Broadly speaking, is it common for a Lutheran couple to not get married in the church after having a child together in Hesse in the 1830's? Did having a child out of wedlock get them in some sort of trouble so that they couldn't marry? I'm just wondering because my (great) grandfather's baptism record, which someone so kindly helped me with, states he was born to his mother, a single woman, and that the father "voluntarily" admitted to being the father. That was in September of 1833 and they emigrated to America in August 1834. No other children were born in Germany and only one was born in America. I can find no marriage record anywhere nearby between those dates, near where the baby was baptized. So I just wondered if I should keep looking, or was it common to not have an official marriage? They founded a church here in America with other families, so I know they were religious. I'm just curious as to why they wouldn't (or couldn't) get married during her pregnancy or afterwards. If anyone has any insight, I'd appreciate it, even though I know we are all probably just speculating. (I'm posting the link to the baptism record again just in case it's needed.)
www.archion.de