Greensville County (Va.) Circuit Court.

Greensville County was formed from Brunswick County on 28 November 1780. The county court first met on 22 February 1781. Subsequent additions were made from Brunswick (1787) and Sussex (1802) Counties.

Prior to 1853, when the Commonwealth began recording vital statistics, Virginia marriages were recorded at the county or city level. Beginning in 1661, in order to be married by license, the groom was required to go before the county clerk and give bond with security that there was no lawful reason to prevent the marriage. The license, issued by the clerk, was given to the minister who performed the service. Written consent from a parent or guardian was needed for individuals younger than twenty-one years.

The original marriage records, from which this volume was compiled, were created by the County Court.

From the guide to the Greensville County (Va.) Marriage Register, 1850-1861, (The Library of Virginia)

Greensville County was formed in 1780 from Brunswick County. Additional parts of Brunswick and Sussex counties were added in 1787 and 1802.

Two freeholders were appointed on order of the county court to procession or review the bounds of farms or tracts of land in each precinct in order to renew or replace old landmarks. This was originally a function of the church vestry, but was continued by the court after disestablishment. Persons who walked the boundaries were called processioners.

An act passed by the Virginia legislature in 1803 required every free negro or mulatto to be registered and numbered in a book to be kept by the county clerk.

From the guide to the Greensville County (Va.) Processioners Returns, 1796-1857, (The Library of Virginia)

Greensville County was named for either Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene or for Sir Richard Grenville, leader of the Roanoke Island settlement of 1585. The county was formed from Brunswick County in 1780. Part of Brunswick County was added in 1787 and part of Sussex County was added in 1802.

From the guide to the Greensville County (Va.) Capitation Tax Lists, 1945-1965 (bulk 1960-1965), (The Library of Virginia)

Greensville County was named for either Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene or for Sir Richard Grenville, leader of the Roanoke Island settlement of 1585. The county was formed from Brunswick County in 1780. Part of Brunswick County was added in 1787 and part of Sussex County was added in 1802.

From the guide to the Greensville County (Va.) Marriage Records and Vital Statistics Records, 1781-1874 (bulk 1781-1842), (The Library of Virginia)

Greensville County was formed from Brunswick County on 28 November 1780. The county court first met on 22 February 1781. Subsequent additions were made from Brunswick (1787) and Sussex (1802) Counties.

Until 1780, marriages could be performed only by ministers of the Established Church, who were required by law to record marriages in the parish register. In 1780, dissenting ministers (only four per county from each sect) were permitted to perform marriage ceremonies. In order to have a record of all marriages, ministers were required to sign a certificate to be filed with the county clerk. Initially, ministers sent marriage certificates to the clerk every three months. Some ministers adopted a custom on making collected returns--a list of marriages performed within a period of time such as a year or several years. Beginning in 1784, marriage certificates were returned annually. The law was rarely enforced, and ministers' returns were sometimes late, incorrect, incomplete and in many instances, not made at all. County clerks compiled a register of marriages based, in part, on ministers' returns.

The original marriage records, from which this volume was compiled, were created by the County Court.

From the guide to the Greensville County (Va.) Ministers' Returns, 1850-1861, (The Library of Virginia)

Greensville County was formed from Brunswick County on 28 November 1780. The county court first met on 22 February 1781. Subsequent additions were made from Brunswick (1787) and Sussex (1802) Counties.

Until 1780, marriages could be performed only by ministers of the Established Church, who were required by law to record marriages in the parish register. In 1780, dissenting ministers (only four per county from each sect) were permitted to perform marriage ceremonies. In order to have a record of all marriages, ministers were required to sign a certificate to be filed with the county clerk. Initially, ministers sent marriage certificates to the clerk every three months. Some ministers adopted a custom on making collected returns--a list of marriages performed within a period of time such as a year or several years. Beginning in 1784, marriage certificates were returned annually. The law was rarely enforced, and ministers' returns were sometimes late, incorrect, incomplete and in many instances, not made at all. County clerks compiled a register of marriages based, in part, on ministers' returns.

The original records, from which this volume was compiled, were created by the County Court.

From the guide to the Greensville County (Va.) Ministers' Returns and Certificates of Strays, 1781-1851, (The Library of Virginia)