Fornication Charges in Cumberland County ©1997 Copyright 1997 Dana E. Edgecomb Date: 23 July 1997 time 16:03:51 EDT From: nighthawk@pivot.net (nighthawk) To: Itigapa@aol.com *****Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. This message must appear on all copied material. Any commercial use requires permission.***** These charges were filed in the Cumberland County Court of General Sessions. They are recorded in volumes 1 and 2 of the records of the County Commissioners. The general format is mother's name, mother's residence, mother's occupation, date of birth, son-daughter-or child, volume:page number. Accused putative father's name, putative father's residence, putative father's occupation, whether guilty, volume:page. Where the information is missing, it is not listed. There are many cases where no accused father is listed. Some of the dates are missing, in some cases the date court was held was not clear. In general, these court records were not well kept. In only one case, were the indictments listed, and there is no further mention of all but one of those indicted. No further charges were found. In every case, excepting the few indictments on 2:84, the women charged were found guilty. Only one of those indicted on 2:84 was recorded as having been found guilty. The disposition of the remainder of the indictments is a mystery. Someone apparently witnessed Mary Lawton in bed with John Lawrence. This is the only case where there is no mention of a child, and the only case witnessed. The children's names are not given. If you can identify any child, please send me the name (and a reference if you have one). Additions and corrections welcome. Email nighthawk@pivot.net Elizabeth Mcdoogle of Famouth, December 13, 1759, son, 1:11. Hannah Harmon, Spinster, June 12, 1759, child. Accused William Jones of Scarborough, Bricklayer, 1:12. Margaret Foster, Falmouth, March 10, 1760, daughter, 1:13. Rebecca Allen, Scarborough, March 10, 1761, son, 1:14. Mary Day, Falmouth, February 11, 1762, son, 1:17. Hannah Adams, Harpswell, February 28, 1765, son. Accused Samuel Polly of Brunswick, 1:23. Mehitable Brown, January 12, 1759, daughter, 1:37. Mary Lawton, wife of Nathaniel Lawton, North Yarmouth, Weaver, with John Lawrence, North Yarmouth, Husbandman, no mention of a child, 1:38. Mary Atwood, Falmouth, Singlewoman, September 1, 1760, son. Accused Elisha Ingersoll Tenney, Kittery, Yeoman, 1:59. Susannah Adams, Falmouth, Singlewoman, March 16, 1764, daughter. Charged Gowen Wilson, Falmouth, Gentleman, 1:60. Hannah Harmon, Spinster, child. Charged William Jones, Scarborough, he convicted. She married Nicholas Hern. William Jones sued for custody or reduction in child support. Child support was reduced, 1:62. Susannah Brown, Falmouth, Singlewoman, May 10, 1764, child, 1:67. Lydia Ingersoll, Singlewoman, February 27, 1763, son. Charged James Barton, Falmouth, Mariner, 1:75. Mercy Berry, Scarborough, Spinster, September 17, 1764, daughter. Charged Joseph Chandler Rackliff, Scarborough, 1:80. Rebeccah Allen, Scarborough, Singlewoman, February 26, 1765, son. Charged Edmund Hagens, Scarborough. He found not guilty, 1:94. Laddie Libby, Scarborough, April 20, 1766, son, 1:139. Jane Maine (now Anderson), North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, October 1, 1765, daughter, 1:139. Lois Crediford, Gorham, Singlewoman, January 13, 1766, daughter, 1:139. Mary Blanchard, Falmouth, Singlewoman, February 1, 1768, daughter. Charged John Hale, late of Gorham, Yeoman. 1:153 Joanna Welch, North Yarmouth, July 15, 1767, son, 1:167. Susannah Westcoat, Cape Elizabeth, Singlewoman, February 29, 1768, son, 1:167. Elisabeth Pinkerton, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, January 29, 1768, son, 1:169. Mary Sanborn, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman and Spinster, October 30, 1767, 1:176. Rachell Henry, Harpswell, Singlewoman, November 29, 1767, daughter, 1:176. Elizabeth Ewing, Harpswell, Singlewoman, December 5, 1768, daughter, 1:177. Susannah Fellows, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, February 16, 1767, child, 1:178. Catharine Adams, Harpswell, Singlewoman, March 16, 1769, son. Charged John Adams, Harpswell, Laborer, minor. He guilty, 1:179. Ruth Curtis, North Yarmouth, widow, January 1, 1768, son, 1:193. Mary Welch, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, July 30, 1766, daughter. Charged Joshua Brown, District of Cape Elizabeth, Mariner, 1:194 Mary Welch, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, March 31, 1769, daughter. Charged John Grant, 1:195. He judged not guilty, 1:253. Joanna Doughty, Falmouth, Singlewoman, November 9, 1768, son, 1:198. Hannah Adams, New Boston, Singlewoman, July 19, 1769, daughter. Charged Moses Lyon, Falmouth. 1:198 Mr. John Mathews allowed 4 shillings per week support of her child, October 1770, 1:219. Therzia Corks, Falmouth, Singlewoman and Spinster, failed to appear, 1:212. Sarah Clark failed to appear, 1:275. Anna Dyer, Falmouth, Singlewoman, April 30, 1770, daughter, 1:218. Ann Purinton, Falmouth, Singlewoman and Spinster, January 9, 1768, son, 1:218. Allice Winslow, North Yarmouth, June 29, 1770, daughter. Charged Burrill Tuttle, North Yarmouth, 1:219. Anna Dyer, Singlewoman and Spinster, April 29, 1769, daughter. Charged William Wyer, Falmouth, Mariner, 1:220. Molly Calley, Gorham, Singlewoman and Spinster, February 1, 1767, son, 1:221. Rebecca Quimby, Falmouth, Singlewoman and Spinster, February 1, 1767, son, 1:227. Sarah Clark, Harpswell, Singlewoman and Spinster, February 30, daughter, 1:232. Elizabeth Bartlett, Falmouth, Singlewoman and Spinster, February 25, son, 1:258. Jane Loring, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, January 7, 1772, son, 1:263. Mary Grouse, Harpswell, Singlewoman, November 20, 1770, daughter, 1:273. Susannah Eastman, District of Harpswell, Singlewoman, October 1, 1771, daughter, 1:273. Lucy Dyer, District of Cape Elizabeth, Singlewoman, February 17, 1772, daughter, 1:274. Bethiah Pinkleton, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, April 22, 1771, son, 1:276. Mary Welch, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, April 22, 1772, daughter, 1:277. Elisabeth Brawn Windham, Singlewoman and Spinster, February 5, 1772, daughter, 1:278. Elisabeth Brawn, Windham, Singlewoman and Spinster, September 30, 1772, 1:279. Sarah Clark, District of Harpswell, Spinster, January 6, 1773, daughter, 1:297. Mary Baldridge, Falmouth, July 31, 1772, daughter, 1:298. Rebeckah Quimby, Falmouth, Spinster, October 20, 1772. She said it was born October 14 (11?), 1:303. She charged Thomas Scale, Falmouth, Mariner, 1:304. Hannah Ficket, Cape Elizabeth, daughter of Jonathan Ficket, March 21, 1773, twin daughters, 1:310. Eunice Tucker, New Gloucester, Singlewoman, found guilty in July of 1773, 1:311. Sarah Cumberford, District of Harpswell, Spinster, January 27, 1773, daughter, 1:311. Mary Moore, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, June 12, 1773, daughter, 1:314. She accused Briggs Hallowells, his recognizance forfeited for failure to appear, 1:324. Mary Welch, Harpswell, March 13, 1773, daughter, 1:315. Nathaniel Toothaker, Harpswell, Yeoman, adjudged putative father, 1:316. Lydia Jones, Falmouth, September 2, 1773, daughter, 1:329. Margaret Whitten, Scarborough, Singlewoman and Spinster, November 23, 1773, son, 1:332. Lydia Jones, Falmouth, Singlewoman and Spinster, September 3, 1773, daughter. She charged Thomas Seal, Mariner, and he was adjudged putative father, 1:320. Alice Jones, Scarborough, Singlewoman and Spinster, February 9, 1773, son, 1:340. Rebeccah Wherrin, Scarborough, November 1, 1767, daughter, 1:346. Sarah Tinney, Cape Elizabeth, Singlewoman, October 20, 1770, child, 1:347. Sarah Tinney, March 28, 1772, son, 1:348. Mary Berry, Scarborough, Singlewoman and Spinster, December 3, 1773, son, 1:350. Naomi Reed, no date, child, 2:18. Sarah Reed, no date, child, 2:18. Mary Welch, no date, child, 2:18. Susanna Carmon, no date, child, 2:18. Hannah Plaisted, Scarborough, February 21, 1777, child, 2:25. Elizabeth Sawyer, no date, child. She was non compos mentis, recommended entering nolo prolequi, 2:28. Mary Redick, December 1, 1776, child, 2:29. Anna Hollowell Cullerin, Harpswell, Singlewoman, May 3, 1778, son, 2:49. She accused Mark Ridley, 2:51. Lucy Fogg, Scarborough, May 5, 1778, son, 2:56. Mercy Tucker, North Yarmouth, February 16, 1779, child, 2:63. Mary Blanchard, Gorham, Singlewoman, April 1, 1779, son, 2:65, 69. Jane Wilson, Harpswell, Singlewoman, October 13, 1778, child, 2:72. Hannah Libby, in court, October 1780, child, 2:76. Eunice Cushing, Cape Elizabeth, Singlewoman, December 29, 1779, son, 2:76. Eleanor Berry, Scarborough, Singlewoman, June 23, 1780, child, 2:77. She charged Jacob Lord, Buxton, Yeoman. He was adjudged the putative father, 2:77. Ruth Peabody, Windham, Singlewoman, April 6, 1780, son, 2:78. Mary Deak, indicted, 2:84. Hannah Davis, indicted, 2:84. Hannah Dunning, indicted, 2:84. Sarah Douglass, indicted, 2:84. Rachel Frank, Singlewoman, February 1, 1781, son, 2:86. Indicted, 2:84. Sarah Murch, indicted, 2:84. Rhoda Austin, indicted, 2:84. Susanna Knight, Falmouth, Singlewoman, September 6, 1780, daughter, 2:87. Esther Bracket, 2:87. Elizabeth Marsh, Falmouth, Singlewoman, child born after November 14, 1780. She accused Peletiah Tapley, Pepperellborough, Caulker. He adjuged to be the putative father, 2:87. Miriam Blackstone, Falmouth, Singlewoman, December 31, 1780, son, 2:94. Mary Dodd, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, February 27, 1781, son, 2:95. Mary Remick "non est inventus" accused Thomas Meens, 2:101. Mary Jones, Scarborough, Singlewoman, March 1781 court, 2:104. She accused Edward Plummer. He entered agreement to hold the Town of Scarborough free of any charge, 2:106. Rachel Parker, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, September 20, 1781, child. She was probably a minor, as she appeared with "Father and Friend", Benjamin Parker, 2:114. Mary Millikan, Scarborough, Singlewoman, being under age, appears by her father Jonathan Milliken, 2:115. Margaret Crouse, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, December 31, 1781, son, 2:137. Betty Blake, Harpswell, Singlewoman, March 10, 1781, daughter, 2:137. Naomi Reed, North Yarmouth, December 31, 1783, son, 2:158. Mary Loring, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, March 31, 1784, daughter, 2:158. Rebecca Mitchell, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, about January 15, 1784, son, 2:159. Mary Price, Falmouth, Singlewoman, 2:168. Eunice Cole, North Yarmouth, Singlewoman, October 1784 court, 2:168. Huldah Pomroy, Falmouth, Singlewoman, October 1784 court, 2:168. Joanna Rowe accused Zebulon Young, April 30, 1784, 2:171. Hannah Delano, October 1785 court, 2:171. Sylva West, October 1785 court, 2:202. Molly Sawyer accused James Hance, Falmouth, Laborer. He found guilty, 2:221. Olive Philbrick, Standish, accused Edmund Mussey, 2:231. Hannah Barker, April 31, 1787, son, 2:31. Lucy Starbird charged Joshua Sweat. It was discharged, 2:233. Ruth Peabody charged Henry Titcomb, 2:236. Nabby Rings charged Nathaniel Morse, 2:236. Hannah Davis charged David Kneeland, 2:243. Betty Wright charged John McIntosh, 2:246. Jane Campbell, 1790, son, 2:323. Anne Hayes, Cape Elizabeth, Singlewoman, November 4, 1792, daughter. She charged Robert Elder, Cape Elizabeth, Mariner. He was found guilty, 2:364. Hi David; I have attached a file with the fornication charges extracted from the Cumberland County Commissioners records. You may post this if you wish. Dana Edgecomb Fornication Charges in Cumberland County ©1997 Copyright 1997 Dana E. Edgecomb Date: 23 July 1997 time 16:03:51 EDT From: nighthawk@pivot.net (nighthawk) To: Itigapa@aol.com NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents.


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