We Were Married in 1893. I mean 1892. Okay, 1890? 1898.

We all make decisions. Sometimes we decide to lie. They might just be little white lies, but I'd be surprised to find out there is someone out there in the world who hasn't lied even if it was a white lie to not hurt someone's feelings.

In any case, Harrison Blacketer and Martha Jane (Smith) Blacketer made decisions, and because we don't have a diary or journal explaining the reasoning behind their choices, the polite thing we can say is, "Decisions were made."

And with this particular decision they made, we might be able to deduce why. Maybe.

1893 Marriage

In 1898 and 1915 the U.S. pensions office asked veterans information about their families to make the claims process easier. (1) On 3 May 1898 Harrison Blacketer filled out and signed his Family Data Circular. He informed the Pensions Bureau of his marriage to Jane Smith in St. Joseph, Buchanan, Missouri, on 27 April 1893. He also informed them that they had a son name James Wesley Blacketer, born 22 March 1894. (2)

1892 Marriage

In 1900 the census enumerator recorded that Harrison and Martha J. Blacketer had been married for eight years, suggesting they married in 1892. The enumerator also recorded a son for Harrison, James Wesley Blacketer born March 1894. (3) Likewise, ten years later in 1910, the census enumerator recorded Harrison and Mattie Blacketer had been married for eighteen years, again, suggesting they had married in 1892. A sixteen-year-old Wesley is also recorded as Harrison's son, suggesting a birth year of about 1894. (4)

1890 Marriage

On the day he died, Harrison filled out another Family Data Circular for the Pensions Bureau. He informed them that he married Martha Jane Smith in St. Joseph, Missouri, on 27 April 1890. He also informed them he had a son named Wesley, born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on 22 March 1894. He also listed his two other children. (5) In both of their obituaries, the authors—likely Martha Jane or James Wesley for Harrison's obituary and likely Maurice and/or Mildred for Martha Jane's obituary—state 1890 as their marriage year. (6)

1898 Marriage

Martha Jane Blacketer provided proof of their correct marriage date, 27 April 1898, to the Pensions Bureau. She explains the mistake away by a misreading of the last number of the year on their marriage certificate. She also informs them that James Wesley was, indeed, born out of wedlock, and that Harrison had not been married and divorced before as the Pensions Bureau had been concerned about. (7)

1898 Blacketer-Smith Marriage License Application and Return (8)

But Was it a Misreading?

Maybe. It could have been a misreading. I mean, the second eight of 1898 could have looked like a three (Or a two. Or a zero.) on the marriage certificate Harrison and Martha Jane had in their possession. That's plausible. But I also think there were some other things going on that affected their decisions. The first one is obvious after Martha Jane's explanation to the Pensions Bureau. Their firstborn James Wesley was born out of wedlock. They may have been reporting their marriage occurring before his birth to avoid societal shame for them and their son. That is likely. And understandable.

However, in 1915 there may be another practical reason Harrison provided this specific marriage date—27 April 1890—which is even two years earlier than stated in the 1900 and 1910 censuses. (9) Congress passed an act on 19 April 1908 allowing widows of veterans who had served 90 days or more and who were married to the veteran prior to 27 June 1890 to receive $12 per month without having to prove the veteran's death was caused by his service. (10)

1915 Certified Copy of Blacketer-Smith Marriage License (11)

So, I think it was a little of both. It depended on who wanted to know. It makes sense if we are going to try and make sense of their lying. I mean decisions. 

And someday our descendants will say the same about us when they find our lies: "Decisions were made." If they find them. I mean, I hope someone cares enough to look and wonder why I made the decisions I made. Or maybe not. LOL.

Of course decisions lead to more questions about Harrison and Martha Jane. Why did they marry in 1898? Why not before then? But this "block" has been built about their story. We will build another block on top of this one next time.

~Caroline

Sources:

1. Claire Prechtel-Khuskens, “Family Data Circulars of 1898 and 1915,” NGS Magazine, 38 (October-December 2012): 28–31; image copy, Twelve Key ( https://twelvekey.com/articles/ : accessed 14 October 2025). 

2. Pensions Bureau Family Data Circular, 3 May 1898, Harrison Blacketer Civil War Pension File including the Widows Pension Application, Pointer Family Papers; privately held by Caroline Pointer [Address for Private Use,] Conroe, Texas, 2020. This photocopy of the file was made by Judy Hopkins of Boise, Idaho in 2018 from her own family collection. She obtained the file from the Veterans Administration in 2000. Each page was numbered by hand by Judy 1-256 but is missing pages 149-156. The photocopy is easily read.

3. 1900 U.S. census, Clinton County, Missouri, Shoal Township, Cameron City Ward 1-2,  population schedule, Enumeration District (ED) 41, p. 164 (stamped), sheet 12-A, dwelling 268, family 272, Harrison Blacketer household; imaged, “1900 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/: accessed 8 September 2025).

4. 1910 U.S. census, Clinton, Missouri, Cameron Ward 1, population schedule, Enumeration District (ED) 42, p. 147 (stamped), sheet 5-B, dwelling 127, family 124, Harrison Blacketer household; imaged, “1910 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/ : accessed 8 September 2025.

5. Pensions Bureau Family Data Circular, 16 April 1915, Harrison Blacketer Civil War Pension File including the Widows Pension Application, Pointer Family Papers; privately held by Caroline Pointer [Address for Private Use,] Conroe, Texas, 2020. This photocopy of the file was made by Judy Hopkins of Boise, Idaho in 2018 from her own family collection. She obtained the file from the Veterans Administration in 2000. Each page was numbered by hand by Judy 1-256 but is missing pages 149-156. The photocopy is easily read.

6. "Harrison Blacketer Dead," The Cameron Sun (Missouri), 22 April 1915, p. 5, col. 5. And, "Mrs. Jane Blacketer," The Cameron Citizen Observer (Missouri), 27 April 1944, p. 5, cols. 1 and 2.

7. For Pensions Bureau's concerns: Pensions Bureau Letter to Jane Blacketer, 15 July 1915, Harrison Blacketer Civil War Pension File including the Widows Pension Application, Pointer Family Papers; privately held by Caroline Pointer [Address for Private Use,] Conroe, Texas, 2020. This photocopy of the file was made by Judy Hopkins of Boise, Idaho in 2018 from her own family collection. She obtained the file from the Veterans Administration in 2000. Each page was numbered by hand by Judy 1-256 but is missing pages 149-156. The photocopy is easily read. For Jane Blacketer's Response: General Affidavit of Jane Blacketer, 22 July 1915, Ibid.

8. Buchanan County, Missouri, "Marriage Record from June 5, 1897 to Dec. 28, 1899," vol. N, p. 326, Harrison Blacketer–Jane Smith, 27 April 1898; imaged "Missouri, County Marriage, Naturalization, and Court Records, 1800-1991," FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/collection/2060668 : accessed 28 August 2025) > IGN 007425041 > image 425 of 505; citing Buchanan County, Missouri Recorder of Deeds, St. Joseph.

9. Pensions Bureau Family Data Circular, 16 April 1915, Harrison Blacketer Civil War Pension File including the Widows Pension Application, Pointer Family Papers; privately held by Caroline Pointer [Address for Private Use,] Conroe, Texas, 2020. This photocopy of the file was made by Judy Hopkins of Boise, Idaho in 2018 from her own family collection. She obtained the file from the Veterans Administration in 2000. Each page was numbered by hand by Judy 1-256 but is missing pages 149-156. The photocopy is easily read. 1900 U.S. census, Clinton County, Missouri, Shoal Township, Cameron City Ward 1-2,  population schedule, Enumeration District (ED) 41, p. 164 (stamped), sheet 12-A, dwelling 268, family 272, Harrison Blacketer household; imaged, “1900 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7602/: accessed 8 September 2025). Also, 1910 U.S. census, Clinton, Missouri, Cameron Ward 1, population schedule, Enumeration District (ED) 42, p. 147 (stamped), sheet 5-B, dwelling 127, family 124, Harrison Blacketer household; imaged, “1910 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/ : accessed 8 September 2025.

10. United States Congress, The Statues at Large of the United States of America from December, 1907, to March, 1909…, vol. 35 (Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1909), 64, "An Act To increase the pension of widows, minor children, and so forth, of deceased soldiers and sailors of the late civil war, the war with Mexico, the various Indian wars, and so forth, and to grant a pension to certain widows of the deceased soldiers and sailors of the late civil war.”

11. Certified Copy of Blacketer—Smith Marriage License Jane Blacketer Supplied the Pensions Bureau, 22 April 1915, Harrison Blacketer Civil War Pension File including the Widows Pension Application, Pointer Family Papers; privately held by Caroline Pointer [Address for Private Use,] Conroe, Texas, 2020. This photocopy of the file was made by Judy Hopkins of Boise, Idaho in 2018 from her own family collection. She obtained the file from the Veterans Administration in 2000. Each page was numbered by hand by Judy 1-256 but is missing pages 149-156. The photocopy is easily read.