This book is a compilation of 7,903 marriage records for Somerset County, Maryland, for the period of 1 November 1796 to the end of December 1871. Entries are listed alphabetically by the groom's surname and include the full-name of the groom, the full-name of the bride, and the date. The researcher should be cautioned that the dates given are, in most cases, the dates that the licenses were purchased and recorded. The actual marriage usually did not take place until one to five days later, if at all. No attempt to correct the spelling of either the surnames or the Christian names has been made. Researchers should consider all possible spelling variations before drawing conclusions. Many "colored" marriages are found in these records, especially for the period of 1831 to 1871. An index to brides adds to the value of this work. (1986, 2002), 51/2x81/2, paper, index, 264 pp

"This volume contains a comprehensive collection of marriages, both actual and implied, gleaned from a variety of sources including church records, court records, probate records, land records, Bible records, published family histories and more"--Rear cover.