SEARCHING FOR MARRIAGE RECORDS
Brenda Kellow
March 13, 2011
There is no one jurisdiction for finding marriage records because they are kept by churches, ministers, justices of the peace, state boards of health, colonial governors, military personnel, and local county or town records. There are few state records before 1950. Today the state boards of health or the bureaus of vital statistics maintain the records, although an identical set may be found in large cities or in county records.
The governor usually kept the marriage records during colonial times. These may be in the collection of state archives, even be in print or online.
Historical libraries and societies often keep the marriage records performed by colonial, state, federal officers and ships’ officers. These may be kept in ships’ logs, daybooks and private journals.
Marriage records were kept in New England beginning in the 1600s, but were not kept in the South until the 1700s. The latter had no consistent method of record keeping.
Some of the earliest record keepers were the churches; however, the frontier churches did not keep records uniformly. Many were lost or destroyed. New England churches, Quaker and German churches preserved the most complete records.
Consent affidavits were required for those getting married who were underage, usually 21 for males and 18 for females. Since each state had different laws and even changing laws, you must check the jurisdiction for the ages and consent forms. In the south, fathers usually signed for their daughters. When the mother signs the consent form it is usually because the father is dead. When both parents are dead, the legal guardian usually signs.
In addition, there are declarations of intent, usually kept during the colonial period.
Marriage banns were usually read in church on three consecutive Sundays or posted publically to announce the upcoming marriage of a couple. This was to give local residents the opportunity to state any objections to the marriage. These are not to be confused with intentions of marriage, although these served the same purpose as the banns, but were not read aloud.
Marriage bonds were not required by all states, but they were most common in the South. The purpose of the bond was to defray the costs of litigation in case the marriage was nullified for any reason. They were usually posted in the bride’s county of residence. Often, but not in all cases, after the marriage the date the marriage took place was handwritten on the bond.
Another form of record was the marriage contract, much like the prenuptial agreement between a couple when one of them was wealthy or slated to inherit from a parent or guardian. This was to protect the rights of inheritance by the heirs. They were also used when a widow marries for the second time. The marriage contract protected her inheritance from her first husband when there was wealth or property involved.
The most common record is the marriage license that is issued before a couple is married. The official performing the marriage gives the signed marriage certificate to the couple after the marriage. The civil authority records the marriage record chronologically and keeps it in a marriage register. The registers are published in books or available online from written returns by the minister or the justice. Published registers are indexed alphabetically by groom and by the bride’s maiden name. The marriage does not have to take place in the county where the license was obtained. The microfilm of marriage records is available by loan from the Family History Library or for a fee from the Family History Centers.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history, teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a Certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunion announcements, books to review, and genealogy queries to: [email protected].
The governor usually kept the marriage records during colonial times. These may be in the collection of state archives, even be in print or online.
Historical libraries and societies often keep the marriage records performed by colonial, state, federal officers and ships’ officers. These may be kept in ships’ logs, daybooks and private journals.
Marriage records were kept in New England beginning in the 1600s, but were not kept in the South until the 1700s. The latter had no consistent method of record keeping.
Some of the earliest record keepers were the churches; however, the frontier churches did not keep records uniformly. Many were lost or destroyed. New England churches, Quaker and German churches preserved the most complete records.
Consent affidavits were required for those getting married who were underage, usually 21 for males and 18 for females. Since each state had different laws and even changing laws, you must check the jurisdiction for the ages and consent forms. In the south, fathers usually signed for their daughters. When the mother signs the consent form it is usually because the father is dead. When both parents are dead, the legal guardian usually signs.
In addition, there are declarations of intent, usually kept during the colonial period.
Marriage banns were usually read in church on three consecutive Sundays or posted publically to announce the upcoming marriage of a couple. This was to give local residents the opportunity to state any objections to the marriage. These are not to be confused with intentions of marriage, although these served the same purpose as the banns, but were not read aloud.
Marriage bonds were not required by all states, but they were most common in the South. The purpose of the bond was to defray the costs of litigation in case the marriage was nullified for any reason. They were usually posted in the bride’s county of residence. Often, but not in all cases, after the marriage the date the marriage took place was handwritten on the bond.
Another form of record was the marriage contract, much like the prenuptial agreement between a couple when one of them was wealthy or slated to inherit from a parent or guardian. This was to protect the rights of inheritance by the heirs. They were also used when a widow marries for the second time. The marriage contract protected her inheritance from her first husband when there was wealth or property involved.
The most common record is the marriage license that is issued before a couple is married. The official performing the marriage gives the signed marriage certificate to the couple after the marriage. The civil authority records the marriage record chronologically and keeps it in a marriage register. The registers are published in books or available online from written returns by the minister or the justice. Published registers are indexed alphabetically by groom and by the bride’s maiden name. The marriage does not have to take place in the county where the license was obtained. The microfilm of marriage records is available by loan from the Family History Library or for a fee from the Family History Centers.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history, teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a Certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunion announcements, books to review, and genealogy queries to: [email protected].