Thursday 23 October 2014

Public Marriage Records Online Research

By Claire Dowell


For those who are doing research on their family background, vital records pose a great source of facts as these contain information such as the married parties' background, social status, parents, place of residence as well as occupation during the time. Vital records such as births and deaths are usually available from the States' Health Department whereas marriage and divorce records are available from the county clerk where it was issued or granted. Oklahoma marriage records are available from the clerk of the county and historical records are available from the Oklahoma Historical Society. Requests can also be made to the State's Office and will be forwarded to the county.

US marriage records are often recorded by the county from the time it was first established and as such, many records date back to 1800's. For those requesting for records from the county clerk, one can find several records including marriage bonds, licenses, certificates and affidavits available. To request for copies, one can call, fax or visit the County Clerk Office. Fees collected are standardized, although some counties might charge for other services.

For those who live in Oklahoma County, marriage records are available from the County Courthouse. The Office contains 175 volumes of marriage records available to the public. The records date back to 1800s up to 1951. Marriage license, affidavit of marriage applications and marriage certificates are the records that are available from the Clerk's Office. Oklahoma residents are charged $20 and on-residents $30 for "research request and copy fees". Other charges depend on the format that the researcher wants for the records. Microfilmed and faxed copies cost $1 and mailing cost about $.25. Some records, such as the Choctaw-Chicksaw records are available for express delivery and cost about $10.

For residents of Pittsburg County, marriage and divorce records are available from the McAlester Clerk Court Office. Each copy cost about $15 and requests can be made by mail or in person application. On the other hand, those who need marriage records in Washington County can go to the county clerk of Bartlesville to request for their records. The payment for the reports is also $15 and records date back up to 1940's.

Marriage records in Jefferson County are also available from the Waurika Court Clerk. The records are unrestricted and each copy costs about $15 each. Requests can be made either through mail or in person as well as applying online. For historical records, one can check the Oklahoma Historical Society or the Southwest Oklahoma Genealogical Society in Lawton. Jackson County marriage records are available from the Altus Court Clerk and can be requested either through mail or in person. For those in Cherokee County, marriage records are available from the Tahlequah clerk of court whereas historical records are kept in the Oklahoma Historical society. Copies of the records are available for $15 and can be ordered by in person, mail and online.

Other ways to obtain marriage records free and conveniently is with the use of commercial public research sites. These online sites allow an individual to search for birth, marriage, death and divorce records as well as some arrest or criminal records free. This is highly recommended as one can easily access the records without having to wait few days to receive them or go to the county clerk to request for copies.




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