only the memory of the dear faces with us. Maud Dunbar was the last one to go and with her passing [on Nov. 19, 1966], a seventy year period of married life for these six couples was closed.  

All but five of these people mentioned in the article were kin to Mrs. Beard and she remembers the occasion well. She is ninety-five years old and lives at the Christian Widow's Home in Louisville. [End of article.]