First Divorce Case, August term, 1831
Nancy Sweet {vs} Henry S. Sweet
This day came the complainant,
by James Semple, her attorney, and the defendant not appearing according
to the order of this Court, the complainant's bill is taken for confessed,
and the Court having heard the evidence on the part of the complainant,
and being satisfied that the allegation of two year's absence of the said
complainant's bill was true, and the Court being now sufficiently advised
of and concerning the premises, do order, adjudge, and decree that the
bands of matrimony heretofore existing between the said parties be, and
the same are hereby dissolved. It is further ordered that said complainant
pay the costs of this suit.
"At the April term of Court,
A.D., 1834, Thomas S. Gelder makes his written application to be naturalized,
files his declaration, and takes the oath prescribed by law, in open COurt,
which is ordered to be filed." As will be pbserved from the above, Capt.
Gelder was the first person to become a naturalized citizen in the county.
James Breden, executor, placed
it on file in 1839:
"I, John Murphy, of the county
of Macoupin, in the State of Illinois, do make and publish this my last
will and testament in manner and form following: this is to say: First,
it is my will that my funeral expenses and all my just debts be fully paid.
Second, I give, devise and bequeath unto my beloved wife, Sally Murphy,
in lieu of her dower, the plantation on which we now live, containing about
thirty acres, which is bounded as follows: that is to say, beginning on
the north-west corner of the north quarter of section No. Twenty-Nine,
in township eleven, north of range eight, west, running east eighty poles,
thence north sixty poles to the beginning, and the north-east quarter of
the south-east quarter of section No. thirty, township No. seven, north
range eight, west of the third principal meridian, containing about forty
acres each, during her natural life, and all the live stock, horses, cattle,
sheep, hogs, by me now owned, or which I may own at the time of my death.
And, also, the household furniture and other items not particulary named
in this will, during her natural life as aforesaid, she, however first
disposing of a sufficiency thereof to pay my debts as aforesaid, and at
the death of my said wife all the property hereby devised or bequeathed
to her aforesaid, or so much thereof as may then remain unexpeneded. Provided,
however, that my grandson, Levi Murphy, should die without any heirs, then
it is my will that so much of the above named property as is not expended
of by the said Levi Murphy at his death to go to my adopted son, Henry
Anderson, and to his heirs and assign forever. And, lastly, I do hereby
constitute and appoint my said wife, Sally Murphy, and James Breden, to
be the executors of this my last will and testament. In testimony whereof
I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this twelth day of August, in the
year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven...
"John Murphy"---seal(witnesses to mark-Isaac Breden, and Louisa Breden)