He and my great-great grandmother, Mary Mariah BOTKIN had my great-grandfather, Pearl, out of wedlock.
When Pearl was 19, William and Mariah finally married. Until that time Pearl used the last name of BOTKIN. After his parents married he began using STEPHENS as his last name.
I contacted the Wabash County, Indiana Courthouse asking if they had the following records....
1. Bastardly charges brought against William in or around 1882
2. Change of name for Pearl in or around 1902
They responded within a week letting me know that they did not find either record. The only thing they did find was an arrest record for William.
What!!! I immediately sent money for the record and received the following:
Be it remembered that on the 9 day of March 1889, the following Indictment was filed towit.
State of Indiana, Wabash County, In the Wabash Circuit Court
February Term 1889.
The Grand Jury of the County of Wabash, upon their oath do present that on the 23 day of February 1889, at the County of Wabash, and State of Indiana, one William Stephens was then and there unlawfully found in a state of Intoxication in a certain public place then and there situated towit; On the public streets and sidewalks of the town of La Fontaine, in said County and State, Contrary to the ______ of the Statute in such case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the State of Indiana.
Alfred H. Plummer, Pros. Atty
Endorsed, A True Bill,
William W. Ford, Foreman,
Witnesses
Josiah B. Thorn
Benjamin Howard
T.R. Brady, Clerk of the Wabash Circuit Court, hereby certify the above and foregoing to be a true and complete transcript of the original Indictment.
T.R. Brady, Clerk
Be careful what you ask for, you never know what you will find!
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