Ten years before Barnes County was first settled, Captain James Fish was escorting a party of gold seekers to the Montana gold fields, crossing Barnes County from east to west and crossing the Sheyenne River at White's Crossing. The party arrived at the river on July 14, 1862 and crossed to the west side to make camp. (White's Crossing later became known as Ashtabula Crossing.)
Crossing the river was quite easy as while it was about seventy feet wide, it was only two feet deep with a fine gravel bottom, according to Samuel R. Bond, the recorder of the expedition.
A large supply of wood was cut while encamped on the Sheyenne as there was no wood between the Sheyenne River and Lake Jessie, the next stop. An incident of great importance took place at this camp, at least to two principals in the drama. Let Samuel R. Bond's report furnish the details: "At this camp occurred an incident which served to break the monotony of camp life, and to consecrate the spot in the memories of at least two of our party of emigrants. A young couple had been observed, early in our journey, to evince a strong and growing affection for each other, and, with the consent of the young lady's relatives, who were in the train, determined to celebrate their nuptials with all the forms and solemnities that' the absence of municipal organization would permit. So after the evening meal, with the moon shedding a bright chaste light over the scene, the young couple, in the presence of all the members of our train, pledged their troth to live together as husband and wife "until death should them part" and the forms of the Episcopal marriage service which were read by one of our party, were used for the occasion.
The congratulations and good wishes of friends followed, then a dance upon the greensward to the music of a violin closed the ceremony of this wedding upon the plains."
The young husband was Henry F. Taylor of St. Anthony, Minneapolis, and his wife, Caroline Abbott, of Boston. The ceremony was performed by N. P. Langford, an Episcopalian layman. It was certainly the first wedding performed in what is now Barnes County and likely the first in good listening!
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 311