In a message dated 11/4/2006 1:02:31 P.M. Central Standard Time, rckid6366@comcast.net writes: Dear List, When you seethe phrase of Lawfull Age on a marriage License say between 1800 and 1850 what was the lawfull age of marriage ????? without having a permission letter from the girls parents ???? Thank You That depends on the state in which the marriage occurred, and usually someone on the state mailing list, or perhaps the county mailing list for the county in which the marriage occurred can answer that for you. Or try the Rootsweb message boards or Genforum boards for the state and county. Anne