Fulton County Marriage Records

Fulton County marriage records date back to 1885, with some early records from 1852 to 1854. The Clerk of Orphans' Court at the Fulton County Courthouse in McConnellsburg handles all marriage license requests. If you are searching for a marriage record in Fulton County, you can visit the courthouse, send a mail request, or search online through FamilySearch. This page covers how to find Fulton County marriage records, what they contain, and where to look for both old and new records. Named after inventor Robert Fulton, this small county in south-central Pennsylvania was formed from Bedford County in 1850.

Fulton County Clerk of Orphans' Court

The Clerk of Orphans' Court in Fulton County handles all marriage license records. This office sits in the Fulton County Courthouse at 201 North 2nd Street in McConnellsburg. Staff can look up marriage records and make copies for you. The office is open from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays.

Under Pennsylvania law, all marriage licenses have been filed with the Clerk of Orphans' Court since September 30, 1885. As stated in 23 Pa.C.S. Section 1301, no marriage can be contracted in Pennsylvania without a license. Fulton County follows this same rule. Before 1885, there was no formal requirement for a license. Church records and newspaper notices from that time may help fill gaps in the record for Fulton County.

You can view a screenshot of the Fulton County official website below for more on county services.

The Fulton County website lists departments and contact details for all county offices.

How to Search Fulton County Marriage Records

There are a few ways to search for marriage records in Fulton County. The method you choose depends on the age of the record and what you need. For recent records, contact the courthouse. For older records, online databases may be your best bet.

To search in person, go to the Clerk of Orphans' Court at the Fulton County Courthouse. Bring the full names of both spouses and the year of the marriage if you know it. Staff will look up the record and can provide a certified copy. You can also call the office at (717) 485-4212 to ask about a record before you visit.

For mail requests, send a letter to the Fulton County Clerk at 201 N. 2nd Street, McConnellsburg, PA 17233. Include the names of both parties, the date of the marriage, and a check for the copy fee. A self-addressed stamped envelope speeds up the process.

Online, FamilySearch has digitized Fulton County marriage records from 1852 to 1854 and from 1885 to 1963. These are free to search with a FamilySearch account. The records are on microfilm, originally from the Fulton County Courthouse in McConnellsburg.

Note: Fulton County is a small county, so records are not as extensive as those in larger counties. Allow extra time for older record searches.

Fulton County Marriage License Process

Getting a marriage license in Fulton County follows the same steps as the rest of Pennsylvania. Both people must appear in person at the Clerk of Orphans' Court in McConnellsburg. You will fill out an application and provide your identification.

Under 23 Pa.C.S. Section 1303, there is a three-day waiting period after you apply. The clerk will not issue the license until the third day after the most recent application. A court may waive this in an emergency. Once issued, the license is valid for 60 days anywhere in Pennsylvania, as set out in 23 Pa.C.S. Section 1307.

Bring these items when you apply in Fulton County:

• Valid photo ID such as a driver's license or passport
• Your Social Security number
• Certified copy of a divorce decree if you were married before
• Death certificate of a prior spouse if that applies
• Payment for the license fee

Pennsylvania does not require a blood test or a residency in Fulton County. Anyone can apply here as long as they plan to marry in the state. There is no common law marriage in Pennsylvania for unions after January 1, 2005.

Historical Marriage Records in Fulton County

Fulton County has a small but useful set of historical marriage records. The county was formed on April 19, 1851, from Bedford County. Early marriage records from 1852 to 1854 exist because of a short-lived state law that required counties to register marriages during that period. These records are on microfilm at the Pennsylvania State Archives and through FamilySearch.

The FamilySearch catalog lists Fulton County marriage registers from 1852 to 1854 and marriage license dockets from 1885 to 1963. The films are numbered 323990 through 323998. You can view many of these records online for free.

The Clerk of Orphans' Court in Fulton County also holds birth records from 1895 to 1905 and death records from 1852 to 1854 and 1895 to 1905. These can help when marriage records alone do not tell the full story. The Prothonotary at the same courthouse address handles court records going back to 1850.

Note: The early 1852 to 1854 registration was not complete. Not all marriages were recorded during that period across Pennsylvania.

What Fulton County Marriage Records Show

A marriage record from Fulton County typically contains the full names of both parties, their ages, places of residence, and the date and place of the marriage. Older records may also list the names of parents and the officiant who performed the ceremony.

The marriage license application is a separate document from the returned certificate. The application is filed when the couple applies. The certificate is returned after the wedding takes place. Both become part of the public record in Fulton County. Under 23 Pa.C.S. Section 1309, all marriage license applications and consent certificates must be filed and docketed as public records right away.

Certified copies are often needed for legal matters. A certified copy has the seal of the Fulton County Clerk and is accepted as proof of marriage by courts and government offices.

Marriage Record Fees in Fulton County

Fees in Fulton County are set by the county and may change. Contact the Clerk of Orphans' Court to confirm current rates. Common fees include charges for the marriage license itself and for certified copies.

Fulton County is one of the smaller counties in Pennsylvania. The office staff are often able to process requests the same day for in-person visits. Mail requests take longer, depending on the volume of requests the office receives.

Note: Always call ahead to confirm fees and hours before visiting the Fulton County Courthouse in McConnellsburg.

State Archives and Fulton County Records

The Pennsylvania State Archives in Harrisburg holds microfilm copies of Fulton County marriage records. These records are part of Record Group 47, which covers county records from across the state. On-site researchers can view the digitized microfilm at the State Archives building at 1681 North Sixth Street in Harrisburg.

The State Archives does not search these records for you by mail. You must visit in person or use online copies through FamilySearch. The Family Tree Magazine county guide lists Fulton County marriage records as starting in 1885 under the Clerk of Orphans' Court, with divorce records starting in 1850 under the Prothonotary.

Pennsylvania residents can also access marriage records through a free Ancestry.com Pennsylvania portal. This includes the Pennsylvania Marriages 1852 to 1854 collection and the Pennsylvania County Marriages 1885 to 1950 collection. Both cover Fulton County.

The Pennsylvania State Archives Research Online portal provides more details on what Fulton County records are available on microfilm.

The State Archives portal links to digitized microfilm for many Pennsylvania counties, including Fulton County.

Nearby Counties

Fulton County borders several other Pennsylvania counties. If you are not sure where a marriage license was filed, check which county the couple lived in at the time. Marriage licenses are filed in the county where the application was made, not where the ceremony took place.

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