| This awesome compilation contains the records of 16,000 marriages from fifty-one Missouri counties formed before 1840. It is now the chief means of identifying settlers who were in Missouri prior to the first and second censuses of 1830 and 1840. All Missouri counties with marriage records before 1840 are included except St. Louis County and City, which have been adequately covered elsewhere. Most of the marriage records came from the original marriage books on file in the various county courthouses, and these are identified in the "List of Sources" at the beginning of the book. Other records came from previously published compilations, some from both. The marriages listed are arranged alphabetically by grooms surnames, and each includes the name of the bride, the marriage date, and the name of the county in which the full record is located. The researcher can write to the county recorders office to obtain a copy of the record needed. The book ends with an index of brides names that includes all of the 16,000 women mentioned in the text. - United States - Missouri - |
