Westmoreland County PA Archives Court.....Gibson, Jane Kerns 1797 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Virginia Crilley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00003.html#0000642 May 31, 2025, 3:55 pm Source: Supreme Court Of Pa Written: 1797 Recorded: 1804 In the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania of Septr term 1804 No. 106 Sur Libel for Divorce from Jane Gibson by her Brother and next friend William Kerns vs Robert Gibson Interrogatories filed on behalf of the Plaintiff -- John Parke Esquire and Samuel Findley Esquire associates Justices of the Court of Common pleas of Butter County Commissioners on the part of the Libellant Interry 1st- Do you know the parties above named or either of them If so restate at what time and where was their last place of Residence - Interry 2nd Do you know whether or not said Robert Gibson was ever united in the bond of Matrimony with the said Jane Gibson and if so how long did they continue to reside together do they or do they not now reside together and if not for what length of time have they been seperated and what was the maiden name of the said Jane Gibson Interry3 - If the said parties do not reside together which of them deserted the other what were the circumstances attending the seperation and the cause thereof and do you or do you not know of any reasonable cause for said desertion relate the particulars attending the seperation and was it wilful or Mallitous or not . A W. Foster Atty for the Libellant [next page] In the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Sur? Libel for a Divorce No.; 106 Sept 1804 Jane Gibson by her next friend and Brother William Kerns vs. Robert Gibson The Answer of Francis Kerns a Witness on behalf of the Libellant to Interogatories filed in the above cause examined thereto on Oath before John Parker Esquire and Samuel Findley Esquire Associate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Butler County In pursuance of a Commission from the Supreme Court to them in this Behalf directed at the Town of Butler in the County of Butler on Saturday the Seventeenth day of November 1804 To the first Interogatory said Francis Kerns Answers That he is well acquainted with Jane Gibson the Libellant & Robert Gibson the Respondent above named the said Jane being a sister of the said Francis That said Francis knew said Robert in the years one Thousand Seven hundred and ninety six & one Thousand Seven hundred & ninety seven as also said Jane in Westmoreland County in this State which was the last place of the residence of the said Robert in this State & the last place where the said Robert & Said Jane Cohabited with each other To the Second Interogatory said Francis [next page] Kerns answers --- That said Frances was personally present at the Dwelling house of William Kerns in Franklin Township Westmoreland County about the latter end of April or Begining of May one Thousand Seven hundred & ninety six at which time said Jane Gibson was united in the Bond of Matrimony with said Robert Gibson by a certain Jeremiah Murray Esquire a Justice of the Peace in said County that Jane Gibson & Robert Gibson continued to reside together from the time of their marriage as aforesaid untill the month of February or March one thousand Seven hundred and ninety seven in said County of Westmoreland That they do not reside together at present & that they have not resided together since the said month of February or March one thousand Seven hundred & ninety Seven That the maiden name Jane was Jane Kerns to the third Interrogatory the said Francis Kerns Answers That the said Robert Gibson deserted the said Jane Gibson - that upon the Intermarriage of said Robert Gibson & Jane Gibson he the said Robert took said Jane to the Dwelling house of James Gibson the father of said Robert in Westmoreland County where the said Robert & Jane Resided for about the space of Two months after which time [next page] said Robert Removed with said Jane to a house a few perches distant [from the said Houses of James Gibson] , where they resided untill the month of February or March one thousand seven hundred and ninety Seven - that Some time in the said month of February or March one Thousand Seven hundred & ninety seven said Jane Gibson came to the house of said Francis Kerns in said Township & County and about two miles distant from where said Robert had resided since his said marriage said Jane then informed the said Francis that two days before said Robert Gibson had desired her to go to her Brother Barnabas Kems house about four miles distant where she had been invited to a Quilting saying that he was going to hunt for land as his father had discharged him from residing any longer at the place he then resided at and desired her to remain untill he would return That she had accordingly gone to her said Brothers & had afterwards heard he had gone down the River to Kentucky not to return and desired the said Francis to go to their house with her which he . accordingly did & found the Houses vacant saving only the clothes & furniture and of said Jane Gibson that said Robert Gibson has never returned to the said Francis Kerns knowledge & has never since resided with said Jane Gibson - That the said [next page] Francis knows of no cause whatsoever that said Robert Gibson had for deserting the said Jane Gibson that the said Robert & Jane had always appeared as far as this deponent knew to live in harmony with each other that the desertion of said Robert Gibson was without any reasonable cause as far this deponent knows or believes - and also that it was a wilful desertion & Malitious as for as a man's conduct can be said to be Malitious in deserting his wife without reasonable cause & leaving her and an infant child totally unprovided for and dependant on the charity of her friends In Testimony that the foregoing answers were given to the Interrogatories anexed to a Commission to us issued from the Supreme Court in the case of Jane Gibson Libellant & Robert Gibson Respondent by Francis Kerns who was by us examined thereto upon oath this day we have hereunto set our hands & affixed our Seals at Butler in the County of Butler the Seventeenth day of November In the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & four Saml Lindley {LS} John Parker {LS} Additional Comments: Proves siblings of Jane Kerns as Barnabas, Frances, and William. Butler Co formed from Westmoreland 1800. That is why the proceedings are in Butler, but the event when it happened was still in Westmoreland. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/westmoreland/court/gibson1900gwl.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 6.8 Kb