Court records and legal documents of Gilbert Hearns
The following transcriptions are taken from The Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the Mecklenburg/Midland District (Counties of Frontenac, Lennox & Addington, Hastings and Prince Edward) as they relate to the Hearns/Harns Family.
The Quarter Session courts were authorized to perform a variety of tasks, including:
.issuing of certificates for the purposes of performing matrimony..levying of taxes in order to pay local representatives of the Legislative Assembly
.hearing claims for damages by road construction
.approving road work, bridges and maintenance
.reviewing and approving district expenditures
.receiving assessment rolls and setting taxation rates
.hearing criminal cases
.regulating tolls for ferries
.approving and granting tavern licenses
.appointing constables
.hearing land claims and recording barred dower rights *
.appointing highway surveyors
.determining compensation for the housing of destitute and unfortunates of the district.
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July 1796, Adolphustown. Gilbert Hearns and James Demorest do acknowledge themselves bound to our Sovereign Lord the King in twn pounds each to prosecute David Bradshaw at the ensuing Quarter Sessions to be held at Kingston. This is an excerpt from the book transcribed and indexed by Linda Corupe, U.E.~page 48 |
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The Court of the Quarter Sessions held at Kingston on October 12, 1796 shows the earliest recorded date of a member of the Hearns family in attendance. CASE The King on the prosecution of Gilbert Hearns and James Demorest versus David Bradshaw.THE CHARGE "nuisance". THE JURY consisted of Stephen Boyce, foreman, Soloman Ball, Abram Conkrite, John Concklin, David Hartman, Lewis Hicks, John Sills, John Dafoe, William Paterson, Simon Snider, Daniel Walker and Issac Asselstine. THE PLEA not guilty. Mr. Bradshaw puts himself upon his country. WITNESSES FOR THE PROSECUTION consisted of Gilbert Hearns, James Demorest, Luke Carscallen, John Roblin, Michael Smith, J.B. Chamberlain and John Embre. WITNESSES FOR THE DEFENCE consisted of Samuel Brunson Jr., Joel Hearns, Cirenius Parks, Josiah Birkle and Ebenezer Washburn. VERDICT: The jury, having returned into court, say that they found the defendant not guilty. The sources used for the transcribed records of the following pages are microfilm #c-694 and #C-730, which may be found at the Archives of Ontario. Because the original records were hand written, mistakes in transcription are always possible. If in doubt, please check the microfilm. These are excerpts from the book transcribed and indexed by Linda Corupe, U.E.~page 51 |
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The Sessions met on January 24, 1799 pursuant to adjournment and the following handed down by the Magistrates: On complaint of Mary Herns of her being under personal fear of Gilbert Herns, several affidavits were read to this effect and filed. The Sessions bound Gilbert Herns to his good behavior for six months, himself for 100 pounds and two sureties in 50 pounds each. The sources used for the transcribed records of the following pages are microfilm #c-694 and #C-730, which may be found at the Archives of Ontario. Because the original records were hand written, mistakes in transcription are always possible. If in doubt, please check the microfilm. These are excerpts from the book transcribed and indexed by Linda Corupe, U.E.~page 74 |
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The Court of the Quarter Sessions, held at Adolphustown on July 9th,1799, Gilbert Herns was discharged by proclamation (six months good behavior having passed. The sources used for the transcribed records of the following pages are microfilm #c-694 and #C-730, which may be found at the Archives of Ontario. Because the original records were hand written, mistakes in transcription are always possible. If in doubt, please check the microfilm. These are excerpts from the book transcribed and indexed by Linda Corupe, U.E.~page 80 |
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The Court of the Quarter Sessions held at the township of Adolphustown on January 27, 1807: *Mary Herns, wife of Gilbert Herns, was barred of her dower of lot number 30 in the 3rd concession of Ernestown. Sold to Zacchariah Fraleigh. *(nee McDougal) She and Gilbert Hearns, a widower, were married by Reverend John Langhorn on May 31, 1791. The sources used for the transcribed records of the following pages are microfilm #c-694 and #C-730, which may be found at the Archives of Ontario. Because the original records were hand written, mistakes in transcription are always possible. If in doubt, please check the microfilm. These are excerpts from the book transcribed and indexed by Linda Corupe, U.E.~page 144 |
*(dower right: one third interest (sometimes called a widow’s third) in all property owned by a woman’s husband. Unless a wife agreed to the sale of a piece of land, it could not proceed. The dower right also protected a woman if her husband died intestate or neglected to leave her any of his property in his will).
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