Today’s find from my WELLS notebook is a marriage record documenting the 1866 wedding of Ida M. Wells 9XM1−J48 and Jerome Gregory 93DD−93X. The young couple married in Calhoun County, Michigan, and their record is preserved in the county’s early marriage books.
I located the record in Calhoun County, Michigan, Marriage Records 1836–1943, available on FamilySearch. This particular entry appears in Volume 5, which begins on image 869, with the marriage recorded on image 955 of 1072.
Marriage Record Transcription
Calhoun County, Michigan
Marriage Records 1836–1943
“Calhoun, Michigan, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939J-4PSM-37?view=explore : 6 Dec 2025), image 955 of 1072; Michigan. County Court (Calhoun County). Image Group Number: 004653762.
Page 164
Dated April 20th A.D. 1866.
Recorded May 22nd 1866
William Howard, Clerk
Francis A. Stace
Justice of the Peace
State of Michigan
Calhoun County
Jerome Gregory
and
Ida M. Wells
I certify that on the 29 day of Apr. A.D. 1866, at Eckford in the County aforesaid, I, Jos. Ashley, joined in marriage Jerome Gregory of Homer in the State of Mich, aged 24 years, and Ida M. Wells of Homer in the State of Mich, aged 15 years; that the parties did then and there solemnly declare that they took each other as Husband & Wife, and that there were present as witnesses Wm O. Wells of Homer and Ellen O. Andrews of Clarendon.
Dated at Eckford this 29th day of April A.D. one thousand eight hundred and sixty six.
Recorded May 3 1866
William Howard, Clerk
Rev. John Ashley
This simple entry in the Calhoun County marriage book adds another valuable piece to the Wells family puzzle. Not only does it document Ida’s young age at marriage, but it also names two witnesses—Wm. O. Wells and Ellen O. Andrews—providing helpful clues for placing the couple within their wider family and community. As with so many discoveries tucked into old county volumes, this record reminds me how important it is to revisit long-forgotten notes and sources. You never know what gems may be waiting to be rediscovered.