AN EARLY AUTUMN WEDDING

On 23Sep 1827 John Cutter West married Arvilla Ames in Sumner, Maine.
We don't know much about John's background before that day. He's THE
brick wall in our  family, the Elusive John C.  We know he was about 25
years old at the time of the marriage, and that's all up until then. The
marriage record doesn't include the names of the parents of the bride and
groom. Luckily, we do know a lot about Arvilla and her family family. She
was born on 25Jan 1810 in Livermore Maine so she was 17 years old when
she married John.  Her parents were Jonatham Phelps Ames and Polly Griffith
(Griffeth) and she was one of eight children. 

John and  Arvilla's first child, Ann Matilda was born the following June. She was
the first of  ten children, but not all lived to adulthood.  One son, 18 year old
John, died on Christmas Day in 1850. Three more children and three grandchildren
died in the diptheria epidemic of 1862, as did their daugkter in law, Orpha.
And that same year saw John Cutter West's own death after nearly thirty five
years of marriage.

Arvilla survived another forty five years, passing away in 1907.
She never remarried.

John and Arvilla don't have as many descendants compared to my Ellingwood
and Barker ancestors but today they are spread across the continent, from
New England and the Carolinas, to Ohio, Minnesota and Illinois, and to
Washington in the Pacific Northwest. The newest member of the family
will be born sometime soon to a descendant of their son Leonidas.

And it all started on an early Autumn day 184 years ago in Sumner,
Maine.