Marriage Records Rebound
Two of Candler County's earliest record books, Marriage Book A and Marriage Book B have been refurbished and restored. These record books date back to 1915 and represent the official recording of the earliest marriages for the county. "The two early record books were looking pretty ragged after nearly a century of use and it was time for them to be rebound," said Probate Court Judge Tony Thompson. After a review and consultation with bindery specialist Tommy Castleberry, a plan was devised to rebind the books onsite.
"Some of the tabs were missing in the books and the sewing was coming loose. Father Time was taking a toll. Mr. Castleberry was able to rebind the books and make them more durable and accessible. All while keeping the original records onsite. So, we're very pleased with the process and the result," said Thompson.
Marriage records are multipart documents. There is the original marriage application which contains a variety of information about the prospective bride and groom which is not recorded in the Marriage book but is stored in a separate record area. After a marriage license is issued, the license is signed by the official who performed the ceremony and returned to the Probate Court where it is then recorded in the appropriate marriage "docket" or "record" book. The book number and page number of the become part of the official "recording" of the marriage along with a marriage supplement report which is sent to the State Department of Vital Records. The records in the marriage book are what most people look for when they seek out marriage record data for genealogy purposes. For personal use, most people request a certified copy of their marriage license and possibly their actual application, too.
Judge Thompson with bindery specialist Tommy Castleberry.
