Did you know that from the day of the quake of ’06 to 30 days after, 600 marriages were performed in the counties of San Francisco, Marin, and Alameda? And that many of them—415 to be exact—were performed by County License Clerk Grant Munson, a number so large that he was nicknamed "Cupid" by the local media? Or, get this, that quite a few divorced couples 
actually remarried after reuniting in refugee camps ?
The spate of matrimonial ceremonies that followed the quake is the focus of the exhibit entitled San Francisco 1906 Earthquake Marriage Project , which was assembled by SFGenealogy.com and hosted by the City Assessor-Recorder’s Office . The collection featured is not an extensive one. It consists of a collage featuring excerpts of wedding announcements from old newpapers, a few old wedding photos, and a reproduction of a marriage license from the era. I look at the exhibit as more of a companion piece to this fascinating website .
There is not one simple explanation for the phenomenon. Maybe it was love, or companionship, a need to move on, or just plain pragmatism—the plans have been set and all the guests are in town. There is even a modern-day study to explain why people like to get hitched after a great upheaval by looking at divorce, marriage and birth rates after Hurricane Hugo . Who knows?
San Francisco 1906 Earthquake Marriage Project runs through the end of April at the Office of the Assessor-Recorder, San Francisco City Hall .
Leave a comment
Please Note
By posting content on this Blog, you expressly grant Wells Fargo (and its affiliates) the right to use or distribute the posted content in any form, worldwide, and in perpetuity. You also agree to indemnify and hold Wells Fargo harmless against all liabilities, losses, claims and expenses arising from your posting of materials on this Blog (this includes any claim that Wells Fargo's use of the content or images infringes on someone else's intellectual property rights). Comments published on this Blog do not necessarily reflect the views of nor are they endorsed by Wells Fargo. We reserve the right not to publish comments that violate our Community Guidelines. NOTE: If you'd like a response to your comment, please use this form.