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Ping: Capt. Francis....

Something I've always wondered.

OK, some of my Great Grandparents came from Germany in 1858 and were
legally married by the capt. of the ship before entering port into the
US. (Louisiana) It was a larger passenger type vessel from what I
understand.

Now, question is. Can you or ANY licensed capt. perform the same duty?

Just curious.

Thanks!

Ping: Capt. Francis....

Tim wrote:
Something I've always wondered.

OK, some of my Great Grandparents came from Germany in 1858 and were
legally married by the capt. of the ship before entering port into the
US. (Louisiana) It was a larger passenger type vessel from what I
understand.

Now, question is. Can you or ANY licensed capt. perform the same duty?

Just curious.

Thanks!

I have performed weddings that were good for the duration of the trip.

Capt. Francis....

"Tim" wrote in message
oups.com...
Something I've always wondered.

OK, some of my Great Grandparents came from Germany in 1858 and were
legally married by the capt. of the ship before entering port into the
US. (Louisiana) It was a larger passenger type vessel from what I
understand.

Now, question is. Can you or ANY licensed capt. perform the same duty?

Just curious.

Thanks!

Not Tom, but the answer to your question is no, unless you also are
certified by your state to perform marriages as a notary, justice of the
peace or clergy).

It used to be authorized within territorial waters, but holding a USCG
license no longer (by itself) sufficient to legally marry anyone.

BTW .... Anybody know where the traditional "3 mile" territorial limit
originated?
Answer at 11.

Eisboch

Capt. Francis....

On Oct 2, 10:28?am, "Eisboch" wrote:

BTW .... Anybody know where the traditional "3 mile" territorial limit
originated?
Answer at 11.

Eisboch

I believe it was the distance that could be practically defended by
cannon fire from shoreside batteries.

Capt. Francis....

On Tue, 2 Oct 2007 13:28:01 -0400, Eisboch penned the following well
considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

"Tim" wrote in message
roups.com...
Something I've always wondered.

OK, some of my Great Grandparents came from Germany in 1858 and were
legally married by the capt. of the ship before entering port into the
US. (Louisiana) It was a larger passenger type vessel from what I
understand.

Now, question is. Can you or ANY licensed capt. perform the same duty?

Just curious.

Thanks!

Not Tom, but the answer to your question is no, unless you also are
certified by your state to perform marriages as a notary, justice of the
peace or clergy).

It used to be authorized within territorial waters, but holding a USCG
license no longer (by itself) sufficient to legally marry anyone.

BTW .... Anybody know where the traditional "3 mile" territorial limit
originated?

Maximum range of shore batteries!

As for the marriage thing.... I was asked that when I first got my
Captains License.... and I assumed, like everybody else, that I was
then granted the power to marry.....

For American captains (marrying Americans.... anything else and
legality gets complicated.....)

......the captain may perform the ceremony, if they are a judge, a
justice of the peace, a minister or an officially recognized official
such as a Notary Public he can marry.

Of course, if you read through that, you realize that the privilege to
hold the ceremony has nothing to do with being a captain!

In fact, there is a Federal Law that prohibits the practice by US Navy
captains!
http://tinyurl.com/32xrv2

--

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.

Homepage
http://pamandgene.idleplay.net/

Rec.boats at Lee Yeaton's Bayguide
http://www.thebayguide.com/rec.boats
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Ping: Capt. Francis....

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 02 Oct 2007 09:58:45 -0700, Tim wrote:

Something I've always wondered.

OK, some of my Great Grandparents came from Germany in 1858 and were
legally married by the capt. of the ship before entering port into the
US. (Louisiana) It was a larger passenger type vessel from what I
understand.

Now, question is. Can you or ANY licensed capt. perform the same duty?

Just curious.

Thanks!

You might be interested in an Ellis Island post I made recently, although
it doesn't address this particular question!

Thanks for the replies, guys. I suppose some laws have changed in the
last 160 or so years.

Ping: Capt. Francis....

On Tue, 02 Oct 2007 09:58:45 -0700, Tim wrote:

Something I've always wondered.

OK, some of my Great Grandparents came from Germany in 1858 and were
legally married by the capt. of the ship before entering port into the
US. (Louisiana) It was a larger passenger type vessel from what I
understand.

Now, question is. Can you or ANY licensed capt. perform the same duty?

Just curious.

The short answer is no within the accepted boundries of the US unless
the licensed Captain is a Notary (in some states), Justice of the
Peace, Court officer (like Judge or Magistrate) or has a religious
connection of some sort - as in Minister or Priest. There are legal
issues regarding proper licensening, provenance, etc., that take
precedence. Internationally, it depends on the country of
licensening, but the last time I looked it up, only Japan and Bermuda
allow marriages at sea to be legal and then only for heterosexual
couples.

The twist is that yes, the Captain can perform the marriage as long as
one of the above mentioned State/Federal officers are present to
witness the proceedings and declare them valid. The Captain is
essentially the presiding officer on a court in that instance.

The way it used to be viewed is that the Captain, as Master of the
vessel, was akin to Royalty in that he was the sole deliberative body
onboard the vessel thus had absolute authority to do as he pleased
(within certain boundries).

Now, if you are asking if I've ever done it, yes. I am a Justice of
The Peace and a Notary Public.

I've even had the chance to be a Magistrate at Traffic Court for one
day - that was a blast.

HANG 'EM!!! :)

Ping: Capt. Francis....

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
snip...
Now, if you are asking if I've ever done it, yes. I am a Justice of
The Peace and a Notary Public.

I've even had the chance to be a Magistrate at Traffic Court for one
day - that was a blast.

HANG 'EM!!! :)

Hee hee... the 'Judge Roy Bean' comes to mind..
http://www.desertusa.com/mag98/aug/papr/du_roybean.html

Ping: Capt. Francis....