12 October 2010

Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Himes (John W.)


John W. Himes v Viola K. Campbell Himes (Journal 10 p428 - Nov 1878/15 Apr 1880; Roll 33 case number 515 - 23 Sept 1878/ Feb 1880)

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 2010)

The couple was married on 30 Aug 1875 in Wms Co (Marriage V4 p415).  John was the son of Peter and Margaret Beavers Himes.  They were from Lawrence Twp, Tuscarawus Co, OH.  The Himes family was enumerated in the 1850 Pulaski Twp federal census, p89, and in the 1870 Pulaski Twp federal census, p11, as Peter 53 OH, Margaret 49 OH, William 30, Lovina 19, John 18, Marilla 16, Emery 14, Andrew 11, and Adeline 6.  Stories of Fountain City, Van Gundy, 1975, p50, tells of the shooting of father Peter Himes on 3 Dec 1873 by Benjamin Evarts; Himes was killed and there appears to be some mystery as to why he was hiding on the Evart property at nighttime.  Mother Margaret had lost a leg.  Nothing is known of Viola's parentage.

John claimed that Viola committed adultery with William Barnes or William Beavers at the home of Jacob Beavers in Bryan on 5 June 1878.  She left John and stayed at a house of ill fame in Bryan.  He called the following witnesses: Jane Crisman, Mary E. Leichty, Mary E. Maltby, and L. Campbell on 1 Dec 1879.  He received custody of children Martha A (b. 6 Dec 1875) and George (9M).  By the 1880 Bryan federal census, p658C, the divorced John was listed as 26 along with children Martha 4, and George 2, plus mother Margaret 57 and siblings Andrew 20 and Addie 15.

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