Chesno, Ann, - 1745

Ann Chesno was a member of the Congregational Church of East Lyme.  In January of 1745, the question of whether the divorce from her husband, Ben Tobshaw, would disqualify her for church membership came before church authorities.  The committee found that Chesno's mother had urged her to marry Tobshaw "according to ye Indian law," which permitted a couple to separate voluntarily at any time in their relationship.  Since the marriage was a union Ann neither wanted nor wished to continue, she left him and had remained single ever since.  Some in the church required that Ann make a confession that she was wrong in leaving Ben and further required her to stipulate that she would resume her marriage at a later point – two things she was unwilling to do.  The committee finally resolved the matter to her favor, admitting her to full communion.  East Lyme, First Congregational Church Records, MS 149, Series III, Box 12, Folder 123, Manuscript & Archives, Yale University Library.