05 October 2010

Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Gatchel


Laura A. Stevens Gatchel v William Gatchel (Journal 9 p11 - 14 Nov 1876; Roll 30 case number 49 - Nov 1876)

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 2010)

The couple was married in Wms Co on 8 Oct 1871 (Marriage V4 p190).  Laura, b Aug 1850, Wms Co, was the daughter of John and Mary B. Ackley Stevens.  The Stevens couple was married on 15 Jan 1842 in DeKalb Co, IN. The 1850 St. Joseph Twp federal census, p82, listed the Stevens family as John 40 NY, Mary 31 NY, Walter 11 IA, John 7 OH, Harvey 4 OH, and Russie 1 OH.  Again in the 1860 St. Joseph Twp federal census p113a, the Stevens family was listed as John 53 NY, Mary 42 NY, Walton 21 MD, John 17 OH, Russell 12 OH, Liann 10 OH, and Winfield 6 OH. By the 1870 St. Joseph Twp federal census p1, they appeared as John Stevens 57 NY, Mary 52 NY, Russel M 21 OH, Laura 19 OH, and Winfield 15 OH.   The Gatchels had a daughter Jennie F. (25 Nov 1872 - 27 Feb 1873, buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery, Edgerton, OH). 

Laura stated that William was guilty of gross neglect, providing her with no clothes or food.  The only child of the marriage died in infancy.  William had left the state.  A legal notice was published in Nov 1876 and a divorce was granted.  Laura married James D. Potter in Wms Co on 9 Sept 1877 (Marriage V4 p529).  The couple was found in the 1880 Hicksville, Defiance Co, OH federal census p167, as James Potter 28 NY-Eng-Eng, Laura 28 OH-PA-OH, and Flora Belle 1 OH; furthermore, the couple still resided in Hicksville according to the 1900 federal census p10A and were listed as James Potter 48 NY, Laura 49 OH, with children Flora, Earl, and Altha; Laura had five children with three living as of 1900; noe that Laura’s parents were both born in PA.  By 1910 the Potters has moved to Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co, OH.  Again by 1930 Laura, a widow, lived in McDonough, Chenango Co, NY with her son and daughter, Earl and Altha.

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