Marriage Contracts

In a message dated 11/3/01 7:17:31 PM Eastern Standard Time,
walk3585@cinci.rr.com writes:

I just read in a magazine that in the 19th century, the people getting
married had marriage contracts and they provide quite a bit of information
on the family. Does anyone on the list know about these contracts, and if
so, where to write for a copy. I am interested in the Hannover area. Thank
you in advance for any help.

Marion,

I don't know where one would write for a copy of these contracts, but I do
know they existed because I have the original one for my great-great
grandfather & grandmother, which was written in 1831. It is in the old
script, and there's a hole (from where it was creased for over a century and
a half) precisely where I suspect the most pertinent information would be (of
course!). This particular contract was with documents my family kept through
all the generations, so I don't have a clue where one would begin to look
except to say that this one seemed to be filed with a government office, not
with a church.

Laura

Laura,

Thanks so much for your response on the marriage contracts. I envy you
having a copy for your-gggmother & father. ---- Maybe someone else will
know about them and where they are kept.

Thanks again

Marian Walker

You will probably find these marriage contracts or "Ehestiftungen" in the stately
or county archives. The contracts I know of from families (farmers)in the little
village of Metzingen (Landkreis Celle) are kept in the "Nieders�chsisches
Hauptstaatsarchiv" in Hannover (go to
http://www.staatsarchive.niedersachsen.de/hauptstaatsarchiv-hannover.htm

Greetings
Edlef Pauly

email:AuEPauly@t-online.de