19 November 2010

Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Sweetman


Nancy Oxenrider Sweetman v Thomas Sweetman (Journal 6 p302/314  - 4 Aug 1863 - 11 Nov 1863; Roll 16 case number 87 - Nov 1863) – see Langel

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 15 September 2021)

The couple was married in Wms Co on 28 June 1854 (Marriage V2 p144). Nancy was the daughter of William and Mary (McMillen) Oxenrider, who were enumerated in the 1840 Pulaski Twp federal census, p229. In the 1860 Bryan, Wms Co federal census, p46B, Nancy Sweetman, 26 OH domestic servant, resided with the Jonathan Oxenrider family. 

Nancy charged that Thomas was willfully absent for three years or more and his whereabouts were unknown.  They had a daughter, Mary Jane, b 19 Sept 1854.  She wanted $1,000 in alimony and a share of his real estate.  She had a 1/11th share as her inheritance in the estate of her father, William Oxenrider.  From The Bryan Democrat, (initiated on 27 Aug 1863), a petition for divorce appeared, stating that Thomas Sweetman’s residence was unknown and that on 1 Aug 1863 Nancy began divorce proceedings.  She charged him with willfull absence for three years previous to the date of filing and wished care and custody of their child, Mary Jane, the rights to their real estate, which she had inherited since her marriage.  An interesting side note is that Nancy’s lawyer was Elon Langel, who would himself become embroiled in a nasty divorce later.

By the 1880 Bryan federal census, p646C, Nancy Sweetman 46 PA divorced was listed with the Elmer Tressler family as a blind lady. By 1888 she lived in Butler, IN.  Nancy died in Bryan, OH on 14 Oct 1896.

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