Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

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Use Restrictions

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Preferred Citation

Warwick County (Va.) Marriage Licenses, 1893,1902-1912.. Local Government Records Collection, Newport News (City)/Warwick County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

These items came to the Library of Virginia in transfer of court papers from Newport News under the accession number 43558.

Historical Information

Warwick County was originally called Warwick River County when it was formed as one of the original eight shires in 1634. The shorter name was adopted in 1643. It was named either for Robert Rich, earl of Warwick, a prominent member of the London Company, or for the county of Warwick in England. Warwick County became extinct in 1952, when it became the city of Warwick. The new city was consolidated with the city of Newport News in 1958 and took the latter's name. Denbigh was the county seat.

Newport News was located in Warwick County, which is now extinct. The origin of the name is uncertain but the phrase "Newportes News" appeared in documents as early as 1619 and probably commemorated Christopher Newport, who made five voyages to Virginia between 1607 and 1619. Newport News was a small settlement until late in the nineteenth century, when it became the eastern terminus of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. It was established in 1880 and incorporated as a city by act of the General Assembly in 1896 without ever having been incorporated as a town. Newport News was enlarged by consolidation with the city of Warwick in 1858.

Scope and Content

Warwick County (Va.) Marriage Licenses, 1893, 1902-1912, include the following information: name of husband, name of wife, date license recorded in circuit court, date of marriage, place of marriage, full names of husband and wife, race, ages of husband and wife, condition of groom and bride at time of marriage (single, widowed, or divorced), place of birth (husband and wife), place of residence (husband and wife), names of parents (husband and wife), and occupation of husband. The marriage licenses also include marriage certificates signed by ministers who officiated the marriage. Information found in certificates includes name of minister, name of religious denomination, date certificate returned to courthouse, and signature of minister. The back of the license includes the page number and line number the marriage was recorded in the marriage register. The collection also includes a small number of unrecorded marriage licenses.

Arrangement

Organized by date of marriage

Related Material

Warwick County marriage registers and indices are available on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm"

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

• Newport News (Va.) Circuit Court

Subjects:

• African Americans -- Marriage -- Virginia -- Warwick County
• Christian sects -- Virginia --Warwick County
• Clergy -- Virginia -- Warwick County
• Marriage -- Virginia -- Warwick County

Geographical Names:

• Newport News (Va.) -- History
• Warwick County (Va.)--History

Genre and Form Terms:

• Local government records -- Virginia -- Warwick County
• Marriage certificates -- Virginia -- Warwick County
• Marriage licenses -- Virginia -- Warwick County

Added Entry - Corporate Name:

• Warwick County (Va.) County Court

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Warwick County marriage registers and indices are available on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm"

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