Other than the following two exceptions, the volume and page number refer to the original books found at the St. Louis City Hall.

Marriage Contracts Found in Deed Books, 1764-1804

This index also contains contracts that were made between 1764, the founding of Pierre Laclede Liquests' fur trading post, and 1804, the beginning of U.S. rule for this region. These contracts, recorded in the city archives along with deeds for land, are in their original French or Spanish and are accompanied by English translation. Usually of great length, these records reveal a great deal of information, including names of parents, property settlements, heirs, prior and current places of residence, and other personal items. The records in the database that fall under this category are indicated in this index by the letter "D" preceeding the volume/page reference. These references are to the volume and page of the deed records, not the marriage records.

Marriage Records Found in St. Louis County Records

Recently, the St. Louis County Recorder's office reviewed the marriage licenses it issued since the time of the separation of the city of St. Louis from St. Louis County in 1876. Book 1, which was once presumed lost, has since been located, and the information has been entered into a computer databse. Later, it was discovered that a number of marriages were recorded in the county's records by clergy after 1876, when they should have been recorded in the St. Louis (city) Recorder's Office (Marriage Records Division). These records have all been included in this index and are so indicated by the letter "C" preceeding the volume/page reference.

If you would like to obtain a certified copy of the original record, contact the Recorder of Deeds, Marriage License Bureau, City Hall, Room 127, 1200 Market St., St. Louis, MO 63103-2881. They DO NOT accept personal checks. You must have a MONEY ORDER in the amount of $3.00 for each uncertified copy of the marriage license. If your ancestor married in St. Louis prior to 1876, the record should be included in this index. Additional records produced after 1876 are available at St. Louis City Hall and the St. Louis County Government Center, 41 South Central, Clayton, Missouri 63105. Please do not contact the St. Louis Genealogical Society for follow-up, as they cannot provide any additional information.

To purchase a copy of this index contact the St. Louis Genealogical Society at its Web site. For more information on the data you can contact City Hall..