Middlesex Courts

Ye OLDE MIDDLESEX COURTS :
The Estabishment Of An Early Court System In One Of the Original Counties of New Jersey.

By George Miller. published originally by H.E. Pickersgill, Perth Amboy, N.J.,1932.
Reprinted by HERITAGE BOOKS INC.,1986.

The first Divorce Case, page 30:
   “Just Before Christmas of 1692, Rebecca Seaton petitioned the court that, Notwithstanding she had been lawfully married to James Seaton and had lived with him two years and had had a child by her said husband, yet he deserted her and betook himself to the company of Mary Ross. Her husband even declared in the presence of several witnesses that Mary was his wife, and they had lived together as such.
   The Court ordered his appearance at the next term by a summons set up at the public meeting house at Woodbridge, and also at his late residence. Should he fail to appear, the Court would pass judgement according to the merits of the case. As it was ordered he be secured if he came into the county, In all probability he escaped with his paramour. He did not appear, nor was he expected, and the case proceeded. several witnesses were sworn and gave evidence that would, today, easily find proper place in the headlines of our daily papers.
   John Allen, son of the minister at Woodbridge, Attempted to bring the unhappy couple together, but failed. The evidence was so damaging that "after a serious debate and consideration of ye heinous adulteries committed by the said James Seaton, Husband of the above said Rebecca Seaton, this Court declares that she ought not any longer to stand bound to ye said James Seaton in ye conjugal bonds of marriage but she ought to be discharged, set free and devorst from the said James Seaton****** and that it be recorded accordingly.”