An Old Slave Marriage.
The Parties to It United After
Thirty-Five Years' Separation.
From the Globe Democrat.

An instance almost strange as
fiction itself occurred in the marriage
license department at the Recorder's
office yesterday. It appears
that about fifteen years previous
to the late civil war a colored
man, who now gives the name of
Anthony Edwards, and who was
then married after the custom of
those times, resided with his master
in Pike County, Mo. From
some cause not known to Edwards
his master sold him to a Southern
planter, but retained possession of
his wife and his former master
and child. After the war he remarried,
as did also his wife. His
second wife dying, he drifted to St.
Louis several years ago, and by a
peculiar coincidence his wife, having
lost her second husband, also
came to the city, the daughter by
the Pike County or slave marriage
accompanying her. The daughter,
having received some intimation
that her father was in St. Louis,
made indefatigable efforts to find
him, and after about three years'
search succeeded in locating him in
Edwardsville. The result was a
meeting between her father and
mother, after separation of over
thirty-five years. The sequel of
this meeting was the appearance at
the Recorder's office yesterday of
the aged couple for the purpose of
obtaining a marriage license.
They gave their names as Anthony
Edwards, aged 79 years, and Lucinda
Gibson, aged 78 years. They
looked remarkably vigorous and
hearty, considering their ages, and
still have before them a lease to
several more years of life. The
daughter was present, and appeared
overjoyed at the result of
her endeavors.