The marriage bond of Zachariah Beall and James Evans for the marriage of Zachariah Beall to Nancy Evans and the consent to the marriage by Richard Evans, father of Nancy, are shown below.

Because the documents are of poor quality and difficult to read, transcripts are provided following the photographs of these documents:

Know all men by these presents that we Zachariah Bell and James Evans are held and firmly bound unto Isaac Shelby Esq Governor and chief magistrate of the Sate of Kentucky in the full sum of fifty pounds current money to which payment will truly be made to the said governor or his successors, We bind ourselves our heirs jointly and severally firmly by these presents sealed and dated this 14th day May, 1794.

The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas there is a marriage shortly to be held & solemmize between the above bound Zachariah Bell and Nancy Evans, if therefore there be any lawful cause to obstruct the same then this obilgation is to be void else to remain in full force. Sealed and delivered [��...] D Bullock.
Zachariah Beall
James Evans

Transcript of the consent document follows:

I [do] certify that I am willing that Zachariah Bell may marry my daughter Nancy Evans by full consent given under my hand and seal May 14, 1794.
Richard Evans
Witnessed by
Mabry Evans
Leonard Beall.

Comments:

These documents are particularly interesting because they appear to contain the signatures of Zachariah Beall, James Evans, Mabry Evans, Richard Evans and Leonard Beall. There is some question about the signatures of the marriage bond because to the right of each name is a mark or indication which is similar to the [indication] for a clay seal, usually contained on court copies of originals which contained clay seals. However, the indications are faint, and may be marks left from the clay seals, themselves.

In addition, the second document contains what appears be a different anomaly in that the document as well as the signatures of Mabry and Richard all appears to be from the same hand. For example, compare the capital E of the signatures for Richard and Mabry. It appears possible, therefore, that Mabry may have composed the consent and signed for both himself and his father.

It should also be noted that the need for a consent for Nancy to marry brings into question the date that has typically been given for Nancy's birth. Assuming she was born March 30, 1863, she would have been 31 years old in 1794 and well past the age of consent. Thus one question would be: why was the consent needed? Another question is: how reliable is the March 30, 1863 date of birth?

Mabry Evans and James Evans were brothers of Nancy.