Patsey Hawkins, a feme covert, married William Hawkins "some ten or eleven years ago," and she "continued to live with him until" 1825. At the time of their marriage, William was "a widower and had a family of children, some of whom were then grown." The petitioner cites that "within a short time after their marriage, her life became one continued scene of misery and wretchedness. That both the defendant and his elder children have grossly insulted her, and the defendant has more than once beat her, and encouraged his children in their disobedience ... in so much that she has since no peace of mind or happiness since their unfortunate union." She further accuses her husband of having "wantonly and wickedly formed a connextion with a woman of a notoriously bad character and has frequently brought her into his house, in the presence of your oratrix and his family, much to her mortification." Patsey Hawkins, by her next friend, prays that William Hawkins may be made defendant, that the court order him to pay her an allowance "during the continuance of this suit, and finally decree to her a seperate & moderate maintainence."
Result: Dismissed.
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Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
