Karon, Wow, I'm jealous. That is such a lovely area. I was there for the first time last summer. I visit my gr-aunt in Belington each year and try to explore all the counties in my family history lines. I planned to return this summer but Uncle Sam has other ideas and I've been called to active duty for the year. I'm a reservist nurse who also happens to be a wife, grandmother of 3, mother of 5 and as you might imagine I'm not very happy to be away from home. To make my off time go by I've decided to try to make some headway on some of my family lines from Ft. Sam Houston, Tx.. Anyhow, enough about my plight. :-) I wonder what one would have to do to "make" those marriage bonds accessible. With technology as it is it just doesn't seem like an impossible job for some historical society members. To me that would be a dream trip. To spend a month scanning the documents and then storing them in a proper way that would help prevent their deterioration would be a wonderful opportunity and something I'd love to do. After seeing the crates of documents that the Greenbrier Co. Courthouse put into their dumpster [they were then taken out by the historical society] to be taken to the dump I try to think of how I might be able to help. Obviously I can't do anything now, but do you think it could be planned and carried out if some volunteers were found? It would be something to look forward to in the next few years. Even if I didn't find the signature I want or other clues I need it would be a labor of love. Ok, here is the info I have from Harter's book: John Brady signed the marriage bond as "John Bready," on July 30, 1805. John Bready/Brady is my gggggrandfather and he was quit a itchy footed guy. He grew up in Berks Co. Pa., moved to Pendleton Co. for about 7 years, and then to Randolph Co. Va after the death of his wife in about 1806, and finally Lewis Co. where he died in 1850. I've been luck enough to find a signature of his in Berks Co. on a document from his fathers will. His father died when he was 16yrs old. And then another signature from 1842 in Lewis Co. Va.. It would be great to prove further if I had this in between time signature to lock my proof together. Thanks so much for responding! Cara > I live just outside town. > > The original marriage bonds are not accessible, but Mary Harter copied them > and published them. Later some others were found. I have a copy of Mary > Harter's two books -- Marriage Bonds and Marriage Records, that cover > 1788-1853. I also have Jackie Puffenbarger's book which compiles both of > Mary's works plus has the records that were found later. > > I will look up in them for you if you send me the names. If it is after > 1853, I can check in the court house. Before 1788, you will have to look > in Augusta County, VA records. > > Sometimes I 'm a little slow, but I will try to do it asap. > > Koren-Fae > > Rev. Koren-Fae Rawlings > P.O. Box 887 > Franklin, WVa 26807-0887 > Order of the Bonnie Blue, Phoebe Warner Chapter > [email protected] > Pendleton Co. Historical Preservation > [email protected] > [email protected] > William J. Vance > Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, > 7th WVa Infantry Camp 7 > [email protected] > www.geocities.com/suvcwmdcp7/ > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, April 11, 2003 10:28 PM > Subject: [WVPENDLE] Pendleton Co., Courthouse > > > >Does anyone on this list live in the area near the Pendleton Co. > Courthouse? > >I need to get a copy of a marriage bond from the early 1800s and don't > expect > >I'll be able to get to the courthouse this year. Has the courthouse > copied > >the old bonds? > >Cara > > > > > >==== WVPENDLE Mailing List ==== > >Genealogy without documentation is mythology! > > > > > > > > ==== WVPENDLE Mailing List ==== > Genealogy without documentation is mythology! > >

The marriage bonds of Pendleton County that Mary Harter used for her first book are available via microfilm through the LDS Family History Centers. These are housed in the Archives at WV University and includes the original bonds with signatures and consents. When Jackie Puffenberger retyped Mary's book she included all the corrections that I made after proof-reading from the microfilm of the originals. Generally these were mis-read names. The second major set of bonds are entered in a Marriage Bond book which is housed in the County Clerk's office. This is a ledger style book from 8 July 1843 to 20 July 1853. Mary included all of these in her 2nd book and the original Bond Book is also available on microfilm. Mary's 2nd book also includes many loose bonds which are not available to the public. We are VERY fortunate that most of the Pendleton County records have been microfilmed and are available to us. The only major missing record group is the marriage record before 1800. Also, during the early 1900's many loose bonds were given to family members, etc. Mary recorded all that she could find at the court house and I am sure was very thorough since the staff was fully cooperating with this project. While the records after 1853 are available, they are ledgers arranged by the date the info was entered and in small handwriting. There is NO alphabetical index so it is very difficult to send someone to search for a specific record. NOTE: virtually no records exist for the Civil War years when Franklin was often occupied by military forces--both sides. During the 1860's there is a group of Pendleton County marriages, performed in the North Fork region by Rev. Asa Harman, that were recorded in Tucker County. Perhaps it was a safer road to travel to a court house. Nedra Nedra Dickman Brill, Certified Genealogist [email protected] Registrar, Oregon State Society DAR Regent, Portland Chapter, DAR Historian, Henckel Family National Association Coordinator Pendleton County, WV, [email protected] CG is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license after periodic evaluations by the Board. http://www.bcgcertification.org/

You may be advised that, in addition to that which Nedra Dickman Brill has posted below, generally speaking, most county records also are available at the West Virginia Cultural Arts Center in Charleston, WV. It's efficient because you can search more than one county at a time. The WVU center also has been commended to me. I have been to the Cultural Arts Center, and they were helpful. I have not yet been to the WVU location. Dan Hamrick 402 23rd Street NW Canton Oh 44709-3818 Phone: 330-454-2376 Email: [email protected] ------ Forwarded Message > From: Nedra Dickman Brill <[email protected]> > Reply-To: [email protected] > Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2003 10:34:34 -0700 > To: [email protected] > Subject: [WVPENDLE] Pendleton County Marriage Bonds > Resent-From: [email protected] > Resent-Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2003 11:56:08 -0600 > > The marriage bonds of Pendleton County that Mary Harter used for her first > book are available via microfilm through the LDS Family History Centers. > These are housed in the Archives at WV University and includes the original > bonds with signatures and consents. When Jackie Puffenberger retyped Mary's > book she included all the corrections that I made after proof-reading from > the microfilm of the originals. Generally these were mis-read names. > > The second major set of bonds are entered in a Marriage Bond book which is > housed in the County Clerk's office. This is a ledger style book from 8 > July 1843 to 20 July 1853. Mary included all of these in her 2nd book and > the original Bond Book is also available on microfilm. Mary's 2nd book also > includes many loose bonds which are not available to the public. > > We are VERY fortunate that most of the Pendleton County records have been > microfilmed and are available to us. The only major missing record group is > the marriage record before 1800. Also, during the early 1900's many loose > bonds were given to family members, etc. Mary recorded all that she could > find at the court house and I am sure was very thorough since the staff was > fully cooperating with this project. > > While the records after 1853 are available, they are ledgers arranged by > the date the info was entered and in small handwriting. There is NO > alphabetical index so it is very difficult to send someone to search for a > specific record. > > NOTE: virtually no records exist for the Civil War years when Franklin was > often occupied by military forces--both sides. During the 1860's there is a > group of Pendleton County marriages, performed in the North Fork region by > Rev. Asa Harman, that were recorded in Tucker County. Perhaps it was a > safer road to travel to a court house. > > Nedra > > Nedra Dickman Brill, Certified Genealogist [email protected] > Registrar, Oregon State Society DAR > Regent, Portland Chapter, DAR > Historian, Henckel Family National Association > Coordinator Pendleton County, WV, [email protected] > > CG is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, > used under license after periodic evaluations by the Board. > http://www.bcgcertification.org/ > > > > > > > ==== WVPENDLE Mailing List ==== > Genealogy without documentation is mythology! > ------ End of Forwarded Message

Thanks everyone, this has been very helpful. I've ordered dozens [and I'm not exagerating] of films and will get on this on if/when I get home. Cara > You may be advised that, in addition to that which Nedra Dickman Brill > has posted below, generally speaking, most county records also are > available at the West Virginia Cultural Arts Center in Charleston, WV. > It's efficient because you can search more than one county at a time. > The WVU center also has been commended to me. > I have been to the Cultural Arts Center, and they were helpful. I have > not yet been to the WVU location. > > Dan Hamrick > 402 23rd Street NW > Canton Oh 44709-3818 > Phone: 330-454-2376 > Email: [email protected] > > > ------ Forwarded Message