Ordinance, 17 February 1842, as Published in Nauvoo Neighbor–A
Source Note
Nauvoo City Council, Ordinance, , Hancock Co., IL, 17 Feb. 1842. Version published in “An Ordinance Concerning Marriages,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 20 Sept. 1843, [3].
Sec. 1. Be it ordained by the City Council of the city of , that all male persons over the age of seventeen years, and females over the age of fourteen years, may contract and be joined in marriage; Provided, in all cases where either party is a minor, the consent of parents or guardians be first had.
Sec. 2. Any person as aforesaid, wishing to marry or be joined in marriage, may go before any regular minister of the gospel, mayor, alderman, justice of the peace, judge or other person authorised to solemnize marriages in the , and celebrate or declare their marriage in such manner and form as shall be most agreeable, either with or without license.
Sec. 3. Any person solemnizing a marriage as aforesaid, shall make return thereof to the city recorder, accompanied by a recording fee of fifty cents, within thirty days of the solemnization thereof; and it is hereby made the duty of the recorder to keep an accurate record of all such marriages. The penalty for a violation of either of the provisions of this ordinance, shall be twenty dollars, to be recovered as other penalties or forfeitures.