Norristown Council VP and Partner Receive Same-Sex Marriage License

Norristown Municipal Council Vice President William Caldwell, along with his long-time partner Ken Olin, were one of the 26 same-sex couples who obtained marriage licenses this past week from the county Register of Wills office, according to The Times Herald.

Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes announced on July 23 that he would issue the same-sex licenses, after conferring with Montgomery County Solicitor Raymond McGarry and Register of Wills solicitor Michael Clarke.

On Friday Caldwell, who joined the council in 2006, said that he would celebrate his birthday on the 27th with Olin, his partner of 28 years; this birthday would be particularly special because they now have a marriage license.

Hanes’s decision is particularly significant because Montgomery county is the first county in Pennsylvania to issue same-sex marriage licenses, though same-sex marriages are not legally recognized in the state. 

“Out of the blue comes D. Bruce Hanes, who decides that he can do this,” Caldwell said.  “To us, we didn’t know this was coming.  But we felt that this was the time we needed to act.”