The following Boone County marriage bond, license and return for Jeremiah C. Garrett and Sarah E. Willis, is interesting in that everything is contained in this one piece of evidence – the bond, the license and return.  Usually these are in separate books in the clerk’s office.  It is good to have all information in one area.  Interesting that it tells where the marriage took place, gives us Sarah’s middle name and lists witnesses – and that the price of a marriage bond has doubled – from $50 to $100.

Know all Men by these Presents, that we, Jeremiah C. Garrett and Morris J. Dudley, are held and firmly bound to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, in the penal sum of one hundred dollars, for the payment whereof, well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly, severally, and finally by these presents, witness our signatures this 2nd day of May 1853.

The conditions of the above obligation is such that whereas a Marriage is shortly intended to be solemnized between the said Jeremiah C. Garrett and Sarah E. Willis, now if there is no lawful cause to obstruct said marriage then the above obligation to be void, else to be in full force.

Test. J. G.Hamilton, Clerk                                                                                                Jeremiah C. Garrett, M. J. Dudley

The following is a copy of a License issued from this Office on the 2nd day of May 1853.

To any Minister of the Gospel, Priest of any denomination, or Judge of a Court, in the State of Kentucky, legally authorized to solemnize marriage, Greeting:

You are hereby authorized to celebrate the rites of marriage between Jeremiah C. Garrett and Sarah E. Willis and for so doing this shall be your sufficient warrant.  Witness my hand as Clerk of the Boone County Court, this 2nd day of May 1853.                              J. G. Hamilton, Clerk

On the 11 day of July 1853 the following return on said License was made

I solemnized a Marriage between Jeremiah C. Garrett and Sarah Elizabeth Willis named within, at the residence of Jeremiah Graves, Boone County, Kentucky, in the presence of William G. Willis, Edward Graves and William Graves on the 5th day of May 1853.

James A. Kitley