"5. Joseph2 Culver (Edward1), baptized at Dedham, Mass., 20 Sept. 1646, died at Groton, Conn., early in 1731; married first, (unknown); married second, 20 June 1716, Margaret Gallup, daughter of John and Hannah (Lake) Gallup of Stonington.
"His second wife left him a year after marriage. Hempstead mentions [Diary, 67] that on 7 July 1717 Joseph Culver of Groton had posted his wife. The petition of 'Margret Culuer wife to Jophef Culuer' [sic] of Groton, 26 Nov. 1717, states that 'nothing withstanding the marage Covenant which we entered into the 20 of iune 17l6 about a fortnight after mardige [sic] my husband refused to let me lodg in the bed with him so that I was forced to lay upon the flore or harth which hardship occasioned sickness to come upon me. … Sometime in October I gote my own bed which I was forced to lay on the flor in a cold chamber tel sumtime in April after this he tould me he would not live with me. He said the house was his and therfor would have me to go out of it. … sum time in iune last past … I left the house he refuses to let me go home to live with him as a wife but keeps the best of my clothing. … also posted me in two towns and continues to vilifi and reproch me. I am under the infermitiss of age and not able to undergo such hardships. …' [New London County Court Files.]
Administration on Joseph Colver's estate was granted, 23 Feb. 1730/1, to John Lamb of Groton, with Joseph Bolles of New London surety. Joseph Collver [Jr.] had renounced administration in favor of his brother-in-law John Lamb. Joseph and Timothy Collver certified that the debts due to John Lamb for care and subsistence are very reasonable, he being a blind man and very infirm and much troublesome. [New London Probate, File 1379.] It thus appears from the testimony of two of the sons that Margaret may not have exaggerated very much in her woeful tale of her experience with Joseph."
