Marriages

I have put the names in alphabetical order by the Groom's Last Name. We did the best we could reading the handwriting. If you have any corrections to make, please contact us.

We now have online all the marriages from 1840 - 1866, a few from 1867 to 1916. Most of these are from microfilm #1005210 "Marriage Register Vols. 1 & 2: 1840-1893" available at the Clinton County Library and through LDS Family History Centers. There is also a marriage index. The library will make copies.

1840s Marriages

1850s Marriages

1860s Marriages

Marriages in the News

The information listed in the Index to Marriages includes:

License No.
Name of Parties
Date of License
Date of Marriage
Date of Return
and Name of Person who solemnized the marriage

Information in the Register of Marriages includes:

License No.; Date of License; By whom affidavit, if any, is made; By whom consent to marry is given; Full Name of Groom; Place of Residence; Occupation; Age next Birthday; Race or Color; Place of Birth; Father's Name; Mother's Maiden Name; No. of Groom's Marriages; Full Name of Bride; Maiden Name if a Widow; Place of Residence; Age next Birthday; Race or Color; Place of Birth; Father's Name; Mother's Maiden Name; No. of Bride's Marriages; Where and When Married; Witnesses; By Whom Certified - Name and Office; Date of Return; When Registered

As you can see -- if you see your ancestors listed, you could learn a lot from the Register of Marriages.

I would like to thank Lynda Paxton for sending us many of these dates from her searches through the LDS microfilm and Linda Carter for sending us photo-copies of pages from the marriage register. Also, a big Thank You to JoAn Hoffman for typing up many pages of the marriage register for us.

To obtain copies of marriage licenses for Clinton County, write to
County Recorder's Office
Clinton County Courthouse Annex
North 3rd Street
Clinton, IA 52732

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MARRIAGE RECORDS IN IOWA

The first law in the Territory of Iowa regulating marriages was passed in 1840 and said that a marriage register be kept by the clerk of the district court in each county.

The clerk also issued marriage licenses under the 1840 law. In 1851, that authority was transferred to the county judge, but in 1868, the duty was transferred back to the circuit court and the clerk was directed to keep a record thereof in a separate book kept for that purpose. This has remained the procedure since 1868.

Under the Code of 1851, when an application for a license was made, the clerk was required to have at least one affidavit from some competent and disinterested person, stating such facts as the ages and qualification of the parties. If the clerk was acquainted with the ages and qualifications of the parties, he could execute a certificate stating such facts in lieu of the affidavit. The affidavits and certificates were to be filed by the clerk . A memorandum of the affidavit or certificate was also to be entered in the License book.

If either applicant was a minor, a certificate in writing, giving the consent of the parents or guardian, was to be filed in the office of the clerk and a memorandum made thereof in the license book.

In 1880, the State Board of Health required that clerks complete a report of all marriages to the Secretary of the State Board of Health on the first day of October of each year. The clerk was also required to transmit all original returns of marriages filed to the State Registrar on or before the first day of February each year.

State marriage records dating from 1880 exist for all counties and the transcribed records show the names of bride and groom, age, race, and birthplace; father's name, mother's maiden name, by whom consent to marry was given, date of marriage, place, by whom married, date of return and when filed.

County marriage records for Iowa include applications and consent notices, licenses and returns, and registrar entries.