PUTNAM
COUNTY, INDIANA
DIVORCES, 1881
DIVORCE LAWS.
By some mistake or liberal design,
the early statute laws of Indiana on the subject of divorce were rather
more loose
than those of most other States in this Union; and this subject had been a matter of so
much jest among the public,
that in 1870 the Governor recommended to the Legislature a reform in this direction, which was
pretty effectually carried out.
Since that time divorces can be granted only for the following causes:
1. Adultery.
2. Impotency existing at the time of
marriage.
3. Abandonment for two years.
4. Cruel and inhuman treatment of one
party by the other.
5. Habitual drunkenness of either
party, or the failure of the husband to make reasonable provision for
the family.
6 The failure of the husband to make
reasonable provision for the family for a period of two years.
7. The conviction of either party of
an infamous crime.
The following divorce cases are
docketed for the February term of Putnam Circuit Courts Daniel 0.
Tompkins vs. Kate F. Tompkins; William F. Plunkett vs. Sarah E.
Plunkett; Rebecca J. Smith vs. Elliott G. Smith; Richart 1. Webb vs
Melissa Webb; Richard Frazier vs. Cassie Frazier. Greencastle Star, 8
January 1881
In addition to the divorce cases
already noted in. our columns, the follow¬ing additional ones have
been docketed. Zeruiah Foudray vs James E. Foudray; James T. Butler vs.
Nellie Butler. A fair count shows nine divorce cases on docket for the
February term. Greencastle Star, 15 January 1881.
And now Elizabeth A, Williams
petitions the Putnam Circuit Court to divorce her from John D.
Williams, alleging abandonment.Greencastle Star, 29 January 1881.
Richard Frazier has been divorced
from his wife, Cassie Frazier.Greencastle Star, 12 March 1881.
Seven divorce cases await the
September session of the Circuit Court. Following are the names of the
parties:
Francis L. Mason vs. Annie L. Mason;
Wm. P.J. Plunkett vs. Sarah E.
Plunkett;
Nancy Fink vs. Joseph Fink; Nancy J.
Coverdill vs. Gilbert Coverdill;
William Heartwood vs. Laura J. Hartwood;
Clemmons W. Gleason vs. Nancy J.
Gleason alias Nancy J. Myers;
Nancy Jo Coverdill asks for
$800 alimony. Greencastle Banner, 14 July 1881.
Two more divorce cases have been
filed making nine in all. The latter parties Daniel McMath vs. Malinda
McMath and Verina Lipscomb vs, Robert Lipscomb, all colored. At this
rate the number of those who dwell in double blessedness will decrease
rather than increase. Greencastle Banner, 28 July 1881
Putnam Circuit Court: Francis M.
Mason vs Annie L. Mason--Divorce Dismissed by plaintiff at his cost.
William Hartwood vs Laura J.
Hartwood--Divarce. Dismissed by plaintiff at. his cost.
GreencastleBanner, 15 September 1881.
Wm. T J, Plunkett vs. Sarah E.
Plunkett--Divorce granted at plaintiff’s cost.
Sarah E. Hogue vs. Reed C.
Hogue-Divorce granted plaintiff, with change to her maiden of Robinson,
at defts. cost. Greencastle Banner, 29 Septemberl88l.
Elizabeth Miller was, on Saturday,
granted a divorce from Martin Miller with alimony to the amount of
$1,000. The parties were from Jackson township, and thecause of their
domestic troubles was the disparity of their ages. The old man placidly
remarked on hearing the verdict of the Court that he “didn’t care for
the ‘vorce , but the ‘antimony” was what bothered him
Nancy Fink vs. Joseph Fink--Divorce
decreed to pl’ff with change of name to her former name of Byram--at
deft cost.
Jennie Stutes vs Thomas J.
Stutes--Divorce decreed pt’ff with custody of children, at Deft’s cost.
Veanna Lipscomb vs Robert
Lipscomb---Divorce decreed to pif with change of name to Gibbs,
etc.Greencastle Banner, 6 October 1861
Putnam Circuit Court. Mary E Allen vs
Hiram P Allen--Divorce. Divorce granted at Deft’s cost. Greencastle
Banner, 13 October 1881.
Putnam Circuit Court. Mary Ballard vs
Walter L. Ballard, Divorce. Greencastle Banner, 8 December 1881.
Microfilm copies of these two
newspapers are available in the Newspaper Section, Indiana State Library,
Indianapolis, and The Roy 0. West Memorial Library, Depauw University, Greencastle,
Indiana.
Original
data source Greencastle Newspaper , pub. in the Indiana Historical
Society Quarterly on March 1995 and transcribed here for Genealogy
Trails by Barb Z." Date Submitted by Peggy Thompson
