Ripley's Believe It Or Not – “His Own Wedding”

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host: Harolds Old Time Radio
Episode: 1 Minute Episodes xx-xx-xx (408): His Own Wedding
Date: January 11, 2026

Episode Overview

This short episode from Harold’s Old Time Radio presents a classic “Ripley's Believe It Or Not”—a lightning-quick tale from history that proves just how odd reality can be. The focus: astonishing historical anecdotes, climaxed by the story of a colonial governor who performed his own wedding ceremony and couldn’t be prosecuted for it.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. “Truth is stranger than fiction” (00:30)

• The narrator sets the theme immediately, promising real stories that outperform imagination.

2. The Perfect Party Host: Cornelius White (00:33)

• Cornelius White of Pembroke, Massachusetts, is spotlighted as the epitome of a good host.
  • Quote [Narrator, 00:33]:
    “During one of his parties, he rode on horseback to Boston and back 75 miles in six hours to buy a bag of lemons for punch. Believe it or not.”
  • This anecdote illustrates extremes gone for hospitality and sets the tone for the unique stories to come.

3. The Man Who Officiated His Own Wedding (00:45)

• The episode’s centerpiece is Richard Bellingham, Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony (1641).
  • Quote [Narrator, 00:50]:
    “The thing which made the ceremony more than a little unusual was that he performed the marriage ceremony himself.”
  • Bellingham’s actions broke the law, but he couldn’t be prosecuted because:
    • He was also the Chief Justice and would have had to preside over his own trial.
  • Quote [Narrator, 01:10]:
    “He could not be brought to trial. The reason for this was he was also Chief Justice of the Community and would preside over his own trial.”
• Punchline: The absurdity is underscored by the narrator’s closing, “Believe it or not.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:30 – Introduction to Ripley’s and “truth is stranger than fiction”
• 00:33 – Story of Cornelius White’s 75-mile lemon run for party punch
• 00:45 – Introduction of Richard Bellingham, Governor and self-wedding officiant
• 01:10 – Explanation of legal paradox: Governor as Chief Justice, so immune to prosecution for his crime

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On dedication to party hosting:
  “During one of his parties, he rode on horseback to Boston and back 75 miles in six hours to buy a bag of lemons for punch. Believe it or not.” [00:33]
• On unique historical oddity:
  “He performed the marriage ceremony himself. Naturally, his act was a violation of the law.” [00:50]
• On quirky colonial justice:
  “He could not be brought to trial. The reason for this was he was also Chief Justice of the Community and would preside over his own trial. Believe it or not.” [01:10]

Tone & Style

• The delivery is brisk, factual, and tinged with that classic Ripley’s tongue-in-cheek incredulity.
• The host’s narration leans into the humor and irony inherent in history’s stranger-than-fiction tales.

Summary

This brief but vivid episode distills the enduring appeal of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not: history’s oddities brought to life—first with a tale of extraordinary hospitality, then with the legal absurdity of a self-marrying governor who was above the law (because he was the law). Each anecdote is trimmed for maximum impact, ending with the droll refrain: “Believe it or not.”