Craig, I too am trying to find marriage dates in that time peroid and have inquired at the Phil Marriage Records. They want $25 to search and if they find it you get it and if not you don't but still pay because you are paying for the search. If you are in Philly you can go there and search the michrfilm free and make your copy or what I have started doing is digital photo's . The Latter Day Saints or Mormans have the LDS Library. the site is on line and you can search the library. Then go to your local library and order the film for $5 each or .50 for a fiche and wait a few weeks for them to come in and they look through it. That is cheeper. They say that the turn around time for Marriage licenses copies is 2-6 months. Here is some advice that I recieved when I posted the same question last week As for marriages, try checking church records near where they lived. These records can be also be found at the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Also, post the inquiry on philly-roots and paphilad newslists. Good luck Ann On 1/31/06, CraigTen@aol.com <CraigTen@aol.com> wrote: > > I am trying to determine the marriage date of my great grandparents, > Christopher Petzelt and Virginia Adelaide Dryden Mansfield. She was listed > in the 1877 > Philadelphia City Directory as Widow Mansfield living at 820 N. 8th St. He > was listed as living there also. Their first child was born in September > 1879 so > they were probably married between 1877-1879. One source I have, which is > of > dubious value, says they were married on 7 May but didn't say what year. > Any > clues would be appreciated. > Craig TenBroeck > > > ==== PAPHILAD Mailing List ==== > Helpful abbreviations: (APS)American Philosophical Society, > [ARI]Annenberg Research Institute,(BI)Balch Institute,[DU] Drexel > University Library, FLP)Free Library of Philadelphia, [GHS] Germantown > Historical Society, GSP)Genealogical Society of PA, (HSP)Historical Society > of PA, LC)Library Company, [NARS] National Archives Regional > Branch-Philadelphia, PCA)Philadelphia City Archives,(PCH)Philadelphia City > Hall, (PJAC)Philadelphia Jewish Archives Center, (RWA)Register of Wills > Archives,(TU)Temple University, (UP)University of Pennsylvania Libraries and > Archives > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx > > -- Ann Brown " Cookie"