I've been browsing through a bunch of old CD's of genealogy info and came across an interesting article that was originally printed in The Pennsylvania Genealogy Magazine, entitled "Elopements and Other Miscreant Deeds of Women as Advertised in the The Pennsylvania Gazette". With a title like that, I had to look into it further.... Apparently, elopement did not then mean the same thing as it does now. Where we refer to eloping as running off to get married, back then it seems it just meant running off...period. To wit: "30 November 1732. Whereas ANN, the wife of SAMUEL FARRA, Mariner, of Philadelphia hath eloped..." "1 July 1743. Whereas Mary, the Wife of HENRY PAWLING, of Perkiomen, Philadelphia County, Yeoman, has eloped unjustly from her said Husband, not having any reason for so doing..." I'll be extracting the info in the article to post on my website, but here's a sample of the contents of the article, which I would have to place in the Whoops! category: "24 October 1745. This is to give notice to all that it may concern, that I, JOHN JEWERS, of the City of Philadelphia, Mariner, have been unfortunately married to the Wife of WILLIAM COOKE, supposing him to be Dead at the Time; but being since credibly informed that he is really living, and on board on of His Majesty's ships..." Interesting reading for a Sunday afternoon.... -Mary http://gen.atleeridge.us/ Southeastern PA Genealogy and History