Washington County, Kentucky,  Marriage Bond

Know all men by these presents that we, Horatio Mudd and Lewis Linton, are held and firmly bound unto the Commonwealth of Kentucky, in the just and full sum of fifty pounds current money to the payment of which well and truly to be made to the said Commonwealth, we bind ourselves, our heirs, and, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents, sealed with our seals and dated this 26th day of May 1823.  The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas there is a marriage shortly intended between the above bound Horatio Mudd and Mrs. Martha Powell, widow of Charles Powell, deceased, for which a license has issued.  Now if there be no lawful cause to obstruct said marriage then this obligation to be void, else to remain in full force and virtue in law.

R. H. Dedman                                         Horatio Mudd   Lewis Linton

Note by Phyllis Brown:  Martha Linton Powell was the daughter of Captain John Linton.  Her first husband, Captain Charles E. Powell, fought in the War of 1812.  I’m not sure if he was killed during this war, or died shortly thereafter.  As far as I know he did not move to Washington County with the family, which makes it more likely he did not survive the war.  Charles and Martha had one daughter, Mary Edwards Powell, born in Virginia 22 Feb 1814.  She married John H. Polin.

Horatio and Martha had four sons and one daughter – Hezekiah, Charles William, Nicholas, Thomas and Mary Mildred, all of whom eventually moved to Missouri.  Horatio died in 1834 and Martha shortly afterwards in 1836.  Their oldest child was only 11 at the time of Martha’s death.  Lewis Linton, who was co-signer of the marriage bond, was also Martha’s brother.  He moved to Missouri at some point.  It could be that he raised the Mudd children after their parents died, taking them to Missouri when he made the move from Washington County, Kentucky.