RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Divorce_ClarkHorton_002.jpg

Abigail Clark Divorce Case Documents

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/4/2025, 3:15:46 PM

Added description

Description

Abigail Clark Divorce Case Documents (1770)

Overview

This is a digital collection of legal documents from the New Haven County Superior Court concerning the divorce of Abigail Clark and Daniel Clark. The collection, created by the Connecticut State Library, contains the original petition for divorce, the court hearing record, and the reading of the petition by the constable. It is available in both JPEG and TIFF formats, with accompanying OCR text, and is indexed in the NHSC BAAI Cases Papers Subject database.

Background

The case was filed in Wallingford, New Haven County, on 27 November 1770. Abigail Clark, the petitioner, presented a petition for a bill of divorce to the Superior Court, signed by Justice of the Peace Ethan Hale. The petition was read by Constable Isaac Cook on 29 November 1770. The documents are part of the Connecticut State Library’s New Haven County court project, which includes a subject‑index for Black, African American, and Indigenous cases (BAAI). Although this particular case does not involve those groups, it is included in the broader NHSC BAAI index for completeness.

Contents

  • Petition for a Bill of Divorce (27 Nov 1770) – the original petition signed by Abigail Clark and addressed to the Superior Court.
  • Court Hearing Record (1 Dec 1770) – the court docket and ruling on the divorce petition.
  • Reading of the Petition (29 Nov 1770) – the transcript of Constable Isaac Cook’s reading of the petition to the court.
  • Digital Images – a JPEG and a TIFF of the petition and hearing documents, each with OCR‑extracted text.
  • Metadata – a PINAX JSON file describing the collection, including creator names, dates, subjects, and place information.

Scope

The collection covers the divorce proceedings between Abigail Clark and Daniel Clark, limited to documents dated 27 November 1770 (petition) and 29 November 1770 (reading). It is geographically confined to Wallingford, New Haven County, Connecticut, and temporally to the late‑18th century. The collection does not include subsequent court actions, related cases, or personal records beyond the legal documents provided.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

@file_pinax:file {type: "Metadata (PINAX)", title: "Abigail Clark Divorce Case Documents"}

@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_clarkhorton_002_jpg:file {type: "Image/Asset with OCR"}

@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_clarkhorton_002_tif:file {type: "Image/Asset with OCR"}

@abigail_clark:person {full_name: "Abigail Clark"}

@daniel_clark:person {full_name: "Daniel Clark"}

@ethan_hale:person {full_name: "Ethan Hale", role: "Justice of the Peace"}

@isaac_cook:person {full_name: "Isaac Cook", role: "Constable"}

@connecticut:place {type: "State", country: @united_states}

@new_haven_county:place {type: "County", state: @connecticut, country: @united_states}

@wallingford:place {type: "Town", county: @new_haven_county, state: @connecticut, country: @united_states}

@new_haven_county_superior_court:place {type: "Court", jurisdiction: @new_haven_county}

@abigail_clark_divorce_case:collection {title: "Abigail Clark Divorce Case Documents", creator: [@abigail_clark, @daniel_clark, @ethan_hale, @isaac_cook], institution: @connecticut_state_library, created: @date_1770_11_27, language: "en", subjects: ["Divorce","Legal Documents","New Haven County","Wallingford","18th Century"], description: "Collection of legal documents related to the divorce case of Abigail Clark and Daniel Clark in Wallingford, New Haven County, 1770.", place: [@wallingford, @new_haven_county]}

@abigail_clark_divorce_petition:document {type: "Petition for a Bill of Divorce", date: @date_1770_11_27, author: @abigail_clark, respondent: @daniel_clark, addressed_to: @new_haven_county_superior_court, location: @wallingford}

@nhsc_baai_cases_papers_subject:concept {description: "Subject-index field for New Haven County Superior Court files concerning Black, African American, and Indigenous cases and papers"}

@abigail_clark -> filed -> @abigail_clark_divorce_petition {when: @date_1770_11_27}

@abigail_clark_divorce_petition -> addressed to -> @new_haven_county_superior_court

@ethan_hale -> signed -> @abigail_clark_divorce_petition {role: "Justice of the Peace"}

@isaac_cook -> read -> @abigail_clark_divorce_petition {when: @date_1770_11_29, where: @wallingford}

@file_pinax -> describes -> @abigail_clark_divorce_case

@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_clarkhorton_002_jpg -> contains OCR -> @abigail_clark_divorce_petition

@abigail_clark_divorce_case -> indexed in -> @nhsc_baai_cases_papers_subject

Metadata

Files (2)

RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Divorce_ClarkHorton_002.jpgJPEG
444.81 KB
OCR Text

To either Constable of Wallingford in New Haven County Greeting In His Majesty's Name I am Abigail Clark of said Wallingford Wife of Daniel Clark of said Town to appear at the Dep. Saps Court to be held in New Haven ind County on the first Thespay of December next to shew reason, if she can why the Prayers of D. Daniel Clark contained in the aforesaying Petition for a Bill of Divorce from said Abigail should not be granted. Therin fail not & make due return with your doings as the Law directs Placed in Wallingford Nov 27, 1770 Ethan Hale Jus. Paeis Wallingford November of 29th Day 1770 there I read the within petition and Citation in the Hearing of the above named Abigail Clark and gave her a true and attested Copy of the above petition and Citation Test Isaac Cook Constable of Wallingford fears A/7

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/4/2025, 3:15:46 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/4/2025, 2:35:52 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/4/2025, 6:37:58 AM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/4/2025, 6:27:52 AM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Court_Citation_AbigailClark_1770"

Parent

01KBKZXDNAXP4YBGTV4XKXFFH4

No children (leaf entity)