Amanuensis Monday: Application for Marriage - Herman Feinstein and Annie Blatt - 1912

Amanuensis: A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

I continue my project to transcribe family letters, journals, newspaper articles, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, the words breathe life into kin - some I never met - others I see a time in their life before I knew them.

I began this project back in February of 2009, and since then, many others have joined in on the meme.  Why do we transcribe? I provide my three reasons in the linked post. You may find others. If you participate, feel free to leave a link to your post in the comments.
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This week, I transcribe the application for marriage for two of my paternal great grandparents, Herman Max Feinstein, and Annie Blatt.

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Application No. 172234 For License to Marry.
State of Missouri
City of St. Louis

We, Herman M. Feinstein at 1941a Burd Avenue of St. Louis State of Mo and Miss Annie Blatt of 2804 Gamble Street of St. Louis State of Mo desiring to purchase a license to marry each other, do hereby solemnly swear that we are of the age of 25 years, and 22 years, respectively; that we are both single and unmarried, and may lawfully contract and be joined in marriage.

(Signature of Male) Herman M. Feinstein
(Signature of Female) Annie Blatt
(Witness to Signatures) [blank]

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 3rd day of May 1912.

Signature Chas. F Joy, Recorder
Signature [?] Marriage License Clerk

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Notes:

1) Often marriage licences will only indicate that both participants were over a certain age, so it is nice to see the specific ages given for both.  The Date of Birth other records indicate for Herman Feinstein was July 29, 1886.  If that is accurate, he would have been 25 on May 3, 1912.

Annie Blatt Feinstein's death certificate says she was born on November 21, 1890.  If that were true, she would have only been 21 on May 3, 1912.

Assuming a November birthday, the 1910 and 1930 census seem to correspond with an 1889 year of birth, which would support the marriage application.

However, the 1900 census indicates she was born in November of 1888, and the 1920 census corresponds.  So her year of birth is a bit uncertain.

2) The address for Herman matches that of the Feinstein family in 1910.

In the 1910 census, Annie Blatt is a lodger with a Winterman family, on Wash Street. It is believed the Winterman family were relatives, though the exact relationship is so far uncertain.  Sometime between 1910 and 1912, Annie moved to Gamble street.  I'm unsure whether she was lodging with another family member, alone, or possibly briefly moved back in with her father and step-mother.


3) I notice the absence of witnesses. I don't think this was an issue, as I also have the document certifying the marriage three weeks later.