Marriage Records
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MARRIAGE RECORDS HARRISON COUNTY VIRGINIA-(WEST VIRGINIA 1784-1850 EDITED & ARRANGED BY EARLE H. MORRIS ?*T. V4T7 V^Sh^F0RT WAYNE PUBLIC LIBRARY FORT WAYNE, INDIANA Los Angeles Temple 1966 Genealogical Library HARRISON COUNTY VIRGINIA—WEST VIRGINIA This County was erected in the year 1784 out of Monongalia County Virginia: Monongalia in turn was erected during 1776 out of Augusta County. In turn Augusta was created in 1738 out of Orange County which had been formed from Spottsylvania in 1724. The latter county had been erected four years earlier out of parts of three of the Original Shires of Virginia - Essex - King & Queen and King William. The name given this oounty is taken from the distinguished Virginian, Benjamin Harrison, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. FOREWORD The study of Vital Records presented here is not something entirely new but is a record for which there has long been a demand. The Works Progress Administration, Writers Project, copied many of the vital records in West Virginia. The Daughters of the American Revolu tion has interested itself in collecting the marriage records of the State. However neither of these agencies have compiled a complete picture of the records that pertain to those citizens who married in Harrison County (Va) West Virginia prior to 1851, The early marriage records of this State, during its frontier stage, were an extension of the system then in use in the older parts of Virginia. The Clerk of the County Court issued the "Marriage Bonds" which were merely declaratory or permissive of marriage, coupled with a "Bond". This "Bond" being an obligation of the Groom, joined in with by bondsmen of the Bride, payable to the Governor of the State. Later, lioenses were substituted for the Bond. Due to the lax requirements or lack of method used by the various Clerks to oare for these Marriage Bonds, many of them were lost. Fire raging in old wooden buildings took its toll while moisture destroyed untold thousands. Some of the early Clerks of Court considered these records as their personal property and took them with them when they west out of offioe. This is particularly true of thousands of the Bonds issued in early Hampshire County. The other destroying agencies helped to oreate & fcoid of approximately sixty-six years in this County1s marriage records* • great stumbling block in the path of the western migration. In a statistical study, such as this, the compiler must make a ohoiee of records and use those that will provide the greatest knowledge of the people in the area tinder study. This is particularly true during the frontier period* The records of Harrison County provide a typical choice. The Marriage Bonds purport to show: 1st, the contracting parties, 2nd, the date of issue, 3rd, the bondsmen, and in some cases do show the parents of the contracting parties. On the other hand the Minister's Return of Marriage gives nothing but the date of the marriage and the names of those joined together - and of course the officiating minister. Even a cursory examination discloses that there were more Marriage Bonds issued than there were Ministers Returns of marriage. Weighing the advantages and disadvantages of presenting one side or the other of the early records of Harrison County Virginia, your com piler presents a combination of the two records. As a base, the recorded Marriage Bonds are used. This in order to disclose intended marriages of many couples not further recorded in the county. To show what family relationships have been indicated. To record the date of the Marriage Bond which is rarely over two weeks prior to the actual date of marriage. To this then has been added the name of the Minister performing the ceremony. When the latter is not shown, it must be concluded that the officiating minister did not make a return of the marriage he performed. Unfortunately this was not an unusual occurrence in the 1780's and 1790's. It is believed that the combination of records herein presented will be of maximum use to searchers for family records as well a s to the historian tracing family migrations. Family names that were in error in either one of the two records available have been corrected in accordance with the Marriage Bond. This prooedure is taken because the Bond contained more names upon which to reach a conclusion. This compilation is submitted in full knowledge that duplication may appear, that family names have had many changes in spelling during the years and that many marriages duly authorized in this county may not appear. This is the record as found, developed and correoted to the extent that this is possible. THE SPIRITUAL ADVISORS TO THE PEOPLE OF HARRISON COUNTY VA. 1785 THROUGH 1850 The Men Who Performed the Marriages in Harrison County, Virginia "1785 - 1850 Incl." 1. John Sleeth 25. John J. Waldo 2. Jacob Westfall 26. David Masters 3. John McCue 27. Zebulon Maxon 4. Isaac Edwards 28. Joseph Morris 5. J. W. Loofbourow 29. John Mitchell 6. John Denham 30. William Hacker 7. Joseph Cheuvront 31. John G. Watt 8. John Patterson 32. Robert Wilson 9. Jacob Cozad 33. John Drake 10. George Towers 34. Randolph Smith 11. Isaac Morris 35. Shadrack Johnson 12. Benjamin ^ebb 36. Levi Shinn 13. Robert Manley 37. Henry Camden 14. William Davis 38. A. C. Holden 15. John Davis 39. Josiah Henderson 16. Phineas Wells 40. Thomas Kennerly 17. John Thomas 41. Micajah Fairfield 18. Absolom Kinsey 42. Ashby Pool 19. Joshua Hickman 43. Elias Swiger 20. Hamilton Goss 44. Jesse Smith 21. Thomas Maxon 45. John Morris 22. Simon Coohran 46. Bennett Bowles 23. William Cozad 47. John G. Walker 24. Abraham Daniels 48. Samuel Clark 49. Perry G. Buckingham 75. Oliver Shurtliff 50. George Brown 76. J. K. Miller 51. Jacob Bennett 77. John Allen 52. Isaac Reynolds 78. William Leeper 53. Silas Hickerson 79. John Spencer 54. Thomas M. Hudson 80. William Williams 55. William Lucas 81. Benjamin Holden 56. Cornelius Huff 82. John T. Hawkins 57. Jacob Foreman 83. Joshua Hawkins 58. James Shurtliff 84. John J. Swartz 59. Jesse Flowers 85. John Ripley 60. Basil Harvey 86. Robert Parks 61. Peter Davis 87. J. Talbott 62. G. S. Holmes 88. Jeremiah Phillips 63. Elias Bruen 89. J. H. Mecheny (McMechan) 64. Thomas Jamison 90. John L. Williams 65. Lewis A. Davis 91. James W. B. Tisdale 66. Peter McGown 92. Joseph Bennett 67. Simon Harris 93. James G. Sanson (Sampson) 68. William Hawkins 94. A. J. Garrett 69. Daniel Limerick 95. C. Beecher 70. Asa Brooks 96. Moses Tinchenell 71. Edward Vincent 97. Henry R. Bonnett 72. James Gawthrop 98. J. Boyle 73. Walter Athey 99. John Beatty 74. John Curry 100. John Ripley 101. Joseph Barnett 128. Abraham Haines 102. James S. Griffin 129. J. W. Reger 103. A. S. Smith 130. George Martin 104. T. Stinchcomb 131. David Crop 105. Thomas Baker 132. Levi Gandy 106. Peter W. Holden 133. William Hunter 107. B. F. Sedwick 134. H. Cree 108. E. W. Sehon 135. George Collins 109. Alexander Holden 136. John W. Flowers 110. John Davidson 137. M. Maddox 111. Edmund Dennison 138. Philip Pelley 112. David Cunningham 139. George Dakon 113. C. B. Bristol 140. I. S. Patterson 114. Ezekiel Quillan 141. Richard C. Bond 115. Andrew Coleman 142. Charles H. Parker 116. Robert Simonton 143. Thomas Davidson 117. Francis H. Reed 144. J. Wrightsman 118. Thomas Swiger 145. C. H. Jackson 119. Alexander Morrison 146. Richard Davidson 120. Timothy Maxon 147. John J. Stillian 121. Caleb Foster 148. James Henderson 122. THilliam Davidson 149. Aaron Vincent 123. Phillip Greene 150. Joseph Cather 124. J. J. Swayze 151. T. T. Henderson 125. John Dennison 152. R. W. Barnes 126. James Little 153. Eli McWhorter 127. Carr Bailey 154. Thomas McCleary Los Angeles Temple Genealogical Library 155. Nixon Potts 156. Adam C. Rider 157. James Clelland 158. Benjamin Stickley 159. R. W. Walker 160. Wesley Smith 161. J. W. Snodgrass 162. TV. P. Harshe 163. S. G. J. Worthington 164. George Nester 165. Gordon Battelle 166. Joseph Bailey 167. Isaac Holland 168. Harrison Garrett 169. William Smith 170. Cleon Keys 171. Benjamin Bailey 172. A. G. Lyda 173. Elias Bennett HARRISON COUNTY VIRGINIA RECORDS 6 %/ Contracting Parties Parents Where Known Date and Minister James Bodkins Sept. 7, 1784 Marv Westfall Jacob Westfall Henry Runyon Oct. 11, 1784 Mary Hegle John Sleeth Simon Harris Dec. 20, 1784 Christina Westfall Jacob Westfall William Brigs Jan. 21, 1785 Sarah Petro Jacob Westfall Isaac Shinn Feb. 16, 1785 Agnes Drake Isaac Edwards John Kittle liar. 1, 1785 Elizabeth Wells Jacob Westfall Bonham Stout liar. 24, 1785 Sarah Finley Isaac Edwards Philip Manear Apr. 11, 1785 Winny Farmer Jacob Westfall Alexander Blair Apr. 26, 1785 Elizabeth Breeding George - Raoheal Jacob Westfall John Haddings Apr. 26, 1785 Isabell Elliott Jacob Westfall Isaac Richards May 4, 1785 Rachel Nutter Isaac Edwards Benjamin Robinson May 16, 1785 Mary WiIksson Isaac Edwards Josiah Davisson June 7, 1785 Lucretia Shinn Isaac Edwards Isaac McHenry June 13, 1785 Margaret Blair William Jacob Westfall Herbert Richard Kittle June 27, 1785 Margaret Stalnaker Jacob Westfall Christopher Nutter June 28, 1785 Rebecca Moorhead Isaac Edwards John Wamsley July 27, 1785 Mary Robinson Isaac Edwards John Read Aug. 16, 1785 Mary Bartlett J. W. Loofbourow 10 Contracting Parties Parents Where Known Date and Minister Nathan Tucker Aug. 17, 1785 Mary Cheney Thomas J. W. Loofbourow James McKinney Nov. 16, 1785 Mary Beaty Patrick Isaac Edwards Samuel Freeman Nov. 29, 1785 Sarah Tucker Isaac Edwards George Nickson Nov.