The Archivist's Bulldog

Vol. 11 No. 2, Newsletter of the Maryland State Archives, January 27, 1997

STATE MARRIAGE RECORDS
by Heather Ravanbakhsh

In 1910 the General Assembly created the Bureau of Vital Statistics as an agency under the Department of Health (Chapter 560, Laws of 1910). The Bureau of Vital Statistics was responsible for supervising the registration of births and deaths in Maryland. The Bureau became responsible for marriages in 1914 with the passage of a new law: "It shall be the duty of the Clerk of the Court in Baltimore City and in the several Counties of the State of Maryland to transmit to the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the State Department of Health . . . a report of each marriage that has been reported to them." (Chapter 745, Laws of 1914). The purpose of the law was to ensure against the loss or destruction of the records filed at the circuit courts.

From 1914 to 1940 the Bureau of Vital Statistics maintained one series of marriage certificates for the counties and another series for Baltimore City. In 1941, the Bureau began filing the Baltimore City certificates with the county certificates, creating a single series of records. Unfortunately for researchers, the Bureau did not begin indexing the certificates until 1951 when the General Assembly authorized them to provide certified copies of marriages performed after June 1, 1951 (Chapter 76, Laws of 1951). Also in 1951, the Bureau was given its current name of the Division of Vital Records.

Baltimore City 1914-1940, series no. T317

During the years 1914 to 1940, the Bureau of Vital Statistics arranged the Baltimore City certificates chronologically by year and month. Within each month they are sometimes alphabetical by the groom's name and sometimes in no particular order at all. Because there is no index, one must know the month, year, and groom's name to find a certificate. Each certificate provides the names, ages, birthplaces, races, occupations and residences of the couple, the date of the license, the date and location of the marriage, and the name of the minister. The certificates also indicate whether there was a prior marriage and the names of the consenting parents, or guardians, if one of the parties was a minor. If neither the bride nor the groom was a minor, the parents are not listed. This series is called DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE, DIVISION OF VITAL RECORDS (Marriage Certificates, BC) MSA T317.

Counties 1914-1930, series no. SM184

There are two series of county marriage certificates for the years 1914 to 1930. The first is called DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS (Marriage Certificate List) MSA S1498, SM185. This series is an incomplete set of certificates arranged in soundex order by the groom's name. The more complete series is DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS (Marriage Certificates, Counties, Female) MSA SM184. The certificates are arranged in soundex order by the name of the bride. The records list the names, ages, races, residences, occupations, and birthplaces of the couple, the date of the license, the date and place of the marriage, and the name of the minister. The certificates also indicate whether there were any prior marriages and list consenting parents or guardians, if one of the parties was a minor.

Counties 1931-1940, series no. T318

Between the years 1931 and 1940 the Bureau of Vital Statistics arranged the county marriage certificates in soundex order by the name of the groom. The certificates give the names, ages, races, birthplaces, occupations and residences of the couple, the date of the license, the date and place of the marriage, and the name of the minister. The certificates also indicate whether there were any prior marriages and list consenting parents or guardians, if one of the parties was a minor. This series is called DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE, DIVISION OF VITAL RECORDS (Marriage Certificates, Counties) MSA T318.

Counties and Baltimore City 1941-1987, series no. T315

Beginning in 1941, the Bureau of Vital Statistics maintained both city and county marriages as a single series of records. The series is called DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE, DIVISION OF VITAL RECORDS (Marriage Certificates) MSA T315. 1941-1950 For the years 1941 to June 1950, the certificates are arranged chronologically by year and month. Within each month they are arranged alphabetically by jurisdiction and then alphabetically by the groom's name. The certificates list the names, ages, races, birthplaces, and residences of the couple, the date of the license, the date and place of the marriage, and the name of the minister. They do not list the names of parents or guardians unless one of the parties was a minor. Unfortunately, there are no indexes for these years. One must know the year, month, county and groom's name to find a certificate.

1951-1972

In June 1951, when the General Assembly authorized the Division of Vital Records to provide certified copies of marriage records, the Division began to file the certificates numerically by certificate number. In order to access the certificates, the agency created two indexes, one by bride and one by groom. Since the groom index contains some missing or torn pages, the bride index is more complete. The Archives has copies of the indexes on microfilm: 1951-1968 Female, MSA SM224; 1951-1968 Male, MSA SM223; 1969-1972 Female, MSA SM226; and 1969-1972 Male, MSA SM225. The certificates contain the names, ages, races, birthplaces, residences and marital status of the couple, the date of the license, the date and place of the marriage, the name of the minister, and the name of the church or office where the marriage was performed. These certificates no longer include the names of consenting parents or guardians of minors.

1973-1987

In 1973, the Division of Vital Records began indexing the marriage certificates electronically, although the certificates continued to be arranged numerically by certificate number. The State Archives has access to the marriage database which covers 1973 to the present. Additionally, the Archives holds the certificates through 1987. Certificates for the year 1979, however, remain at the Division. The certificates contain the same information as described for the years 1951 to 1972, except that they omit the information on race.

DOCKETS AND INDEXES
by Pat Melville

A docket is a summary record of court proceedings. Each entry pertains to one case, listing the names of the plaintiff(s) and defendant(s) or petitioners and, if applicable, the case number. The main body of the entry outlines what happens with the case from its inception to the final resolution be it a conviction, judgment, decree, or settlement. The listing of pertinent facts is arranged chronologically and shows the documents filed and actions taken in court.

For many types of court cases, mostly criminal and civil, the docket entry may be the only part of the court record being retained permanently. When the case file is extant, the docket can be used to locate the papers, based on the case number or the date the proceedings began or ended.

Most dockets are easy to identify because the word "Docket" appears in the series title. One major exception pertains to the Baltimore City civil courts - Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and City Court. Their dockets are called (Cases Instituted). Indexes to dockets can be contained with the individual volumes or maintained as a separate series of records. In almost all instances the indexes are based on the names of the defendants. Many dockets dating from the colonial period and those of the Court of Appeals are indexed by both plaintiffs and defendants. Some series titles contain the words "Plaintiffs Index," but these indexes should be used with caution. They usually list only those parties obtaining judgments, and thus are not a complete listing of all plaintiffs.


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