27 October 2010

Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Nichols


Frances Eaton Skinner Nichols v Rufus Main Nichols (Roll 30 case number 79 - 25 Sept -Oct 1876; June 1877)

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 2010)

The couple was married on 15 or 21 Nov 1850, Gilead, Branch Co, MI.  According to the 1860 Millgrove Twp, Steuben Co, IN census p704, Frances 26 MA and daughter Clara 9 IN were enumerated in the HP and Elizabeth Twell family; on p701 of the same census location Rufus Nichols lived as Rufus 32 NY farmer along with Clinton Frim 19 MI day laborer. By the 1870 St Joseph Twp, Wms Co federal census, p39, the Nichols family was enumerated as Rufus 42 NY painter, Frances 39 MA, Clara 19 IN, Earnest 3 OH.  Frances was born in VT or MA on 19 Aug 1830.   Rufus Nichols, possible son of Joseph and Orilla Main Nichols, was born on 2 Feb 1828 in Tonawanda, Erie Co, NY.

Frances charged that Rufus was a habitual drunk.  On 24 Sept 1876 he prevented her from coming into their house and compelled her to seek shelter with others.  On 25 Sept 1876 he refused to let her in again.  He made no provisions for her or their son, Joseph Earnest (9).  Rufus held in fee simple Lots 101 and 102 in Edgerton; Frances brought a list of their personal property.  William Davis claimed an interest in the realty by way of a pretended mortgage.  A divorce was granted.

By the 1880 St Joseph Twp federal census, p9, Frances 50 MA-VT-MA divorced and her son Earnest 13 OH-NY-MA were living with Frances' daughter Clara 28 IN and her husband Albert Spangler 28 OH hardware salesman plus their children Truman 4 OH, Omar 2 OH, and male infant 6/12 Dec 1880 OH.  Their son Ernest died on 24 Sept 1887 of typhoid fever.  Burials in the Maple Grove Cemetery, Edgerton, showed son J. Ernest (1867-1887), mother Frances E (1830-1892), daughter Clara Spangler  (1851-1940), her husband Albert Spangler (1852-1918), and father Rufus M Nichols (1828- 23 Feb 1899).  Frances died on 22 Feb 1892, Wms Co (Death V2 p65).  

No comments: