This work is a compilation of data found in 1,510 marriage records of Westmoreland County, Virginia, for the years 1850 through 1880. Not all of these marriage records are found at the courthouse in Montross, Virginia, as twenty-seven are found only in church records and nineteen in neighboring counties. Fifty-four licenses were issued for which there is no further information or minister return.

The data here are derived from multiple sources, including: marriage licenses or applications, minister returns of marriage, consents by guardian or parent, or entries in either of two bound marriage registers, and supplemented with family Bible records, cemetery records, military records, and other publications. The index, which is made up of over 12,000 entries, contains a heading for C.S.A. to list 212 Confederate soldiers identified.

Data have been presented as found in the original records by considering all individual pieces found. Oddly, the date of marriage on the minister return and in either of the two marriage registers (state and local copy) differs frequently. In these cases, the date found on the minister return portion of the marriage license is used. Also, the compiler has inserted information from outside sources in brackets, i.e. [] , or in nearly 1,100 footnotes. These additional sources include a range of published marriage records from Westmoreland and surrounding counties. Additional publications used are found in the bibliography. Specific sources are listed at the end of each item. An index to full-names, places and subjects adds to the value of this work.