From the Dallas Morning News
March 23, 1942
Las Vegas, Nev. – March 22 (UP). Benny Goodman, the king of swing, was married to Alice Duckworth, eastern socialite, in a brief ceremony performed by District Judge George E. Marshall in the Clark County Courthouse. The 32-year-old orchestra leader had not been married previously. It was the second marriage, however, for Miss Duckworth, 36. She was divorced here Jan. 26 from her previous husband.
The couple came to the courtroom of Judge Marshall accompanied by the sister of the bride, Rachel McLenahan, and a friend, Ann Emmons, both of whom witnessed the ceremony. Miss Duckworth was said to be the daughter of a wealthy manufacturer of musical insturments.
Miss Duckworth, was in fact Alice Frances Hammond, daughter of Emily Vanderbilt (Sloane) Hammond & John Henry Hammond. Emily was a great-granddaughter of the Commodore. Alice’s mother in fact caused quite the uproar in her selection of husbands, a “poor” lawyer as she was the only great-granddaughter of the Commodore not to unite her money with money.
