Martha Nichols Hascall

Biography

In 1798 Martha Hascall sought a divorce. A notice in the Norwich Packet, transcribed in the Haskell Family Association's research, identifies her as a woman of Thompson, in northeastern Connecticut, and gives the date of her marriage to David Hascall as September 5, 1787. Her petition alleged desertion and failure to provide support. The case had been continued to a March 1799 court session, when David could appear and answer it.

The notice records Martha taking legal action in her own name. It does not establish the result. The family genealogy lists additional children in later years, and the probate court would eventually identify her as David's wife; those later records cannot by themselves explain what happened to the petition.

Born in 1768, Martha was the mother of a large family that included Olivia Primrose Hascall. When David died, she again appeared in court. On December 3, 1823 the Pomfret District probate court in the same part of Connecticut appointed her administratrix. She qualified by giving bond. The court appointed appraisers, allowed creditors six months from December 15 to present claims, and directed her to publish the order in the Independent Observer.

The estate was modest in the surviving account. Its inventory included household utensils, old tools, clothing and a coverlet, with a stated value of $16.49. The debts presented by July 1824 totaled $85.15. Martha's appointment therefore involved dealing with claims against an estate whose listed goods were worth considerably less than the debts.

Martha lived for another three decades. She died in February 1854 and was buried at West Thompson Cemetery.

The family chronology records ten children born between 1787 and 1810.