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=== Early Marriage Laws === | === Early Marriage Laws === | ||
For information about marriage laws in Virginia (mother state of West Virginia) see [http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_select.aspx Virginia Marriage Laws] . Virginia law required the posting of banns or a marriage bond in the county of the bride's residence. Bonds contain the name of the bride, groom and two bondsmen. Often, the groom was one of the bondsmen. Many of these record still exist. Early marriages were in the custody of the Clerk of the County Court. Ministers were required to submit a list of the marriages they performed at least every three months. These lists are called "marriage returns". Occasionally, the minister would turn in the list of marriages to one county when the marriages actually took place in a different county. Be sure to check the records of adjacent counties or even states if a marriage cannot be found where it is expected to be. | For information about marriage laws in Virginia (mother state of West Virginia) see [http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_select.aspx Virginia Marriage Laws] . Virginia law required the posting of banns or a marriage bond in the county of the bride's residence. Bonds contain the name of the bride, groom and two bondsmen. Often, the groom was one of the bondsmen. Many of these record still exist. Early marriages were in the custody of the Clerk of the County Court. Ministers were required to submit a list of the marriages they performed at least every three months. These lists are called "marriage returns". Occasionally, the minister would turn in the list of marriages to one county when the marriages actually took place in a different county. Be sure to check the records of adjacent counties or even states if a marriage cannot be found where it is expected to be. | ||
'''[[Gretna Greens in the United States|Gretna Greens]].''' When an '''eloping''' West Virginia couple's marriage is not in their home county (to avoid local restrictions), search for it in alternate places like:<ref name="Eakle1">Arlene H. Eakle, "Have you searched and searched for a marriage without finding it?" in ''Genealogy Blog'' at http://www.arleneeakle.com/wordpress/2007/02/19/have-you-searched-and-searched-for-the-marriage-without-finding-it/ (accessed 8 January 2011).</ref> | |||
:*[[Mason County, West Virginia|Point Pleasant, Mason, West Virginia]] | |||
:*[[Washington County, Pennsylvania|West Alexander, Washington, Pennsylvania]] | |||
:*[[Allegheny County, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania]] | |||
:*[[Pike County, Kentucky]] | |||
:*[[Howard County, Maryland]] | |||
:*[[Prince William County, Virginia|Manassas, Prince William, Virginia]] | |||
== Divorce Records == | == Divorce Records == | ||