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Library of Virginia
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Use microfilm copy, Rockbridge County (Va.) Reel 48.
Rockbridge County (Va.) Register of Marriages and Marriage Licenses and Estray Book, 1823-1856. Rockbridge County (Va.) Reel 48, Local government records collection, Rockbridge County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia 23219.
This volume came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of court papers from Rockbridge County under the accession number 37358.
Microfilm Reel 48 was generated by the Genealogical Society of Utah while filming in the Rockbridge County Circuit Court Clerk's Office.
Rockbridge County was formed from Augusta and Botetourt Counties in 1778, and another part of Botetourt was added in 1888. The county was named for Natural Bridge, an exceptional rock formation located in the county.
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. Once the marriage service was performed, the minister submitted a return to the county clerk. The county clerk recorded these returns along with other marriage records, such as bonds, certificates and licenses, in a marriage register. Written consent from a parent or guardian was needed for individuals younger than twenty-one years.
The original marriage and miscellaneous records, from which this volume was compiled, were created by the County Court.
Rockbridge County (Va.) Register of Marriages and Marriage Licenses and Estray Book, 1823-1856, is actually three separate records in one single volume. Starting with the front of the volume, the Register of Marriages, 1823-1850, records the names of both parties (groom listed first), the date of the marriage and by whom married. There are 70 hand numbered pages in this section. Marriages between "free persons of color" are noted in 1840 and 1848-1849. The Register of Marriage Licenses, 1850-1853, includes the date of the license, the parties names (with notation of bride's parental affiliation), the date of the marriage and by whom married. Pages are handnumbered 70-101. Marriages between "free persons of color" or "free negroes" are noted in 1852 and 1853. The volume is then flipped over. Initially, this side of the volume was going to be used to record land records--note entries from 1831. However, it became an estray book instead. By definition, an estray book is " a register giving public notice of valuable, tame animals, either lost or found wandering and presumed escaped from their owners, allowing the owners to reclaim the animals." This section records estrays from 1831-1856. However, one last entry was made in 1949-1950. This section indicates by whom the animal was taken up, before what justice the person went and when and the description and appraisement (value) of the animal. Pages, in this section, are unnumbered.
The Register of Marriage Licenses, 1850-1853, is arranged chronologically.
Additional Rockbridge County Marriage and Miscellaneous Records can be found on microfilm at the Library of Virginia. Consult "A Guide to Virginia County and City Records on Microfilm."