On This Date in Minnesota History; October 22

October 22, 1903 – A strange and peculiar matrimonial transaction that came to light at the clerk of court’s office in Minneapolis is one that took place Wednesday, when George Dohn secured a license to marry Deliela Oyster House.

This appeared upon the record and nothing was thought of it at the time, but today the unusual name disappeared and in its place was the name of Marie D. Buckendahl. Upon investigation it was learned that when Dohn first appeared for the license he did not know the name of his fiancée and was obliged to go out to get it.

When he returned he had the first name referred to on a slip of paper and all went well. The wedding was to take place Wednesday evening, but the young woman refused to be married as Miss Oyster House.

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The wedding was postponed and today the woman came to the clerk’s office and asked to have the name changed on the license, as her name was Marie D. Buckendahl. The clerk said that he could not do this, as the man who had secured the license had sworn to his statements, and he did not know whether she was making the right claims. She was informed that her prospective husband would have to come to the office and swear that she was the same person whom he had named Deliela Oyster House. The man was finally brought in and the desired alterations made.

Dohn claimed that Miss Oyster House was a girl with whom he had formerly kept company, and that when he went to get a license to marry his last choice he got mixed up and went out and got the wrong name, which he admitted he had someone else write for him.

The Saint Paul Globe; “She Refuses to Wed Under Wrong Name; Miss Marie Buckendahl Declines to Be Married as Deliela Oyster House.”; Oct. 23, 1903; p. 1.

¹The Minneapolis Journal; October 22, 1903; p. 5.

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