Petition of Stephen Starling of Robeson County state he has been a resident of teh state infancy and that "some years past he unfortunately married a woman by teh name of Bersheba Dawson, who in a short space thereafter, proved to be a most motorious prostitute & violation of the sanctity of the Conubial vow."  The said Bersheba "did at length whollly associate, live & cohabitate with a certain John Bond, a resident of South Carolina, with whom your Petitioner has caught his said wife in the act of Adultery, & wit hwhom she has for the space of fifteen months lived & cohabitated, & by whom she had a child twelve months after absenting herself form you Petitioner."  Prays for an act to secure to him such property as he now has or may hereafter acquire from the claims of said Bersheba.  Referred to Committe on Divorce and Alimony. (GASR Nov. Dec. 1808 Box 3: forlder Petitions - Divorce, name Change, etc.")

Refered the [petition] of ...Stephen Sterling of Robeson County...are of opinion the prayer... ought to be granted and recommend the Bill herewith presented be passed into law:  "A Bill to secure to the person therein mentioned such property as they may hereafter acquire."  Read and concurred with by the House of Commons, 17 Dec. 1808 and by the Senate, 19 Dec. 1808 (GASR Nov. - Dec. 1808, Box 2: folder "JCR - Divorce and Alimony")  Bill published in North Carolina Laws, 1808, p. 39

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