Morning again to all! Following this is from the cover for the book.
As for anything else that I post here....I have only found this info and
either photocopied and scanned it to put up here. I have not changed
anything....if there are questions or wrong spellings...etc...they are
not my own. I am simply posting data that may or may not be of use to
any of you. And as we all know any of this can have wrong items or
wrong spellings! I have found my Carrington's in Graves Co., KY under
the name of Covington.....so please keep an open mind on all of this!
Thanks...
Rita
now on to the Bastardy Bonds......
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The Bastardy Bonds of NC are just as the title states---bonds posted
because of the birth or impending birth of a bastard child. These bonds
were intended to protect the county or parish from the expense of
raising the child. It is asked that in reading this material, the
reader do so with love and understanding of the problems of these men
and women.
When the pregnancy of a woman or birth of a child was brought to the
attention of the court, a warrant was issued and the woman brought into
court. She was examined (questioned) under oath and asked to declare
the name of the child's father. The reputed father was then served a
warrant and required to post bond. IF the woman refused to name the
father, she, her father, or some other interested party would post the
bond. In some cases it was found that the mother and reputed father
together posted the bond. If the woman refused to post bond or declare
the father, she was often sent to jail.
If you wiah to have a copy of the original bond or bond book entry, it
is suggested that you go to the NC State Archives, or hire a researcher
to locate the paper. You can also buy the microfilm.
Only a handful of the counties records have been indexed....and only a
portion have been covered in this book.
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