It’s been a while since I’ve posted one of these so here goes. My mother’s 4th cousin, 2x removed, Charles Calvin (“C. C.”) Reynolds, married Mary Elizabeth McCracken, my father’s 4th cousin, 3x removed – earning them the 13th spot on my list of cousins marrying cousins.

Unfortunately for both C. C. and Mary Elizabeth, their marriage did not end well. In December of 1903, Charles Calvin’s disappearance and then sudden reappearance sent shock waves through the community of Pasadena, California. According to The Los Angeles (Daily) Times which covered the salacious story, C. C. showed up unexpectedly in the company of one “Mrs. Kirby”. As far as I know, “Mrs. Kirby” is not a cousin of mine on either side. In any event, the divorce-seeking C. C. claimed that Mary Elizabeth, who was described as a faithful, church-going wife, had deserted him. Huh?

You might be wondering why The Los Angeles Times covered this story. It turns out that C. C. was a prominent business man and a former President of the City Council. He was so well known that he even served as the Grand Marshall of the Tournament of Roses parade twice – once in 1902 and again in 1903.

The parades were not enough to keep the marriage afloat. Thus, C. C. and Mary Elizabeth also earned the Number 1 spot on my list of cousins divorcing cousins.

Kenfolk: Both sides
Relations: Goo gabs
Common ancestors: Yessir

Reference:
C. C. Reynolds comes back to Pasadena. (1903, December 12). Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Times, p. 7. Retrieved from newspapers.com