WHERE DO NANCY AND MARTHA STEWART FIT IN - IN LONDONDERRY, NH? The basic information comes from the Divorce File (Rockingham Superior Court) held in the NH State Archives for Nancy (Stewart) Vance. The text for most of the file is below. Not included (due to not yet having keyboarded them) are depositions from Martha Ramsey and Robert Ramsey. The relationship of Vance's Wife #1 to Cox is mentioned in notes later made on William Vance, plus a copy of the will of William Cox Sr. that is in a file online related to the Cox's who left Londonderry, NH for Truro, NS. FILE FOR NANCY (STEWART) VANCE: Petition of Nancy Vance for Divorce Londonderry, the 15th December 1805 To the Honorable the Justices of the Superior Court to be held at Portsmouth on the first Tuesday of July 1806 The Petition of Nancy Vance of Londonderry humbly showeth that your petitioner was lawfully married to Wm. Vance in the Month of December 1781 and lived with the said Vance till the eighteenth day of May in the year 1785 on which day the said Vance left your Petitioner and went to the British government and there has lived since and has married another woman who is to your petitioner unknown and has had by her seven children as your Petitioner is well informed and as your Petitioner has been obliged to mention herself, without any aid or assistance from the said Vance, although it has been in his power to provide support. There fore your Petitioner humbly prays this Honorable Court that she may be set from the Bonds of Matrimony which she entered into with the said Vance and or in duty bound your Petitioner will every Pray Nancy Vance (signature) Rockingham's Superior Court February Term 1806. Ordered by the court that the petitioner notify the said Wm. Vance to appear before the Justices of the Superior Court of Judicature now holden at Portsmouth within and for the County of Rockingham to shew cause if any he he have why the prayer of said petition should not be granted. - Attest Nathaniel Adams Clerk ---------- Deposition of Nancy (Stewart) Vance I, Nancy Vance, of Lawful age testify and say that I am the lawful wife of William Vance latae of said Londonderry now said to live in or near a place called Passamaquoddy in the British Dominion, by whom I had three children, two of whom are now living, and that the said William Vance has absented himself from me for twenty years past and has not supported or maintained either me or my children during said time when I have good reason to believe and do believe it was in his power so to do. Nancy Vance (signature) Londonderry, Sept. 13th 1806 ---------- Deposition of Ebenezer Clifford The deposition of Ebenezer Clifford, who testifies and says that he was at the dwelling house of William Vance in Boston last winter. That the said Vance told him then that he had engaged to pay Five Thousand Dollars for said house by instalments, having a Band (?) for a Deed when the whole sum should be paid - that in the month of August last said Vance told him he had paid the two first instalments. That he owned a saw mill on Schoodick River, the boundary line between the United States and the British territory, and several hundred acres of land on the British Side of said river. Your deponent further says that about four years ago the said Vance was at his house in Exeter and had with him a woman who he called his wife and she acknowledged him to be her husband. And your deponent further says his acquaintance with W. Vance has been intimate and of long standing and that he has ever understood and believed him to be a man who possesses a handsome property. Ebenezer Clifford (Signature) Rockingham - Exeter, Oct. 1st 1806 Then personally appeared the aforesaid Eben. Clifford & made oath that the deposition aforesaid by him in just and true. Before me, Daniel French, Justice Peace. --------- Deposition of Charles Cox I Charles Cocks of lawful age depose and say that I was present at the Marriage of William Vance to Nancy Stewart both of Londonderry and that about twenty years ago he, the said William Vance, absconded from her the said Nancy and setled in the province of New Brunswick as he informed me. And although I have ever lived a near neighbour to the said Nancy since his absconding, I am satisfied he has not provided any support for her since and from the best information I can obtain it was in his power to do it. Charles Cox (signature) ---------- Deposition of Martha Stewart I Martha Stewart of lawful age depose and say that about twenty four years ago I was present at the Marriage of William Vance to Nancy Stewart who were married or joined in marriage by the Rev'd William Davidson both of which persons belonged to Londonderry and that about twenty years past he absconded from the said Nancy and setled in the County called Passamaquady, as he informed me, and further testify that I have had good opportunity to know the situation of the said Nancy and from my knowledge am well satisfied that he the said William did not provide for her as I lived in the house with her and had the knowledge of her situation and that from the best information and general reputation it was in his power to have done it. Martha X Stewart (her mark)