For Diane: I have a copy of the 1876 marriage license of my great-grandfather's brother. It gives his name, residence, and age, as well as his bride's name, residence and age. At the bottom of the form is the "return", a short section in which the priest (or minister, justice of the peace, etc.) certified that on the 30th day of November 1876 he did join in marriage these two people. However, even more important is their "Application for Marriage License" which I also have. In this case, it gives no additional information - just name, residence, and age, plus swearing that each is single and unmarried. However, I have seen other Applications for Marriage License, in which such wonderful information appears as the groom's and bride's mothers' maiden names. One of these was an 1880 Livingston Co., IL Application, and another was in the 1880s or 1890s in a different county in Illinois. I would think for an 1885 marriage, you would also get this additional information. The Applications are indeed on file in Livingston Co., IL, and I believe they are down in the courthouse basement. I was allowed down there one time, by myself, and nearly went crazy looking in ledgers, drawers of metal file cabinets, etc. I'm sure the girl who told me to go on downstairs got in lots of trouble when I came back upstairs and met the older woman who was in charge. A letter to the County Clerk, Livingston County Courthouse, Pontiac, Illinois (I do not know the zip code), enclosing perhaps $10.00 U.S. and requesting these copies should bring a response, if not the copies, then at least a statement of what their cost would be. Linda K.