Morgan Divorce Testimonies Collection
Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/4/2025, 3:12:17 PM
Added description
Description
Morgan Divorce Testimonies Collection
Overview
The Morgan Divorce Testimonies Collection is a digitized set of four sworn statements taken in 1743, documenting the divorce proceedings of Theophilus Morgan and Elizabeth T. Smith before the New Haven County Superior Court. The collection consists of original paper testimonies preserved as high‑resolution JPEG and TIFF images, each accompanied by OCR‑extracted text. All documents are in English and were produced in the colonial period of Connecticut.Background
During the early 18th century, divorce in colonial Connecticut was rare and typically required a court hearing. This case illustrates the legal and social dynamics of marital dissolution, including allegations of domestic violence. The testimonies were sworn before Sam Hill, Justice of the Peace, in Guilford, Connecticut, a town that also had ties to Rhode Island. The Connecticut State Library holds the collection as part of its New Haven County Superior Court archival holdings, and it is catalogued under the NHSC BAAI Cases Papers Subject series, which focuses on Black, African American, and Indigenous legal history.Contents
- Testimony of Abraham Kimberly (Sept 14 1743) – describes alleged abuse by Morgan and his refusal to admit wrongdoing.
- Testimony of Mary Hooker (Sept 14 1743) – recounts a visit to the Morgan household where Elizabeth was physically harmed.
- Testimony of Ann Parnell (Nov 7 1743) – reports a grievous wound inflicted by Thomas Morgan, son of the defendant.
- Testimony of Mary Kimberly (Oct 26 1743) – provides additional evidence of Morgan’s violent conduct.
Each testimony is presented as a separate image file (JPEG/TIFF) and includes the witness’s oath, the presence of the defendant or his representative, and the signature of Justice Hill. The OCR text captures the original phrasing, including archaic spellings and legal terminology.
Scope
The collection covers the period of 1743, focusing on the divorce case of Theophilus Morgan and Elizabeth T. Smith. It is geographically limited to Guilford, Connecticut, with ancillary references to Rhode Island. The subject matter includes divorce law, domestic violence, and early colonial legal procedure. The collection does not contain other court documents, such as filings or judgments, but provides primary testimony that informs scholars of the social and legal context of marital disputes in colonial New England.Entities
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Entity Relationships
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Raw Cheimarros Data
@abraham_kimberly:person {full_name: "Abraham Kimberly"}
@mary_hooker:person {full_name: "Mary Hooker"}
@ann_parnell:person {full_name: "Ann Parnell"}
@mary_kimberly:person {full_name: "Mary Kimberly"}
@theophilus_morgan:person {full_name: "Theophilus Morgan"}
@thomas_morgan:person {full_name: "Thomas Morgan"}
@elizabeth_t_smith:person {full_name: "Elizabeth T Smith"}
@sam_hill:person {full_name: "Sam Hill", role: "Justice of the Peace"}
@andrew_parnell:person {full_name: "Andrew Parnell"}
@joseph_parnell:person {full_name: "Joseph Parnell"}
@moses_coultin:person {full_name: "Moses Coultin"}
@guilford:place {state: "Connecticut", country: "United States"}
@rhode_island:place {country: "United States"}
@new_haven_county:place {state: "Connecticut", country: "United States"}
@new_haven_county_superior_court:court {name: "New Haven County Superior Court"}
@connecticut_state_library:organization {full_name: "Connecticut State Library"}
@morgan_smith_divorce_case:event {parties: [@theophilus_morgan, @elizabeth_t_smith], year: @date_1743, court: @new_haven_county_superior_court, type: "Divorce"}
@testimony_abraham_kimberly:document {deponent: @abraham_kimberly, date: @date_1743_09_14, location: @guilford, before: @sam_hill, case: @morgan_smith_divorce_case}
@testimony_mary_hooker:document {deponent: @mary_hooker, date: @date_1743_09_14, location: @guilford, before: @sam_hill, case: @morgan_smith_divorce_case}
@testimony_ann_parnell:document {deponent: @ann_parnell, date: @date_1743_11_07, location: @guilford, before: @sam_hill, case: @morgan_smith_divorce_case}
@testimony_mary_kimberly:document {deponent: @mary_kimberly, date: @date_1743_10_26, location: @guilford, before: @sam_hill, case: @morgan_smith_divorce_case}
@morgan_divorce_testimonies_collection:document {title: "Morgan Divorce Testimonies Collection", creator: [@abraham_kimberly, @mary_hooker, @ann_parnell, @mary_kimberly, @theophilus_morgan, @thomas_morgan, @elizabeth_t_smith], institution: @connecticut_state_library, created: @date_1743, language: "en", subjects: ["Divorce","Domestic Violence","Testimonies","Legal Documents","New Haven County Superior Court"], description: "A collection of testimonies related to the divorce case involving Theophilus Morgan and Elizabeth T Smith in 1743.", place: [@guilford, @rhode_island, @new_haven_county]}
@morgan_divorce_testimonies_collection -> contains -> [@testimony_abraham_kimberly, @testimony_mary_hooker, @testimony_ann_parnell, @testimony_mary_kimberly]
@file_pinax:file {type: "Metadata (PINAX)", title: "Morgan Divorce Testimonies Collection"}
@file_pinax -> documents -> @morgan_divorce_testimonies_collection
@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_021_jpg:file {type: "Image/Asset with OCR"}
@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_021_jpg -> contains -> @testimony_abraham_kimberly
@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_021_jpg -> contains -> @testimony_mary_hooker
@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_021_tif:file {type: "Image/Asset with OCR"}
@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_022_jpg:file {type: "Image/Asset with OCR"}
@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_022_jpg -> contains -> @testimony_ann_parnell
@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_022_jpg -> contains -> @testimony_mary_kimberly
@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_022_tif:file {type: "Image/Asset with OCR"}
@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"}Metadata
Files (4)
OCR Text
The Testimony of Abraham Kimberly of Lawfull age This Dependant Elizabeth T Smith that about 10n year ago when I lived at Hampton Stone House in Guilford Cheek Morgan wife of Theophilus Morgan Committed to him and said not but my wife told it toso- phing Morgan she was sorry for what he had them done to her wife, and he said he was not, and would do it like again if he had the like provocation and farther said not Guilford Sept 14th 1743 Then personally appeared Abraham Kimberly and Made Oath to the truth of this above written testimony Theophilus Morgan being present Before me Sam. Hill Justice of Peace The Testimony of Mrs Mary Hooker of Lawfull age This Dependant Elizabeth T Smith that Sunday year ago when Mr Theophilus Morgan or William was a sick child called Elizabeth T wife of T Morgan came to our house and informed Mr Hooker & Mrs Complaint that her husband had that day struck her bad and offered to show the wound but Husband had given her, and upon Mr Hookers Doctre went with T Morgan his wife into another room and together with Moses wife of T Joseph Coultin and visited the wound T Morgan wife said her husband had given her and observed that her flesh on out of her armst on one of her thighs was much bruised and looked Black and Blue. and further said that some years since T Morgans wife came as she said from Rhode Island, and went to his house of T Theophilus Morgan and she came to our house again & said her husband would not entertain her but bid her get out of Doors and T Theophilus came in from a far her, and forewarned Mr Hooker from entertaining his wife, and Mr Hooker said to him if he had turned the out of Doors he could not do any short of this should be welcome at his house, and Elizabeth then said she then came with a full intent to dwell with her Husband and I believe her & Do still believe of same fashion &c. Guilford Sept 14th 1743 Then personally appeared the above named Mrs Mary Hooker and Made oath to the truth of this above written testimony Theophilus Morgan being present but not present Before me Sam. Hill Justice of Peace
OCR Text
The Testimony of Ann wife of Andrew Parnell This Deponenteth & saith that sundry years ago when Thomas Morgan, son William was a Suckling child I was at the house of Joseph Parnell in Guilford and Elizabeth the wife of Thomas Morgan being there she showed to me and to the wife of Joseph Parnell a very grievous wound on her thigh which looked black & blue and she said that her husband had that day given her that wound by kicking her and further saith not. Guilford Nov 7th 1743 Then personally appeared Ann wife of Andrew Parnell and made oath to the truth of what is above written testimony Thomas Morgan being notified but not present Before me Sam Hill justice of appea The Testimony of Mary wife of Abraham Kimberly This Deponenteth & saith that about two years ago when I lived at Thomas John Stone House in Guilford my sister Elizabeth wife of Thomas Morgan came to my house early in the morning and called me up and told me they had heard that Morgan had beat her and kicked her out of doors and she desired my husband not to go down to talk with Mr. Morgan and accordingly we went and asked Mr. Morgan what he had been doing to his wife and he said he had kick'd her out of town and I told him I was sorry for what he had done to her and hoped he was but he said it was not and will do it again if he should have a like provocation and further saith not Guilford Oct 26th 1743 Then personally appeared Mary Kimberly wife of Abraham Kimberly and made oath to the truth of what is above written testimony Thomas Morgan being notified but not present Before me Sam Hill justice of appea The Reasons that of Evidence of Mrs Mary Hooker a Anne daughter of Messy Kimberly have been taken out of Court as those (viz) who are of the house of Mr. Hooker Ann Parwell's a younger brother's child Mary Kimberly both of whom are something called of bad behaviour confined and of ill understanding difficulty with a poor people and of two last born each of them a promiscuous family of children under their care & cannot attend of conviction Court without great difficulty Cockfield Nov 1st 1743 Before Sam Hill justice of appea
Version History (4 versions)
- ✓ v4 (current) · 12/4/2025, 3:12:17 PM
"Added description" - v3 · 12/4/2025, 2:26:33 PM · View this version
"Added knowledge graph extraction" - v2 · 12/4/2025, 6:35:53 AM · View this version
"Added PINAX metadata" - v1 · 12/4/2025, 6:30:58 AM · View this version
"Reorganization group: Morgan_Divorce_Testimonies_1743"
Parent
No children (leaf entity)