My experience in Marriage Bonds is primarily from Culpeper and surrounding
counties.  The experience is pretty much as described below, siblings and
uncles signing.  I have instances of consent for both bride and groom
although in both cases they were of legal age.

The second date is important, the ministers return.  I had a case where the
DAR questioned an application I was working on because there was no
ministers date, that is how can you prove they actually got married?

So there was no actual marriage date in this case just "after" ...

The marriage was accepted however later because the County Clerk in a deed
referred to her as 'and his wife'

John


-----Original Message-----
From: Research and writing about Virginia genealogy and family history.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of qvarizona
Sent: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 11:23 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Signing of marriage "bonds"

Bill--

  I'm sure someone will be able to provide a more legal definition --and I
stand ready to learn more from them-- but for starters, here's what I think:

  The bonds were signed by those who "guarenteed" the facts of the marriage
to be true and that the both parties to be married would honor the
commitment.  They were often signed by siblings, uncles, friends, etc. if
for whatever reason --death, infirmity, etc.-- the parent didn't come to the
courthouse in person.  The consent form was of course needed for those under
age, but sometimes as a matter of respect, a bride would ask her father or
guardian to sign a consent form.  (I came across this  in several bonds  in
Botetourt Co. VA.)   Seeing a consent usually indicates a bride (or groom)
was under age, but by no means proves that.

  There are usually two dates on the bond.  The first is the date the bond
was taken out, and the second is the date the minister recorded the
marriage. (This 2nd date is usually the marriage date,  although I suppose
it's possible to run into a case where the minister did not get to the
county promptly.

  Joanne

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