The wedding of a 22-year-old farmer to a nine-year-old girl in rural Tennessee in 1937 stands as one of America's most disturbing historical episodes, a union that provoked national fury and triggered urgent changes to state law.
A Backwoods Ceremony That Defied Belief
On 19 January 1937, in the backwoods of Tennessee, Charlie Johns, aged 22, married Eunice Winstead, who was just nine years old. The ceremony was officiated by Baptist minister Walter Lamb. At the time, Tennessee state law had no minimum age for marriage, rendering this deeply unsettling union technically legal.
To obtain the marriage certificate, Johns lied about his bride's age. Eunice herself deceived her parents, telling them she was going out to buy a doll. The minister was paid one dollar for his services. The match was approved by Eunice's mother, Martha Winstead, who saw Johns as a suitable partner because he owned 50 acres of hill country land and was considered a "good farmer".
Martha Winstead defended the decision, stating, "The Bible says not to disturb those peacefully getting along... If they love one another, then getting married is the thing to do." She praised her son-in-law's character, emphasising his work ethic and recent land purchase.
National Outcry and Legislative Backlash
When the story broke in national publications like Life and Time, the public reaction was one of overwhelming fury. The case became a powerful symbol for campaigners against the exploitation of children through marriage, galvanising women's groups across Minnesota and beyond.
The intense backlash had a direct and swift legislative consequence. Later in 1937, the state of Tennessee enacted new laws establishing 16 as the minimum marriage age. The legislation also introduced compulsory waiting periods for girls under the age of 18, aiming to prevent such tragedies from recurring.
A Lifelong Union and Lasting Legacy
Despite the furore, Charlie Johns and Eunice Winstead remained married. They initially lived with Johns' parents in Sneedville. In December 1942, Eunice gave birth to her first child at the age of 14. The couple would go on to have eight more children together.
In a stark irony, Johns later became furious when his own 17-year-old daughter, Evelyn, married a 20-year-old man, accusing the groom of misrepresenting her age to get a licence. Their marriage endured for over six decades until Charlie Johns' death in February 1997. Eunice Winstead Johns passed away in August 2006.
This shocking chapter from America's not-so-distant past remains a stark reminder of the legal loopholes that once permitted child marriage and the power of public outrage to force rapid and necessary legal change.
