Looks like Lydia ran off with Samuel Cotton. I don't know if Lydia and Samuel ever got married but I guess probably Lydia and Solomon Ewell did probably get divorced after the legislature got involved. Not sure where, or rather when, Mr Ruffin came in. "Mr Charlton presented the petition of Solomon Ewell complaining of the elopement of his Wife Lydia and her living in adultery with one Samuel Colten of Northampton County, and praying an Act may pass to dissolve the Marriage of the said Solomon and Lydia; and moved that a Committee be appointed to examine into the truth of the several allegations in the said petition contained, which was objected to; on which the motion was made and question put, if the said Committee be appointed or not and carried in the affirmative, and Mr Fanning, Mr Charlton, Mr Dawson, Mr Bradford, and Mr Harris are appointed a Committee agreeable to the said motion; and that they have power to send for persons and papers, and report their proceedings thereon to the next Session of Assembly, Mr Barron presented the petition of William Cumming, setting forth he is returned by the Sheriff of Pasquotank County, a Representative for the Town of Nixonton in said County—praying the House would take the said petition under consideration. Resolved, that the said petition be referred to the Committee of Priviled ges and Elections. On motion Mr Charlton, Mr Ashe, and Mr Spier be added to the Committee of Priviledges and Elections." Minutes of the Lower House of the North Carolina General Assembly North Carolina. General Assembly October 30, 1766 - December 02, 1766 Volume 07, Pages 342 - 423 (online at http://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.html/document/csr07-0156) --- On Fri, 2/6/09, James Blair <[email protected]> wrote: > > Lydia Howell was married to Samuel Cotton (will proved 10 > May 1774 Northampton Co, exc wife, Robert Hilliard). Samuel > Cotton was a son of John Cotten (will 1728 Bertie) and > Martha Godwin. His sisters Patience and Martha m. > (consecutively) Capt. John Spears or Spiers. His mother > Martha Godwin had a sister Elizabeth who married William > Bridger; their son Samuel Bridgers married Mary Johnston, > daughter of John Johnston and Mary Pace (daughter of Richard > and Rebecca). > > I have not yet found out how Samuel Cotton was related to > the John Cotton whose will Thomas Pace and Thomas Lowe were > executors of in 1762. > > I would appreciate corrections of errors in the above. > > James > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word > 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and > the body of the message