Thursday, February 7, 2013

Divorce Court - Adultery with Certain Lewd Women



Last weekend, I wrote about my 2X great-grandmother who was married 4 times. Chris Dunham of the Maine Genealogy Network sent me a link to this record of the divorce of Lizzie M. Philbrick from Francis Llewellyn Cotton. Interestingly, my grandmother always claimed her father, Ray Everett Cotton (referred to as the child, Everett R, in this proceeding), was quite the ladies man and not a faithful husband. I guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree. 

No. 205
Lizzie M. Cotton
Lbt.
vs.
Francis L. Cotton

Lizzie M. Cotton of Farmington within our 
County of Franklin Libellant
versus
Francis L. Cotton of Norway in the County of 
Oxford, Libellee

In a plea of divorce from the bonds of
matrimony as herein set forth, viz:
To the Honorable Justices of the Supreme
Judicial Court next to be holden at Farmington
within and for the County of Frankin, State 
of Maine, on the first Tuesday of March A.D. 1893.
Lizzie M. Cotton of Farmington in the 
County of Franklin and State of Maine, re-
spectfully libels and gives this Honorable Court 
to be informed that her maiden name was
Lizzie M. Philbrick; that on the twenty first day
of September A.D. 1887, at Norway in the County 
of Oxford in the State of Maine, she was law-
fully married to Francis L. Cotton (whose legal
wife she now is) by Caroline Angell, a minis-
ter of the gospel duly authorized to solemnize
marriages, that she has one  child as the re-
sult of said marriage, named Everett R. Cotton, 
aged four years. That ever since said intermar-
riage your libellant has always considered her-
self as a faithful, chaste, and affectionate wife
toward her said husband, yet the said Fran-
cis L. Cotton, wholly regardless of his marriage
covenant and duty on the first day of July
A.D. 1889, and on divers other days and times 
between that day and the date of this libel
committed the crime of adultery with certain lewd
women to your libellant unknown. 
Wherefore she prays that the bonds of mat-
rimony between her and her said husband may                Mar. 5, 1893
be dissolved, and that the care and custody of
her said Child, Everett R. Cotton may be de-
creed to her.
Dated this twenty sixth day of January A.D. 1893
Lizzie M. Cotton

This libel was inserted in a writ of attach-
ment and served on the libellee as appears by
the following return of service thereon:
“Oxford as. February 2, 1893.
I attached a chip as the property of the within de-
fendant and I have this day summoned the
within named defendant for his appearance at 
Court by giving him a summons writ in hand, 
and also a true and attested copy of the within
libel for his appearance at Court. 
Jonathan Blake
Deputy Sheriff”

This libel was entered in this Court at the
present term when and where the defendant 
failed to appear and although solemnly called
made default; and on the seventh day of the term
after a full hearing it was adjudged and decreed
that the said Lizzie M. Cotton be granted a divorce
from Francis L. Cotton for the cause of adultery; 
and it was further decreed that the custody of the
minor child be given to the mother. 
Attest
E. E. Richardson  Clerk

1 comment:

  1. It seems your right about the apple not falling far from the tree. Hopefully that trait is no longer passing down in your family.
    Enjoyed your post.

    Betty

    ReplyDelete