These are the marriages performed by Rev. Ashbel Parmelee, minister of the Congregationalist Church in Malone, NY. He was pastor of the church from 1810 until 1845, but occasionally performed marriages right up until the time of his death in 1862..

Many marriages were performed in the Franklin Co. court house before the erection of the Congregationalist church on Main St. in Malone in 1826. Some marriages took place in private homes, some in local hotels, and many (especially after Parmelee’s resignation as pastor in 1845) took place in Parmelee’s house on Webster St. in Malone. The house no longer exists, but stood just south of the Webster St. Cemetery.

This list was transcribed from an unsigned and undated typewritten copy. The copy is in chronological order and follows the book of marriages which is in the possession of the First Congregationalist Church in Malone. No attempt was made by the typist to correct spellings or to add any information. The original book of marriages was not kept on a day to day basis, but was added to by Parmelee at different times, and may have been extensively re-copied in 1853. As a result, many names and dates are missing, as it appears Rev. Parmelee could not remember exact details of some marriages.

The marriages include some individuals from Canada, St. Lawrence Co. NY and Clinton Co. NY. The earliest records only record the names and residences of the bride and groom; but later entries list ages and occupations. The amount of genealogical information declines after 1853 and some later marriages do not list witnesses or other details.

Some information was added to this transcription by checking Franklin Co. census and cemetery listings and such additions are printed in italics. Spelling was mostly left intact from the original typescript, but some editing was done when it appeared to be necessary for research use. The comments from the original were not always transcribed verbatim, but any genealogical information was included. His wife Betsey and children Ashbel B., Mary, Sarah and Emily often are listed as witnesses in early records, as is a servant girl Susan Gilligan in later marriages.