Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

Use microfilm copy, Mathews County (Va.) Reel 38.

Preferred Citation

Mathews County (Va.) Marriage Licenses, 1827-1850. Mathews County (Va.) Reel 38, Local government records collection, Mathews County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

Acquisition Information

This negative photostatic volume was created and compiled, under the accession number 26273, by the Virginia State Library's (now the Library of Virginia) Archives Division from original items lent and eventually purchased from Robert Van Cleef of Richmond, Virginia.

The microfilm copy of this volume, Reel 38, was generated in-house by the Virginia State Library & Archives' Microfilm Section.

Historical Information

Mathews County was formed from Gloucester County by a statute passed on 16 December 1790 to take effect on 1 May 1791. The county was named for Thomas Mathews, of Norfolk, the Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates.

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.

Most records were burned in Richmond on 3 April 1865, where they had been moved for safekeeping during the Civil War.

Scope and Content

Mathews County (Va.) Marriage Licenses, 1827-1850, records original licenses obtained by residents of the county from the county clerk. These licenses were then issued to Reverend William Armistead Billups, a Methodist minister, who was to perform the service. Once the performed the marriage ceremony, however, he did not return the licenses back to the county clerk but instead, he kept them in his private possession. Eventually, these licenses were purchased from a private vendor and became part of the Virginia State Library's (now the Library of Virginia) Personal Papers Collection.

Along with the date of the license, the name of the bride and groom are also included. An internal index to the volume was created. The index is arranged alphabetically by both the surname and the first name of the bride and groom. A copy of the back of the license was made to capture additional relevant information such as the date of the marriage ceremony and the minster performing the ceremony. The Archives Division staff, in compiling this volume, numbered the front and back of each individual license--first by year and then sequentially within that year. The backs of the licenses were indicated by a small letter (a). Due to the incomplete nature of the items originally lent, ther are no licenses for the years 1836-1838.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically by year and numbered sequentially.

Related Material

This volume is located at the State Records Center. Contact Archives Research Services for access information, directions and hours.

Miscellaneous Reel 894, accession number 31561, provides the most comprehensive coverage on the subject. This microfilm reel combines the original marriage licenses of Reverend Billups with a typed transcript of additional marriages performed by the reverend as well. Combining previous accession numbers 31362 and 25377, this film created a complete record of the marriages that he performed between 1827-1850.

A volume, entitled "Mathews County Virginia Records," by Jane Goodsell contains a complete listing of all marriages performed by Reverend William Armistead Billups from 1827-1850. There are numerous circulating copies of this volume available.

Mathews County is one of Virginia's Lost Records Localities. Additional Mathews 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.

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

See the Lost Records Localities Digital Collection available at Virginia Memory.

For more information and a listing of lost records localities see Lost Records research note .

Index Terms

Corporate Names:

• Mathews County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Subjects:

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

Geographical Names:

• Mathews County (Va.)--History--19th century.

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records--Virginia--Mathews County.
• Marriage licenses--Virginia--Mathews County.
• Marriage records--Virginia--Mathews County.

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Mathews County (Va.) County Court.

Adjunct Descriptive Data