Along with the Assault and Battery cases, and Cutting Timber Illegally, a number of the cases are for Bastardy and Fornication, which of course could prove quite valuable to many people who have hit a brick wall for one reason or another.
My curiosity has led me to research several of these incidents. In one case, I found that the couple in question later got married, had more children, and now their descendants have a marriage date listed in their family trees a good two years before they actually were, simply because they don't know the whole story and just presumed their first child was born following marriage. In another cases, the man in question was already married, and within a maximum of 5 years from the verdict, he and his family moved to another state. I have to wonder if it was at his wife's insistence? In this case, the man's descendants from his marriage don't seem to know about this other child. And I haven't been able to prove one way or another that the child lived (at this point). Although I do believe there's a good chance he/she did, and was simply listed under a step-father's surname.
Here's an example of one,
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The
Commonwealth
Vs.
Hugh
Moore
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Fornication and
Bastardy – on oath of Mary Stiffler.
November 28, 1842, Anthony Stiffler tent in $100 conditioned on the
appearance of Mary Stiffler at next sessions to prosecute and give
evidence. November 29, 1842 defendant
tent in $600 and Joseph Mortimore surety tent in $600 conditioned for the
appearance of said defendant at next sessions to answer to a Bill of
Indictment to be preferred against him for fornication and bastardy and not
depart the court without license.
Taken and acknowledged in open court.
Joseph B. Noble Clerk.
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In this particular case, and from online sources, it appears Mary Stiffler and Hugh Moore eventually reconciled, married, and had many more children following their first here.
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