Friends of Metropolitan Archives of Nashville and Davidson County, TN

The Friends of Archives is a nonprofit chapter of The Friends of the Public Library of Nashville and Davidson County

Marriage Records - Nashville and Davidson County

Civil law was put in place in the Cumberland Settlements very soon after the first settlers arrived. Justices were appointed from the established stations or forts to oversee legal matters. The first marriage known to have taken place in what is now Davidson County was the union of James Lieper and Susan Drake in 1780. The ceremony was performed by James Robertson, as head of the "government of the Notables." There was no minister in the settlement until the arrival of Thomas B. Craighead, a Presbyterian minister, in 1785.

Marriage bonds were probably issued by the court in Davidson Co., beginning with the county's formation in 1783. The earliest date of an extant bond for Davidson County is December 13, 1788.

The bond was a guarantee or promise that the couple had a legal right to be married. That is to say, the couple was of age, that neither was already married to someone else and that there was no other reason why they could not be married according to law. In the early days, the bride was required to be a resident of the county in which the marriage license was applied for.

The bond was usually signed by the groom and by another person who had obligated themselves to pay the bond if it became necessary to do so. This person, often a relative of the bride or groom, sometimes a friend, has been commonly referred to as the bondsman. There is sometimes, more than one bondsman and there are instances in which the groom did not sign the bond, only the bondsman. The bond was not to be paid unless the couple's marriage was in violation of law. There was most likely a fee for the license but the amount is unknown.

In the early marriage records for Davidson Co., there is often only a bond and no license, as the person performing the marriage was not compelled by law to return the license to the court. In about 1816, the licenses began to be returned to the court with regularity. Davidson County marriage bonds and licenses do not give names of parents of the couple. There is sometimes a letter of consent attached that was signed by a parent but this is a rare find. Birthdates are not given on the records. Beginning in 1838, TN law required each County Clerk to record the issuance of a marriage license and the return of the license, in an official "marriage book". In the early 1900's the ages of the couple and a place of residence began to be recorded in the marriage books.

To order a copy of an original marriage record issued in Davidson County, Tennessee from 1788 through August 24, 1992, send check or money order in the amount of $4.00 payable to Metro Archives along with your request and a self addressed stamped envelope to:

Metropolitan Government Archives
3801 Green Hills Village Drive
Nashville, TN 37215

Only one request for one record will be handled at a time. Please do not send a second search request or a request for marriage copies while you have a request pending. Please do not send several requests in separate envelopes. If you request more than one record at a time, your request will be returned to you.

Certified copies of marriage records issued in Davidson County, Tennessee after August 24, 1992 through the present date are available from:

Davidson County Clerk's Office
Attention Marriage Department
700 Second Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37210

Below is a transcription of a marriage bond from Davidson Co., records from the year 1803.