Divorce In The Colonies...!

According to an article from history.com, the first divorce was granted way back in 1643.

Not generally something you would read about in the history books, but never-the-less...it happened. Here is the short history behind it.

1643

First divorce in the colonies

In the first record of a legal divorce in the American colonies, Anne Clarke of the Massachusetts Bay Colony is granted a divorce from her absent and adulterous husband, Denis Clarke, by the Quarter Court of Boston, Massachusetts. In a signed and sealed affidavit presented to John Winthrop Jr., the son of the colony’s founder, Denis Clarke admitted to abandoning his wife, with whom he had two children, for another woman, with whom he had another two children. He also stated his refusal to return to his original wife, thus giving the Puritan court no option but to punish Clarke and grant a divorce to his wife, Anne.

The Quarter Court’s final decision read: “Anne Clarke, beeing deserted by Denis Clarke hir husband, and hee refusing to accompany with hir, she is graunted to bee divorced.”

Now I don't know if they had such a thing as child support back then, but one could only hope that the man in question be held to provide some kind of aid to his original children. I reckon that with his history, that would be a pretty slim chance, though.

Coffee in the kitchen again this morning. Still cold out on the patio.