Ancestry Magazine

Even before your ancestors said, “I do,” marriage records had already been created for the happy union. Finding those records is now up to you.

Imagine a beautiful spring day. The sun is shining and the faint scent of jasmine is in the breeze. The string quartet interrupts its soft backgr ound music to play the bride’s processional. The guests stand and turn to watch the bride walk down the aisle, escorted by her father. When they reach the front of the congregation, the bride’s father passes her hand to the groom and everyone is seated. The minister begins the ceremony with the words we are all familiar with: “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in the bonds of holy matrimony “”

How often have we heard this phrase as we have sat with our shirt collars tight around our necks or with tears gently rolling down our cheeks?

Little do we consider that at some time in the future, someone may be searching for clues to their genealogy and will try to locate a copy of the record of the marriage ceremony we are watching.

When this happens, what will that researcher find? What will he or she learn about the events of the day? What might we learn if we are the people looking back in time to learn something about the marriage of our ancestors?

Types of Marriage Records
Marriage records represent one of the cornerstones of genealogical research. Along with birth, divorce, and death records, they constitute what are known as vital records. When it comes to vital records, all states require that the occurrence of these events be recorded in some fashion. And genealogists need this proof to support our research. Marriage records are perhaps the most rewarding vital records to locate because they contain such a wealth of information.

Since there are so many different types of marriage records, it is important for the beginning genealogist to understand what they are and how they differ from each other. In searching for marriage records, you might find one or more of the following:

Marriage certificate. At the completion of the marriage ceremony, the officiator presents the couple with a certificate that serves as proof of marriage. In doing research, this type of record would generally be found among the valued documents kept by most people. While it is an official document, it probably contains the least amount of genealogical data.

Marriage license. This is by far the most common type of marriage document. Most jurisdictions require that any couple intending marriage first apply for a license. This application is generally completed in the office of the designated civil official and contains an abundance of data on the bride and groom. While the specifics vary from state to state, a researcher will generally learn the full name of both the bride and groom, their birth dates, and their parents’ names.

Marriage contract. In some parts of North America, especially from the colonial period through the early nineteenth century, marriage was as much a business agreement as it was a romantic connection. Prior to entering into marriage, the terms of the union were carefully spelled out and the resulting contract detailed the specifics each partner was bringing to the marriage.

Such a document provides a great deal of genealogical information and gives a glimpse into the social structure of the community and the relative wealth of the parties involved.

Marriage intentions. In some communities, the couple had to publicly declare their intention to marry prior to applying for their marriage license. Such intentions were published and there was a waiting period required before the marriage could occur. While lacking in specific data, discovering such a document can help establish an approximate date of marriage.

Marriage banns. These are sometimes referred to as declarations of intent and they resemble the marriage intentions described above. The difference is that banns are associated with the religion of the individual; they are not a public, civil declaration.

Historically , these banns of marriage were announced weekly from the pulpit by the priest or minister for three weeks prior to the marriage. A written record of such banns would appear in the church bulletin or similar church publication.

Marriage consent affidavits. If the bride, the groom, or both were under the legal age required to marry, a parent or legal guardian had to give permission for the marriage to occur. In some states, this permission was in the form of a written document that detailed the relationship between the individuals involved.

Marriage bonds. During the colonial period, some jurisdictions required that a sum of money be posted prior to the marriage. This action was to guarantee that legal fees would be covered in the event it became necessary to nullify the marriage. One member from each of the two families involved usually posted this bond jointly (the father of the bride and a brother of the groom, for example). After a designated period of time the bond amount would be returned.

Search the Records
Marriage records can prove to be a veritable bonanza of information for the researcher. Among the information you might possibly glean from marriage records is the following:
• Date of the marriage
• Location of the marriage
• Full name of the bride (this is one of the few records where you can learn the
woman’s maiden name)
• Full name of the groom
• Age and birthdate of the bride
• Age and birthdate of the groom
• Previous marital status of the bride and the groom
• Names of the parents of both the bride and the groom
• Town and county in which the bride and groom resided
• Occupations of the bride and groom
• Individuals who served as witnesses at the marriage
• Name of the offici al who conducted the ceremony

In doing any kind of genealogical research, it is imperative that the researcher know a name, a date, and a place. Not only are these the clues that will lead the researcher in the right direction, they are also the minimal pieces of data needed by an official to locate a vital record.

When searching for marriage records, civil and church records are the two potential types of marriage records to consider.

1. Civil Marriage Records. There are three possible levels of government where marriage records might be located. For marriages that took place before 1900, it is more than likely that the record can be located at the local or county level depending upon which part of the country you are researching.

In most of New England, for example, the record could be found at the town clerk’s office. In the midwest, a marriage record could be located at the county clerk’s office. After 1900, most states also required that records of marriage be kept at the state level. These records could be found in the appropriate office in the state’s capital city.

2. Religious Marriage Records. In many instances, a record of the marriage can be located at the church where the marriage took place. While locating records at such a source can be a daunting task, it must be considered as an option if no civil record can be located.

In our research of early New England records, one of the problems we encountered was that the minister who performed the ceremony took his records with him when he left one church for assignment at another. We were very fortunate that an early town historian tracked down the minister’s records and published the marriage information in a town history. Without such a secondary source of information, we probably would never have located evidence of the marriage.

Using the Internet, it is possible to locate a marriage record. Rem ember that the Internet is a secondary source and every effort should be made to use the clues found there to track down and secure a copy of the actual record.

The Internet enables researchers to locate information about the jurisdiction where the record might be kept. When did a particular state begin keeping marriage records? When did a county begin keeping such records? What telephone number can you call or what address can you write to in order to get a certified copy of the record? How much does a copy of the record cost? In some instances, it is even possible to order a copy online and pay the fee with a credit card.

You’ll find very few limitations in using marriage records in your research. The one important consideration is that you be certain it is the correct record.

In our research, we found situations where there were two or more men in a community with the same name, the same approximate age, and whose spouses had the same first name. In such cases, it takes extra effort to locate the correct marriage. But they are indeed among the most enjoyable records to locate because of all the information they yield.

Terry and Jim Willard hosted the ten-part PBS Ancestors series. They have researched their family history fifteen generations back on both sides.