[Clemenza]

Period after the civil war was the golden age of Utopian communities - many of which were anarchistic and practiced “free love.” The effects of the war and industrialization caused some people to act a bit odd.

I also believe that most marriages in the US were actually common law until the country grew more urbanized toward the end of the 19th century - though others may have more information on that.

[DallasBiff]

Period after the civil war was the golden age of Utopian communities - many of which were anarchistic and practiced “free love.” The effects of the war and industrialization caused some people to act a bit odd.

I find these stories from distant history quite interesting, they have hushed them up.

Was Elizabeth the First, really the "Virgin Queen"?

[Theoria]

Not just utopias, but the burned over districts spawned weird stuff in general. A unique time and area in our history.

[CatHerd]

No, ask anyone who has done genealogy. Lots of marriage records in church and government records, even in early Colonial days, 1600s. And yes, Colonial records were excellent. Common law marriages were actually pretty rare.

[frithguild]

One could say that the Plymouth Colony was a commune until they realized that people will grow amd sell more crops with individual ownership land plots and bringing in Squanto as consultant.

[gundog]

I blame Boston Corbett.