Marriage forms can yield useful clues

By DONNA MURRAY ALLEN
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 17, 2003

The only known document proving that John Shelley married Martha Jane is the microfilm copy of their marriage license application on file with the New Jersey state archives. The year was 1872. Their county of residence, ages, the names of John's parents and Martha's father, and John's occupation are noted. Because the mother's name is usually included, the name of Martha's mother was probably omitted for lack of space on that section. In those days, applications didn't go into much detail.

These records are usually found in the county in which the event took place. However, some counties regularly ship off older records to their state's archives. The documents are public information. You should be able to obtain copies in person or by mail.

Please note that I'm referring to marriage license applications, not marriage certificates. The terms are not synonymous. A marriage license application, also called a marriage record or return, is an official form required by local governments since the late 1800s. Couples complete the information section and take it with them to the wedding. After the ceremony, the person officiating signs and dates the form and returns it to the appropriate government office, where a clerk records it. The couple is then issued a marriage certificate. Both items prove that the marriage took place. But the application contains the most genealogical data.

Examine the documents carefully to determine the date of the marriage. As many as four dates may appear on the paperwork: initial application, marriage, the day the license was returned to the clerk and the recording. Pay attention to the names of the witnesses and the person officiating; they were often related to the bride and groom.

Before the late 1800s, marriages were not always recorded by a government entity. What records exist will probably be in the state's archives. The amount of data you can glean from them will depend on when and where the nuptials took place. As time went on, more information was collected.

For example, after Martha died in 1879, John married Ellen Geoghagan. By then, New Jersey had expanded the form to include the birthplaces of the bride, groom and their parents, and previous marriages. This latter snippet of data is extremely important. The index at the state archives shows that John married an Ellen Geoghagan and an Ellen Brogan. In realty, he married only one: Ellen Brogan Geoghagan, widow of Patrick Geoghagan.

You need to zoom in on that section of the record. If you're one of Ellen's descendants, it's imperative to know that her maiden name was Brogan. Furthermore, you could be descended from a child she had with Geoghagan or one of the five she had with Shelley. Later documents are not always clear on that count.

Can't find what you're looking for at the county or state level? Try the church in which the couple married. Communities were smaller then so you should be able to narrow it down. Obituaries and burial sites should yield a few clues.

Most denominations keep records. And many, such as the Catholic Church, have a regional office that maintains jurisdiction over specific geographical areas. If you get stuck, ask for help. Expect to pay about $15 per hour for assistance.

Looking for marriage records abroad? Find out what records are available for the period you're researching before starting your quest. Catholic Church records date to the 1500s in France, but civil registration of marriages didn't start until 1792. The Irish government did not record non-Catholic marriages until 1845, but it began recording all Irish marriages, births and deaths in 1864.

- Donna Murray Allen welcomes your questions and will respond to those of general interest. Write to her c/o Floridian, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731, or e-mail her at rootscolumn@yahoo.com . Or visit www.rootsdetective.com.

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