Taken from Michael L. Cook, Mercer County Kentucky Records, vol. 2, Kentucky Record Series, Vol 26, Cook Publications, Evansville, IN 47712, pg. 6: It was necessary for a person applying for a marriage license to provide a bond conditioned that the way was clear for the couple to marry, and surety to be provided by two persons. These were often relatives, at, at least, friends of the bride or groom. In addition, written consents were required from a parent or guardian if the bride or groom was under 21 years, or a certificate stating that the bride or groom was of age if there was any question. These consents, often on small tattered and torn pieces of paper, present most valuable data for genealogical research by identifying parentage or relationships. The bonds for the period from 1786 ato 1835 were not bound into book form but are loose in the files of the county. This book faithfully transcribes the information on those loose papers. Not all of the bonds indicating marriages are still to be found. Not all of the marriage records indicated by the bonds are in the Marriage Registers. This is possibly accounted for by situations where the marriage ws performed outside the county, or by neglect of the person performing the marriages to return the certificate to the clerk. Often the names were not spelled the same in the bond or marriage certificate, taking into consideration the vagarities of spelling. Judy