The Bee was the weekly newspaper for Earlington, Kentucky, located in Hopkins County.  Earlington is a small town, with a population in 1900 of 3,012.  Today there are less than half that many who live there.  Madisonville is the county seat of Hopkins, and I suppose that’s why these young couples drove there to be married.

In looking at the Hopkins County marriage records we find that this is the second marriage for Alfonso Griffin, aged 24.  He worked for the railroad.  Etta Hicks was 17, her first marriage.  She and her parents were born in Tennessee.

Walter Martin was 22, a printer.  Nannie Belle Summers was 18.  In the 1940 Census for Earlington, Walter, 59, and Nannie, 55, have one daughter living with them, Mattie, who is 27.  Walter is the owner of a print shop, and daughter Mattie is a postal clerk.

The Bee, Earlington, Hopkins County, Kentucky

Thursday, August 27, 1903

Married

In Madisonville on the evening of the 20th, Mr. Alfonso Griffin to Miss Etta Hicks, Rev. Jinnett officiating.  The contracting parties are well known young people of Earlington who launch out upon the matrimonial voyage accompanied by the best wishes of a large circle of friends, including the benediction of The Bee.  Mr. Dock Griffin, the father of the groom, informally entertained quite a number of friends on Friday night.  Those who attended reported an enjoyable time.

Martin-Summers

Walter N. Martin and Miss Nannie Summers were married in Madisonville Sunday evening about 7 o’clock.  They, in company with Albert Larmouth, Mrs. Sue Larmouth, Ward Todd and Miss Nannie Browning, drove to Madisonville and stopped in front of the residence of Elder S. F. Fowler, called him out and had him perform the ceremony that made them man and wife.  While it was generally known that this wedding would take place, only a few intimate friends knew the exact time.

Mr. Martin has for some time been a compositor on The Bee and is a young man of good habits, frugal and industrious.  Miss Summers is the daughter of John W. Summers, of this city, and is a most excellent young lady.  May the guiding star of love and hope ever shine down the dim vistas of their coming days, and may peace and prosperity abide with them until they shall cross the Great Divide, is the heartfelt wish of The Bee.