Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Use microfilm copy, Grayson County, Reels 34-37.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Grayson County (Va.) Marriage Bonds and Ministers' Returns, Volumes 1-7, 1793-1852. Grayson County Reels 34-37, Local Records Government Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

The numerical order of the bonds, consents and ministers' returns was compiled by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) from the original court records found in the Grayson County Circuit Court Clerk's Office. Following this work, the volumes were bound by the DAR. This organization also created an index and abstracts to the bonds, consents and returns which are found only on Reel 34 of the microfilm.

The negative photostatic copies were created by the Virginia State Library's (now the Library of Virginia) Archives Division from the DAR's bound volumes. The microfilm copy of these volumes was generated by The Library of Virginia's Imaging Services Branch.

Historical Information

Grayson County was formed in 1792 from Wythe County. A portion of Patrick County was added in 1810. The county is named for Walter Grayson, a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1784 to 1787 and one of the first two United States senators from Virginia.

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 adopted a custom of making collected returns--a list of marriages performed within a period of time such as a year or several years.

Scope and Content

Marriage Bonds and Ministers' Returns, Volumes 1-7, 1793-1852, are comprised of two separate sections. The first section records the original bonds of marriage between a bride and groom within the county. Marriage consents, made by a parent or guardian, are also included in this section. The second section records the original returns made by individual ministers of marriages performed within the county. Some returns took the form of lists which record the date of marriage and names of both parties.

Arrangement

Chronological.

Related Material

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

Separated Material

Volumes 2-7 are found at the Library of Virginia's State Records Center.

Access Terms

• Clergy--Virginia--Grayson County.
• Grayson County (Va.)--History.
• Grayson County (Va.). Circuit Court.
• Local government records--Virginia--Grayson County.
• Marriage bonds--Virginia--Grayson County.
• Marriage consents--Virginia--Grayson County.
• Marriage records--Virginia--Grayson County.
• Marriage--Virginia--Grayson County.
• Ministers' returns--Virginia--Grayson County.

Adjunct Descriptive Data