Marriage unites David Denny and Louisa Boren on January 23, 1853.

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Maynard (1808-1873) issues the new King County's first marriage license and presides at the wedding of Seattle pioneers David T. Denny (1832-1903) and Louisa Boren (1827-1916).</p> <p>Maynard had married a couple on November 19, 1852 -- John Bradley and Mary Relyea of Steilacoom -- before King County was established on December 22, 1852. It was perhaps this technical point that led historian Clarence Bagley to write that David and Louisa's wedding was King County's first.</p> <p>David and Louisa Denny settled on the future site of Seattle Center, and David spearheaded numerous civic and business projects that promoted the development of Lake Union, the University District, and the Licton Springs area. They remained married until Denny's death in 1903. Louisa died a widow 13 years later -- still known to pioneers as the "sweet briar bride" for her first garden in Seattle.</p> </article> <aside id="media-anchor"> <figure id="default-image"> <a href="/Content/Media/Photos/Large/david-and-louisa-denny-and-daughters-emily-inez-and-madge-ca-1857.jpg" title="David and Louisa (Boren) Denny and daughters Emily Inez and Madge D., ca. 1857  Courtesy UW Special Collections (POR870)"><img src="/Content/Media/Photos/Small/david-and-louisa-denny-and-daughters-emily-inez-and-madge-ca-1857.jpg" /></a> <figcaption> <p><strong>David and Louisa (Boren) Denny and daughters Emily Inez and Madge D., ca. 1857</strong></p> <p>Courtesy UW Special Collections (POR870)</p> </figcaption> </figure> <figure id="58494"> <a href="/Content/Media/Photos/Large/marriage-certificate-for-david-denny-and-louise-boren.jpg" title="Marriage certificate for David Denny and Louise Boren, 1853  Photo by Richard Nicol, Courtesy King County Archives"><img src="/Content/Media/Photos/Small/marriage-certificate-for-david-denny-and-louise-boren.jpg" /></a> <figcaption> <p><strong>Marriage certificate for David Denny and Louise Boren, 1853</strong></p> <p>Photo by Richard Nicol, Courtesy King County Archives</p> </figcaption> </figure> </aside> <article> <hr /> <h6> <strong>Sources:</strong> <p>Clarence Bagley, <em>History of Seattle</em> (Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1916); Bagley <em>History of King County, Washington</em> (Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1929); Gordon Newell, <em>Westward to Alki</em> (Seattle: Superior Publishing, 1977); <em>The Columbian</em>, November 27, 1852, p. 3.</p> </h6> <div class="related-topics"> <hr /> <h6><strong>Related Topics</strong></h6> <a href="/Search/Results?TopicId=39&FilterTopic=on">Pioneers</a> <a href="/Search/Results?TopicId=49&FilterTopic=on">Society</a> </div> <div class="page-nav-bottom" id="page-nav-bottom"> <hr /> <div class="page-nav"> <div class="previous"> <a class="button" href="/File/7773">< Previous Entry in Timeline</a> </div> <div class="next"> <a class="button" href="/File/5244">Next Entry in Timeline ></a> </div> </div> </div> <hr /> <h6> <strong>Licensing</strong>: This essay is licensed under a Creative Commons license that encourages reproduction with attribution. 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Marriage unites David Denny and Louisa Boren on January 23, 1853. - HistoryLink.org