Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

Use microfilm copy, Spotsylvania County (Va.) Reel 56.

Preferred Citation

Spotsylvania County (Va.) Marriages, 1795-1853. Spotsylvania County (Va.) Reel 56, Local government records collection, Spotsylvania County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Va. 23219.

Acquisition Information

This negative photostatic copy was created by the Virginia State Library's (now the Library of Virginia) Archives Division from the original volume found in the Spotsylvania County (Va.) Circuit Court Clerk's Office. The microfilm copy of this record was generated by The Library of Virginia's Imaging Services Branch. A duplicate copy of this reel, Reel 70, is also found in the Library's microfilm collection.

Historical Information

Spotsylvania County was formed in 1720 from Essex, King William and King and Queen Counties. Spotsylvania County was named for Alexander Spotswood, lieutenant governor of Virginia from 1710 to 1722.

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.

Until 1780, marriages could be performed only by ministers of the Established Church, who were required by law to record marriages in the parish register. In 1780, dissenting ministers (only four per county from each sect) were first permitted to perform marriage ceremonies. Ministers' returns were required by law beginning in 1780, so all marriages from that date would be of record in the county court clerk's office--thereby creating an official record. Some ministers addopted a custom of making collected returns--a list of marriages performed within a period of time such as a year or several years.

The marriage record of Spotsylvania County (Va.) described in this collection was created by the County Court.

Created by an act of 1720 to take effect on May 1, 1721. Many loose county court papers prior to 1839, when the courthouse moved from Fredericksburg to Spotsylvania Courthouse, are missing. Volumes that record deeds, court orders, and wills exist. The district court, superior court, and circuit court records of Spotsylvania County from 1813 to 1889 are in Fredericksburg.

Scope and Content

Spotsylvania County (Va.) Marriages, 1795-1853, is divided into two sections. The first section contains an unnumbered internal index to the volume (1795-1853.) The index is arranged alphabetically by the groom's name (A-W) according to the page number on which the name is found. The second section of the volume records the returns made by individual ministers, of various denominations, of marriages performed within the county. Some returns took the form of lists which record the date of the marriage and names of both parties. Other returns took the form of registers which record the date of the marriage license, the names of both parties and the return on the license--noting a specific date and according to the rites and ceremonies of a [specific] church or individual minister.

Arrangement

Chronological.

Related Material

Additional Spotsylvania County Marriage Records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."

Spotsylvania County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Spotsylvania County Court Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the Lost Records Localities Database found at the Library of Virginia web site.

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Spotsylvania County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

• Christian sects--Virginia--Spotsylvania County.
• Clergy--Virginia--Spotsylvania County.
• Marriage--Virginia--Spotsylvania County.

Geographical Names:

• Spotsylvania County (Va.)--History.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records--Virginia--Spotsylvania County.
• Marriage records--Virginia--Spotsylvania County.
• Ministers' returns--Virginia--Spotsylvania County.

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Spotsylvania County (Va.) County Court.

Adjunct Descriptive Data