This may be old hat to many family researchers but thought it might help some who are just getting started. If one doesn't have the luxury of a family bible, finding information on marriage dates and wives' names can be a real brick wall. Marriages, especially in frontier areas, might be listed under minister returns from circuit riding ministers, recorded in the county's Marriage Registers, in Church records, or in Marriage Bond or Fee Books in a given county. Sometimes marriages (or at least the names of husbands and wives) are also found in county Order, Minute, Wills, and Deed Books, especially when land is sold and the wife is required to officially agree to the sale. Military pension records may also include information on marriages, especially by widows claiming the pension. Census records are also good in the mid-19th century. There are numerous abstracts of county record books which may list the couple. In one case I found same couple listed in one county marriage register (Berkeley) and in another county's bond books (Frederick) ! In some cases these abstracts prove incorrect (typos, misspellings, etc.) so it's always best to use them as a lead to original document. An interesting introduction to a book by Guy Keesecker "Marriage Records of Berkeley Co. VA 1781-1854 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, 1983) explains basis of marriage records found in various county court houses. Paraphrasing from his notes: In Colonial Va, laws of matrimony followed English practices (with some exceptions) which required minister to have license from Governor or the announcement of banns by local minister and purchase of license. Banns to be published "three severall Sundays or holy-days in the time of devyne service in the parish churches where the sayd persons dwell...." Licenses ranted at a fee of 200 lbs of tobacco or 20 shillings to Governor, 50 lbs., to clerk (of court), 40 lbs. to "secretarie"; 200 lbs. or 20 shillings to minister marrying with license, if by banns, 50 lbs. or 5 sh. If minister married contrary to law, he would be fined "tenn thousand pounds of tobacco". He was also fined if he married indentured servants without certificate from their masters. Any marriage made by any other than a minister (probably had to be Anglican) was refuted as null and children borne of said marriage illegitimate. If girl 12-16 married without consent of parents or guardian and without banns her lawful inheritance would descend to next of kin and her children disinherited. Laws were moderated in 18th century with arrival of other Europeans with different customs and religions as well as impact of frontier conditions. Distances from court and lack of qualified ministers or lawyers required change in laws. Circuit riders became common on frontier. In 1775, a marriage tax of 40 shillings along with bond as security, to be paid. Later (no year given), an act was passed that due to the lack of duly authorized clergymen in "remote parts of the Commonwealth", the Court was empowered to "nominate so many sober and discreet laymen" to perform marriages. They were required to take oath of allegiance to the state, and get a license to perform rites of matrimony "according to the forms and customs of the church of which he is a reputed member...." Publication of banns were to be made in "three several days, and not in less time than two weeks, in open public asssemblies, convened for religious worhip or other lawful purposes, within the bounds of the respective congregation or militia companies, in which the parties to be married severally reside...." The eldest (? does this mean most senior?) magistrate of the County was empowered to grant marriage bonds. This fell to Clerk and secretary of Court to list names of marriage participants, their surety and tenor of the bond in the county records. Up to 1805, £50 was required as security. After that, amount changed to $150. The suretor was bound for the sum of the security and "if there is no lawful cause to obstruct the said marriage, then the above obligation to be void...." If one or both participants were under usual age (whatever that was!), and were refused a bond, the parent or guardian was required to send letter sanctioning marriage. Letter was sent to Clerk of Court for recording. Sometimes, clerks of neighboring counties granted certificates (apparently for the fee), resulting in new law stating that only clerks of the county wherein the maid, her parents or guardian resided were allowed to grant licenses. Keesecker cites Hening's Statutes as his source. He doesn't say when surety bonds were dropped as requirement.