Since my husband & I have just been trying to find a good & complete answer concening marriage bonds in order to explain it to our daughter, I was quite interested to find a question on the subject here. I have looked in "The Source" edited by Cerny & Eakle, in encyclopoedias, dictionaries, and any genealogical source book or those containing marriage records which I found handy or in our local library. Not one gives a complete & satisfactory explanation (as far as I am concerned). The co-signer does always seem to be a relative of the bride -- not necessarily the father. Then does the bride's relative put up half or some other portion of the money? >From a book of "Knox Co. TN Marriage Records" the following is in the preface, "The applicant for a marriage license was required to give a bond in the amount of five hundred pounds which was to guarantee that there was no lawful cause to obstruct the marriage or any unpaid debts owed by the applicant." I will be anxiously awaiting an answer to this. Claudette Ittner