Frederick County (Va.) Marriage Registers, 1782-1908

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888

Summary

Creator:
Frederick County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Frederick County (Va.) Marriage Register, 1782-1853, is a typewritten list compiled by extracting information from the original marriage bonds and ministers' returns found in the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. The register contains only the full names of the parties, the name of the minister who performed the marriage ceremony and the date of the marriage. Marriages between "mulattoes" and "free negroes" are noted from 1809-1852--pages 51 through 112. Corrections to entries are noted in pencil.

Frederick County (Va.) Marriage Register Number 2, 1853-1908, is an original volume. It is a list of marriages celebrated in the county and recorded by the county clerk. The following information is found: the date and place of the marriage, the full names of parties, the age and condition of parties before marriage, their birth places, their places of residence, the names of their parents, the occupation of the husband, the name of the person performing the marriage ceremony and any remarks associated with the marriage such as who was present and whether there was an affidavit or consent given. The entries are numbered consecutively within a given year and are arranged by date, month and year with small variances. Additional entries are noted in pencil. African American marriages are noted, 1865-1907, in the remarks section as marriages between "colored" persons.

Biographical / historical:

Frederick County was formed from Orange County by a statute of 1738 that stipulated that when the population was large enough the new county government would begin to function. The county court first met on 11 November 1743. Part of Augusta County was added in 1754. The county was named in honor of Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales and eldest son on King George II.

Prior to 1853, when the Commonwealth began recording vital statistics, Virginia marriages were recorded at the county or city level. Beginning in 1661, in order to be married by license, the groom was required to go before the county clerk and give bond with security that there was no lawful reason to prevent the marriage. The license, issued then by the clerk, was given to the minister who performed the service. Written consent from a parent or guardian was needed for individuals younger than twenty-one years.

In 1853, the General Assembly passed a law requiring the systematic statewide recording of vital statistics. The marriage register, still compiled by the county clerk from ministers' returns and other original marriage records, became more standardized and comprehensive.

The original marriage records, from which this volume was compiled, were created by the County Court until 1904. After this date, marriages were recorded in the Circuit Court.

Acquisition information:
These items came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Frederick County.
Physical location:
State Records Center - Archives Annex, Library of Virginia
Physical description:
2 v. Register, 1782-1853, has 114 pages. Register Number 2, 1853-1908, is unnumbered.