'...was required to give bond...' - help!

[KitHannay]

Hi all,

Came across an ancestor in West Virginia who in 1874 'was required to give bond in $100 to keep the peace for six months.'

What does this mean? She was the wife of a miner, and also 8 months pregnant with her fifth child. I assume it means if she broke the peace she'd have to pay $100? Or does it mean she had to give over that amount of money?? Surely that would have been a lot to such a family at that time?

[AlanBoyd]

This seems to have been a common way of dealing with minor offences (breach of the peace, assault). A search of newspapers.com for the phrase "required to give bond" in 1874 in West Virginia yields 82 matches.

Looking at a few of these I see several of $200 for 1 year, but also a $500 for 1 year and $50 for six months.

[Erato]

It is a bond posted with the court and the money is returned if the person does keep the peace for the required period of time.  "Keeping the peace" basically means refraining from unruly or disruptive public behavior which provokes disputes or unrest.

[AlanBoyd]

If you have seen the film “Jackie Brown” (or read the book “Rum Punch”) you will know what a bondsman is. Basically the bond may have been borrowed from someone who makes a living by “helping” people who can’t afford to pay a bond like this.