Comanche County Oklahoma Newspaper Data
Gladys Vernon Higgenbotham
GIRL WIFE DIES THREE DAYS AFTER BEING DIVORCED BY HUSBAND
Lawton Okla. Aug 2
The "grim reaper" stepped in, in one instance, to prevent the fullfillment of the old adage "marry in haste, repent at leisure" when Gladys Vernon Higgenbotham, nee Baird, 16 years of age, died within three days after her husband had divorced her for desertion.
In July of last year, Howard Higgenbotham, a farm hand in the employ of Will V. Baird, Wichita mountain farmer, eloped with his employer's 14 year old daughter, Gladys. They drove by night across the mountains into Caddo county and tried to get a marriage license at Anadarko. A hitch came, however, because of the girl's extreme youth and before marriage could be consummated the father, accompanied by a deputy sheriff from Lawton, arrived on the scene. Higgenbotham was arrested and returned to Lawton, but before formal charges were filed the father relented and agreed to their marriage.
Even with the father's consent, however, the laws of Oklahoma forbade the marriage of a 14 year old child and the marriage party took their case by automobile, to Wichita Falls, where under the Texas laws, they secured the necessary license.
Within less than a month after their marriage, the child-wife left her husband's home and returned to her father.
This week Higgenbotham secured a divorce, in the courts of the county which had refused to sanction his marriage and Saturday, the bride of a year ago was buried. She was ill with typhoid fever when application for divorce was filed and willingly signed a waiver of objection to the issuance of a court decree.
[The Daily Oklahoman August 3, 1913 - Submitted by Barb Ziegenmeyer]
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