Index to Marriages of Old Rappahannock & Essex Counties, VA 1655-1900

By Eva Eubank Wilkerson

 

Old Rappahannock Co. embraced lands lying on both sides of the Rappahannock River and was organized in 1656, being formerly a part of Lancaster Co. which was organized in 1652.

 

Courts were held alternately on the north and south sides of the river but all records were kept in the Court House on the south side.  There are some records, such as, Land Grants, Deeds Etc. of earlier dates than 1656 which were recorded under the name of Lancaster Co. and remained as records of Rappahannock Co. after the division was made.

 

In April, 1692, Old Rappahannock Co. was divided into two distinct counties, the river dividing the same, the North side became Richmond Co. and the south side was called Essex Co., courts to be held on the tenth of each month.

 

Records of Deeds, Wills and Court Orders from 1655 to the present time are in the Record Room of the Court House in Tappahannock, Essex Co., VA.  There is no Register of Marriages prior to 1853.  Some Marriage Bonds dating back to 1804 have been recently recorded in the Marriage Register which began in 1853 and is known as Book One.

 

The author in doing much research and in indexing old records found many marriages with record proof and began an Index to Marriages.  By reading all Deeds, Wills, Court Orders and Land Trials she has secured a large number of marriages to which have been added marriages from the Marriage Register from 1853 to 1900, also the Marriage Bonds now recorded in this book.

 

The date of marriages shown in Deeds, Wills and Court Orders is the date of the record in which the marriage is found and not the date of the marriage, these having only the year given and no month nor day.

 

Terms used in reference, "D” Deeds, "W" Wills, "O" Court Orders, "D&W" both Deeds & Wills, "D&C" both Deeds & Wills, Box 101, "C", "D", Etc. is Steel Box numbered 101, containing original papers, such as, Deeds, Wills, Powers of Attorney Etc.  The letter "C", "D", Etc. represent the folder in which the papers are filed according to dates.

 

[page 98 in book]

 

1715    Farguson, Cary, daughter of John, married Class Caston, books D&C 12, page 208, and W 3, page 8.

1748    Farguson, Daniel, married Mildred, daughter of Patrick Donohoe, book W 8, page 61.

1769    Farguson, Elizabeth, daughter of John, married Joseph Ryland, book W 12, page 382.

1769    Farguson, Jael, daughter of John, married Thomas Ryland, book W 12, page 382.

1683    Farguson, John, married Ann, daughter of Stubble Stubbleson, book D 7, page 129

1769    Farguson, Katherine, daughter of John, married Benjamin Haile, book W 12, page 382.

1769    Farguson, ??, married Sarah, sister of Thomas Bridgforth, book W 12, page 147.

1722    Farguson, Samuel, married Ann, daughter of Daniel Brown, book Box 105, E

1735    Farguson, Sarah, married Thomas Redd, book W 5, page 386.

 

[page 100 in book]

 

1812    Ferguson, John, married Catharine New, Book 1, page 228.

1830    Ferguson, Nathaniel, married Lucy Johnson, Book 1, page 247