Original 1862 legal document from the criminal court of Adams County, Pennsylvania accusing one William Wilson of the crime of fornication and bastardy. According to the charging document, Wilson and a woman named Martha Gilbert rang in the new year, so to speak, an act which resulted in a “female bastard child”. Gilbert, listed here as the “prosecutrix”, apparently brought these charges in order to compel Wilson to provide support to the child.

In an era long before DNA testing, this essentially meant that the two parties would argue in front of a judge about paternity. It is unclear whether or not this case resulted in the restoration of “the peace and dignity” of Pennsylvania. Essentially a one-sided printed form with docketing information on the verso, specific details were entered in ink. The document remains in excellent condition.


[Paper Ephemera, Early Documents]