Divorce of John Thompson & Frances Jackson

Reprinted with permission, Missouri State Genealogical Association Journal, Spring 1988

(Located in Record Group 550, 12th General Assembly House of Representative, File folder 15/8 as held by the Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City, MO.) Spelling and word usage is typed as used in the original document. 

To the Honorable The representatives of the Free people of Missouri. the undersigned would humbly represent to your honors, that our fellow citizen John Thompson of the County of Monroe in the State aforesaid, intermarried with one Frances Jackson of the same County on the 25th day of January A.D. 1838, and that in April following the said Frances presented to the world a fine Boy.

That said Thompson in eight or ten days after the marriage discovered (to great dissatisfaction) the condition of his wife and abandoned her returning her to her Father where she has been ever since and is now. Thompson has ever since resided within one and a half miles of her (ever — marked out). he is a respectable industrious young man — and it is well known in Monroe that a reconciliation can never take place and thought that the peculiarities of the case will not admit of a divorce Judiciary. & was your Honorable body was instituted for the good his by Said since a fact it is by the of the people, the whole people, we therefore pray you to interpose in his behalf, and divorce him from his unfortunate connection — we are informed & verily believe that her Father was knowing to the condition of his daughter, & cannot murmur if he has to take care of her as he was a party to the fraud. we feel satisfied that it would be better for the unfortunate girl her self to be divorced from a man she has so smally deceived that he can never lie to her as husband. please divorce them & as in duty bound we will ever pray. 

Names of petitioners:

James R. Abernathy

Harvey Arnila

Thos L. Barret

Thos C__teburg

Jno E. Thompson?

Isaac Coppeage

B. S. Grant

D. T. Gentry

Robert C. Bowen

Hourace? Baker

Robert Daivson

Ashley Carter

Thomas Head

Bennett Maney

James Jackson

John S. Foukes?

I. W. Wilson(Williams

Chas Bozarth

Andrew G. Dickworth

John Simm?

Jas N. Moutry

Jos. C. Bower

I. M. L. Berry

John Forsyth

John Wright

Martin Bodine

Wm Vanderhall?

Milton Anderson

J Wilimson

James Woods

Geo Jones

Squire Bozarth

Tho? Pool

F McCane

Thomas C. Moore

William Trost?

J. C. Williams

Jonathan Tugman

Samuel Cartright

J. W. Glass?

Alfred Wright

Solman? Smith

Samuel Ashlock

James M. Moors

Woody? Hill

Thos Parmer

John Wood

Pleasant Ford

George Blems

E. W. McBride

W. W. Williams

Samuel Root, sr

James I. Sparks

W. L. Victor

Jas Thompson

Robert Webgb

William Lamme

William Runkle

J. C., Fore?

J. S. Cunningham

R. D. Burton

Robt M. Snell

R. P. Strother

A. B. More

Augustine Moore

J. G. Cast

Jno G. Cardwell

George Cardwell

George G. Mann Jr

Yail? Merryman

J. W. West

Jacob Ston

N. L. Appleget

William A. Sparks

F. G. Pool

Landford Ramey

Milton Saling

Linsey Gram

Jno N. Park

W. Ward

G. M. Bower

C. H. Bower

Peter Carter

John R. Smith

Jefferson E. Power

John Stuk

Tho S. Miller

Daniel Franc

Alex Thompson

Levi Shortridge

Samuel Bealmeier

Saml L. Craig

James L. lines?

Joseph Goss

Jas M. Ray

John Goodman

Abraham Mason

Wm. Stevens

John Day

John Pool

Anthony G. Rickers

John Pendleton

William Young

Tiny? Lord

Thomas G. Triinbo?

Martin F. Mason

Graphics courtesy of Rhiossampler