Divorce records are a goldmine of information for family historians. "This compilation of Cumberland County divorce cases, 1789-1860, is invaluable not only for those interested in the history and genealogy of that area, but many other locations as well. When a husband or wife left their mate, they often went quite a distance." Typically, these records establish the date and place of the marriage, and often mention whether either of the parties were previously married and if there were any children. Other family members are frequently named as witnesses and "next friends." These Cumberland County records were painstakingly copied word for word from handwritten court documents. The compiler has chronologically grouped together all of the separately dated entries for each case, thus eliminating the frustration of leafing through the entire book to follow the progress of a single case. A surname index makes it easy to find the names of the participants in each transaction.