Marriage license issued to Joseph Stephens and Sarah Armistead

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A marriage license, black ink on off-white paper. License is a pre-printed form with space to write in the names of the newly married, the date, and the issuing clerk. License has a decorative border featuring angel motifs, and depictions of Cupid flank the text to the left and right. At top is a pair of hearts pierced by an arrow wreathed in roses and crossed with a scepter. License reads [VIRGINIA, / Frederick Co., / to wit: / These are to License and Permit you to join together, / in the HOLY STATE OF MATRIMONY, / Joseph Stephens, free negro, and / Sarah Armistead, free negro woman, / and for so doing, this shall be your sufficient Warrant. / Given under my hand this 18th day of October 1853 / [illegible] Clerk. / To any authorized Minister of the Gospel.] Paper has been folded into ninths.

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