Marriage Records

Marriage records are considered a good source of information—good meaning accurate--and can often break brickwalls.  Marriage records include certificates, indexes, Bible records, and announcements.

In Bullitt County, Kentucky, old marriage records often indicate the bride’s father’s name.  This is a great way to connect generations.  Many states have marriage indexes online which are helpful, including Illinois and Minnesota.  To determine if other states have records online search by state name and then “marriage records”.

Illinois:  http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases/marriage.html

LICHTY, ELIAS D

RODERICK, CORA E

1876-12-21

CARROLL

This entry yields the groom’s name, bride’s name, and date and county of marriage.  Not always, but often, marriages occur in the area where the families live so researching the 1870 census for Carroll County could yield Cora or Elias’ family.  This marriage index may be searched by the bride’s name, the groom’s name and the search may be narrowed by county.

Minnesota:

http://www.mncounty.com/Modules/Certificates/Marriage/Default.aspx

WINONA

BRAPRRCOUEL

6/6/1873

BRAITHWAIT, PRESTON R

COULTER, ELIZABETH

Minnesota’s system is similar and provides an easy search as well.  This is only an index.  The actual certificate may be worth ordering to identify other information.

For example, Ontario Canada records found on Ancestry.com include parents names, places of birth, ages, and witnesses.  Witnesses are often relatives.  An extraction of one record follows:

                  Ontario, Registration District:  Simcoe  Division:  Vespra

          His name:  Alonzo Cornelius Knapp, 20, residence Vespra, born Waterloo, bachelor, farmer, parents, John and Hannah Matilda Knapp.

          Her name:  Mary Ann Richards, 18, residence Vespra, born England, spinster, parents:  James and Sarah Richards.
          Witnesses:  John Wesley Orchard of Vespra
                                Eliza Jane Parkhouse of Vespra
           Date and Place of marriage:  31 August 1876 at Vespra, Ontario
           Religious denomination of the groom:  Baptist
          Religious denomination of the bride:  Church of England
          Married by whom:  James McFarlane M Minister

          Marriage records are key sources to help build family relationships and should be included in family history searching.