EARLY VA RUDDELL & MORGAN MARRIAGES
Morgan-Ruddell Research: Some Virginia Marriages 1700-1799 Vols. 1-25 975.5
Compiled -1973- by Cecil D. McDonald, Jr., of Seattle, Washington
Vol. 6, pg. 12
MORGAN, John and Ann Edmunds, 12 July, 1792, Augusta Co, Minister Return
Vol. 7, pg. 12
MORGAN, John and Lucy Hardin, 22 Oct. 1765, Middlesex County, Marriage Bond
Vol. 8, pg. 13
MORGAN, Charles and Rebecca Thompson, 15 Oct 1786, Prince George County
Vol. 10, pg. 8
Dyer, William and Margaret RIDDLE, 19 Mar 1799 Rockingham County
RIDDELL, James Jr. and Theodishia Rhodes, 1788, Orange County
Vol. 12, pg. 15
RIDDLE, Archibald and Frances Massie, 20 Dec 1784, Goochland County Marriage Bond
Vol. 13, pg. 11
Lewis, Jonathan and Sarah MORGAN, 10 Aug 1782, Middlesex County
Pg. 13
MORGAN, John and Sarah Neblett, 21 Dec 1797, Lunenburg County, Marriage Return
Pg. 14 Olliver, Achilles and Winny Riddell, 1797, Orange County
Vol. 14, pg. 15
RIDDLE, Thomas and Bridget Amely, 5 Feb 1768, Stafford County
Definitions:
Marriage Bonds and Licenses
“In 1660-61 the Virginia law requiring a bond was first enacted. Because of a scarcity of ministers, the colony required that all persons wishing to be married by license must go to the county court clerk and give bond with sufficient security that there was no lawful cause to prevent the marriage. The license was then prepared by the clerk and presented to the minister who would perform the ceremony.” From the introduction to the published Frederick Co., VA Marriage Bonds, by John Vogt & T. William Kethley, Jr., Iberian Publishing Company. (The security was usually $150 by the 19th century)
A legal definition of “Banns of matrimony” from Black’s Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition:
“Public notice or proclamation of a matrimonial contract, and the intended celebration of the marriage of the parties in pursuance of such contract. Such announcement is required by certain religions to be made in a church or chapel, during service, on three consecutive Sundays before the marriage is celebrated. The object of is to afford an opportunity for any person to interpose an objection if he knows any impediment or other just cause why the marriage should not take place.”
In order to be married outside of the civil authorities, a couple could publish “banns,” or intent to be married, at their local church or meeting house for three consecutive weeks, or meetings. If there were no objection to the marriage, the clergyman would marry the couple. This “marriage by banns” required no reporting to civil authorities, therefore it was recorded only in the church records and perhaps the family Bible. Because many church records have been lost, often only the old family Bible may be a record of such a bann. The main objection to the marriage that could be raised was the question of Bigamy, an earlier marriage by either party.
Definition: In earlier times, a marriage bond was given to the court by the intended groom prior to his marriage. It affirmed that there was no moral or legal reason why the couple could not be married and it also affirmed that the groom would not change his mind. If he did, and did not marry the intended bride, he would forfeit the bond. The bondsman, or surety, was often a brother or uncle to the bride, not necessarily a parent. The bondsman could also be related to the groom, or even be a neighbor or friend, but those situations occurred less often.