The area that would become Brooke County, Virginia, was settled about 1744. It was created from Ohio County, Virginia, in May 1797, and became Brooke County, West Virginia, on June 20, 1863, when the new state of West Virginia was formed. Brooke County today is located between Hancock County and Ohio County in the panhandle of West Virginia. Hancock County, Virginia, (created January 15, 1848) was originally part of Brooke County. Because of its location in the panhandle of West Virginia, Brooke County borders Pennsylvania, Ohio, and the Ohio River. Many early travelers went west and south by way of the Ohio River, primarily to settle in Ohio, Kentucky, Kansas, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas. Records covered in this work are from the county clerks' Registers of Marriages and Marriage Licenses, listing over 5,000 persons: brides and grooms, parents, and ministers. Information in this alphabetically arranged work includes: bride and groom, date of marriage (or marriage license), state, marriage official (or recorder in the case of licenses), and record location. Records for 1853-1874 also include information such as age of bride and groom; whether single, widowed or divorced; place of marriage; place of birth; residence; occupation of the groom; religious denomination; and any remarks. There is an index for parents and other persons given for 1853-1874 records, and colored marriages are also given for these years. Ms. Sherman's book is based on sixty-six years (1797-1863) of Brooke County, Virginia, and twelve years (1863-1874) of Brooke County, West Virginia, marriage history. Additional sections include names of county clerks, ministers and their denominations, churches, and towns, districts, and place names of Brooke and Hancock Counties. A location map and a full name index are included.