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To the Honorable the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the Legislative Council of the Territory of Wisconsin.
The undersigned a Petitioner for a divorce whose petition is now under investigation before your Hon. Committee for the purpose of elucidating the grounds of said Complaint and clearly showing the justice of granting his said prayer would respectfully submit the following statement - That in the year 1827 he at that time being a resident of the state of Tenessee - went to the state of Georgia on business - upon his return from the said journey on which he was absent from home about nine months he became satisfied that this wife was faithless - as he found her upon his unexpected arrival at home in bed with one William [illegible] and from all the circumstances was satisfied that she had been guilty of the crime of adultery and from the information he recd. became convinsed that she had had frequent criminal intercourse during his absence with the same individual - operated upon by this opinion in the justice of which he cannot be mistaken he immediately left his home and all her prospects and sought an asylum from his mortification and the disgrace of his family - in a land of strangers after visiting New Orleans - he was induced fromt the persuasions of an individual he there met with, to come to upon [illegible] where he might where he migh be hid from the opprobrium inciduent upon his domestick misfortunes - and also acquire something for his own support and that of his five children whom he had placed in the protection of his friends in the state of Tenessee - since he left he has been informed and verily believes that his wife has been delivered of three children of which fact his is more thorough[ly]
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[thorough]ly convinsed - as he has received, and paid, and has the receipts for the bills of doctors - incurred by her in his accouchment - as was specified in the bill of the phisician his efforts to support himself and his children has been greatly encumbered by debts of her contraction - which he has been compelled to pay sinse he has been in this country to the amount of about seven thousand dollars - which debts were contracted as I am informed and verily believe - by her in constantly having about her loose and extravagant company - he is decidedly of opinion from the information of persons to be relied on directly from the spot that his wife is and has been for years perfectly abandoned and depraved - he would humbly represent as the reason of his applying to the Legislature that it was done as the best means of saving the good name and reputation of my children from that disgrace which attaches itself under a publick invsetigation before the courts - to even the inocent family of one who has been so lost to virtue and shame - as their mother has been my children a part of them are now in this country and the whole number will be here in the spring - and this application is made as above stated to save them reputation and their feelings as well as my own - He arrived at Galena in the State of Illinois on the 23d day of April AD 1838 and has resided in the neighbourhood of Mineral Point sinse June AD 1838
Peter Howard
Territory of Wisconsin County of Iowa
The undersigned Peter Howard being duly sworn doth depose and say that the facts set forth in the above petition [illegible] so far as they are stated on his own knowledge are true and
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To the Hon. the Council and House of Representatives of Wisconsin Territory
Your Petitioners would humbly represent to your Honorable Body that his true and proper name is Peter Howard that he was Born in the State of South Carolina and is now about Fifty two years Old That on the [illegible] day of April AD 1812 he married Sarah Yarbrough in said South Carolina, now Sarah Howard, who is aged about Forty four years that your Petitioner migrated from South Carolina to the State of Tennessee where he lived with his said wife Sarah treating her with the utmost affection up to the year 1827 when your Petitioner then for the first time became acquainted with repeated and long continued acts of incontinency and adultery on the part of his said wife Sarah by which fact coming to the knowledge of your petitioner he seperated from the said Sarah and has never since lived with her still continuing up to this time to hope for her reformation but that hope can no longer reasonably be indulged. And your petitioner now prays your Honourable body to disolve the Bonds of Matrimony between him and the said Sarah and your Petitioner as in duty bound will ever prey &c.
Minl. Point W.T. Dec 6th 1840 Peter Howard
