RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Divorce_Morgan_024.jpg

Theophilus Morgan Divorce Court Documents

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/4/2025, 3:12:13 PM

Added description

Description

Theophilus Morgan Divorce Court Documents (1742‑1743)

Overview

This collection comprises the original court petitions and related notices filed in the New Haven County Superior Court by Theophilus Morgan against his wife, Elizabeth Morgan, during 1742‑1743. The documents are presented as scanned images (JPEG and TIFF) with accompanying OCR text and metadata in the PINAX format. The collection is held by the Connecticut State Library and is indexed under the NHSC BAAI Cases Papers Subject field, indicating its inclusion in the broader New Haven County Superior Court archival holdings.

Background

Theophilus Morgan, a resident of Guilford, Connecticut, sought a divorce on grounds of desertion and neglect, alleging that Elizabeth had abandoned him for more than three years. The petitions were filed in the Superior Court of New Haven, the colony’s highest court at the time. The case reflects 18th‑century colonial legal practice concerning marital dissolution and the enforcement of spousal duties. The collection is part of the Connecticut State Library’s digitization effort to preserve and make accessible New Haven County court records, including those involving Black, African American, and Indigenous individuals.

Contents

  • Divorce Petition 024 (Feb 24 1742) – includes the parties’ names, court details, and a clause citing Elizabeth’s desertion; signed by clerk D. Edwards.
  • Divorce Petition 026 (Feb 22 1742) – similar structure, with additional narrative of the couple’s marital history.
  • Divorce Petition 027 (Feb 1743) – final petition in the series, continuing the same legal arguments.
  • Each petition is accompanied by a scanned image (JPEG and TIFF) and a JSON metadata file containing the OCR transcription, dates, and court identifiers. The OCR text reproduces the legal language, dates, and court instructions, providing a ready reference for researchers.

    Scope

  • Temporal: 1742‑1743, the period during which the petitions were filed and processed.
  • Geographic: New Haven County, Connecticut (Guilford, New Haven) and Newport, Rhode Island.
  • Thematic: divorce, marriage law, desertion, colonial legal procedure.
  • Included: the three petition documents and their scanned images.
  • Excluded: any subsequent court decisions, appeals, or ancillary correspondence not part of the original petitions.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

@theophilus_morgan_divorce_collection:collection {title: "Theophilus Morgan Divorce Court Documents", creator: @theophilus_morgan, institution: @connecticut_state_library, created: @date_1742_1743, language: "en", subjects: [@divorce, @legal_documents, @marriage, @desertion, @new_haven_county_superior_court], description: "Collection of court documents related to the divorce case of Theophilus Morgan and Elizabeth Morgan, including petitions and notices from 1742‑1743."}


@theophilus_morgan:person {full_name: "Theophilus Morgan"}

@elizabeth_morgan:person {full_name: "Elizabeth Morgan"}

@d_edwards:person {full_name: "D. Edwards", role: "Clerk"}

@connecticut_state_library:organization {type: "state library"}

@new_haven_county_superior_court:organization {type: "court", jurisdiction: @new_haven_county, location: @new_haven_ct}

@new_haven_ct:place {state: @connecticut, country: @united_states}

@new_haven_county:place {state: @connecticut, country: @united_states}

@guilford_ct:place {state: @connecticut, country: @united_states}

@newport_ri:place {state: @rhode_island, country: @united_states}


@divorce_petition_024:document {type: "petition", date: @date_1742_02_24, parties: [@theophilus_morgan, @elizabeth_morgan], court: @new_haven_county_superior_court, location: @new_haven_ct}

@divorce_petition_026:document {type: "petition", date: @date_1742_02_22, parties: [@theophilus_morgan, @elizabeth_morgan], court: @new_haven_county_superior_court, location: @new_haven_ct}

@divorce_petition_027:document {type: "petition", date: @date_1743_02, parties: [@theophilus_morgan, @elizabeth_morgan], court: @new_haven_county_superior_court, location: @new_haven_ct}


@file_pinax:file {filename: "pinax.json", type: "Metadata (PINAX)"}

@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_024_jpg:file {filename: "RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Divorce_Morgan_024.jpg.ref.json", type: "Image/Asset with OCR"}

@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_024_tif:file {filename: "RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Divorce_Morgan_024.tif.ref.json", type: "Image/Asset"}

@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_026_jpg:file {filename: "RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Divorce_Morgan_026.jpg.ref.json", type: "Image/Asset with OCR"}

@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_026_tif:file {filename: "RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Divorce_Morgan_026.tif.ref.json", type: "Image/Asset"}

@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_027_jpg:file {filename: "RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Divorce_Morgan_027.jpg.ref.json", type: "Image/Asset with OCR"}

@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_027_tif:file {filename: "RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Divorce_Morgan_027.tif.ref.json", type: "Image/Asset"}


@nhsc_baai_cases_papers_subject:concept {description: "Subject‑index field for New Haven County Superior Court files involving Black, African American, and Indigenous individuals"}


@file_pinax -> documents -> @theophilus_morgan_divorce_collection


@theophilus_morgan -> filed -> @divorce_petition_024

@theophilus_morgan -> filed -> @divorce_petition_026

@theophilus_morgan -> filed -> @divorce_petition_027


@elizabeth_morgan -> respondent in -> @divorce_petition_024

@elizabeth_morgan -> respondent in -> @divorce_petition_026

@elizabeth_morgan -> respondent in -> @divorce_petition_027


@d_edwards -> signed -> @divorce_petition_024 {role: "Clerk"}


@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_024_jpg -> asset for -> @divorce_petition_024

@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_024_tif -> asset for -> @divorce_petition_024


@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_026_jpg -> asset for -> @divorce_petition_026

@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_026_tif -> asset for -> @divorce_petition_026


@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_027_jpg -> asset for -> @divorce_petition_027

@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_divorce_morgan_027_tif -> asset for -> @divorce_petition_027


@theophilus_morgan -> residence -> @guilford_ct

@elizabeth_morgan -> residence -> @newport_ri

Metadata

Files (6)

RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Divorce_Morgan_024.jpgJPEG
447.96 KB
OCR Text

North Haven, 1742/3 To Elizabeth Morgan, formerly of Guilford in the County of New Haven, now supposed to reside in Newport, Rhode Island, wife of Mr. Theophilus Morgan of P. Guilford, Guilford. Whereas the P. Theophilus Morgan hath preferred his petition to the Superior Court in New Haven & left the day of infant so many representing that if P. Elizabeth hath willfully deserted him & totally neglected her duty towards him for more than three years last past before the Court and thereupon praying for a divorce from P. Elizabeth as per his petition on file and whereas the P. Court have continued P. petition to the Superior Court to be held in P. New Haven & last the day of August next and ordered Citation or Notice to be given to P. Elizabeth. These are therefore to signify to and inform you the P. Elizabeth that the P. petition is continued as aforesaid and that you may appear if you see cause at the next Superior Court to be held in New Haven aforesaid on the last meeting of August next to shew cause if any you have why a 1st mayor of P. Theophilus Morgan shall not be granted. Dated at New Haven Febr. 24th 1742/3 and in the Sixteenth year of his Majesty's reign. By order of P. Court D. Edwards Clerk

RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Divorce_Morgan_026.jpgJPEG
461.75 KB
OCR Text

To the Honourable Superior Court Sitting in New Haven in & County of New Haven on the left Injory Febry. Aomi 1742/3 the Petition of Theophilus Morgan of Guilford in P. Country wtht Humbly Sheweth That your Petitioner at Newport Rhode Island on Febry. of P. Newport were Joyned in Marriage and was your Pti. who then belonged to Groton in this Colony went and lived Some years at Newport and about Eleven years ago came with his said wife and lived at Guilford afores. where she lived with your Pti. till about five or six years ago during all which time your Pti. behaved towards his P. wife in a general performance of all Dutys from him to her and in so inoffensive a man as might be able to absent or withdraw completely went away & left your Pti. about two year and then came home via three year agoe Left sum over when your Pti. kindly entreated her and desired her to abide and live with him yet nevertheless she in an unkind & Dishonourable manner in & Latter End of the summer in of year 1739 wilfully deserted and went from your Pti. with a Declared intent never to be Reunited and then went to Newport again and has continued in her willfull Deprition Ever since with total Neglect of Duty and yet so continues whereupon your Pti. prays that he may be Released and removed from her & P. Elizabeth according to Law in such case provided and he as in Duty bound Shall Be. New Haven Febry 22. 1742/3. Theophilus Morgan

RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Divorce_Morgan_027.jpgJPEG
320.64 KB
OCR Text

Thiophilus Morgan Pot. for Greene Feb-1743

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/4/2025, 3:12:13 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/4/2025, 2:26:41 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/4/2025, 6:35:49 AM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/4/2025, 6:31:00 AM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Morgan_Divorce_Court_Documents_1743"

Parent

01KBM0SX2MXG2ARASNKXG4GGZG

No children (leaf entity)