Ashe County, North Carolina Marriages 1801 – 1872
Compiled by Minnie Patrick Osborne and Jeffrey C. Weaver
1989, Ashe County Historical Society, West Jefferson, North Carolina, 28694
Introduction
The marriage records of Ashe County, North Carolina are incomplete. Some years ago the earliest records were either stolen or burned or both. The 2,100 marriage records presented here are from what remains in the court house in Jefferson, North Carolina; the State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina; the Library of Congress and National Archives, Washington, DC; and other sources, i.e., pension applications and family bibles when available.
Some of these early records are very difficult to read and the best possible transcription has been made. Alternative or modern spellings are given, in the “Comments”, when it seemed necessary for clarity or serious doubt arose. There are conflicting dates on some on the documents, with one stating one thing and another conflicting with that, in such cases both pieces of information are presented with no claim to the correctness of either.
The amount of information given for some marriage records is greater than for others, the pertinent information available is presented, if not, you may assume that it was not given in the original document.
Formatting of this transcript has been something of a problem because there were different types of sources used, therefore some blanks will be found as you search for information.
Source 1 is the marriage register, Ashe County Court House, Jefferson, North Carolina
Source 2 is a collection of loose marriage bonds, Ashe County Court House, Jefferson, North Carolina.
Source 3 is the State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina
Source 4 is other material, pension applications, family bibles, etc.
When searching for marriages in North Carolina (and many other states) prior to 1868, remember it was perfectly legal to be married and have no written record of the event. North Carolina recognized marriage by publication of banns, and common law marriages were not uncommon. In some cases, a common law relationship was established and later a marriage bond was obtained and a formal marriage took place. After Reconstruction and the North Carolina Constitution of 1868, a written record should have been made and probably is preserved. Records after this date may be obtained from the Office of the Clerk of Court, Ashe County Court House, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640.