Back in 1975, when I first began this search, I asked nearly every living relative three questions.

When did Otto and Iva wed?

Where did they wed?

Did they ever get married?

After the exhausting survey the results were all the same.

"I dunno."

Grandma's one cousin told me that they "use to talk all the time." What about? "Woman things mostly."

"I recall Ivy's saying that every time Otto came back from one of his wandering trips she ended up pregant."

At least that helped place dates on some of them tales I had heard.

I would send a letter to the various county seats asking if they had records of their wedding. One after another returned the same "no."

I sent one to Mankato,Minnesota. County seat of Blue Earth County. Ran across an employee there that just did not follow my directions at all.

"I am trying to locate the wedding certificate for my grand parents, Otto Banker and Iva Mason. You no doubt do not have the record of this, so please send me the usual 'No' on the letter head for your county to add to my ever growing list of places tried." She sent me this simple reply.

"Send me two dollars and I shall send you the marriage certificate by return mail."

I did and got it finally. In reviewing the dates for the kids they had, I guessed the month, and the year, missing the day by two weeks. When I told one cousin about finding it and where, he said he had tried them same records and found nothing. Told him to try what I did next time. "Just send me the 'No.' to add to the others."

All are copyrighted by me, MDB

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