Divorce Action in Williams Co, OH - Nohl (update)

By Pamela Pattison Lash

I wish to thank Nancy S for contacting me concerning the possibility of two Jacob Nohls, both with ties to the county.  Nancy's information cleared up the detailing of this divorce action with material about Jacob's Civil War record, his wife's application for a widow's pension, and a listing of the Nohl children.  Furthermore, she gave me the death date of Jacob Nohl, which finally separated the two Jacob Nohls in the Williams Co, OH records.  

Jacob Nohl, a Civil War veteran, served in Co K 37^th OVI from 1862-1865.  He married Nancy Coy on 21 Apr 1864, Wms Co (Marriages V3 p376). Nancy was the daughter of Robert and Margaret Lesnet Christy, early settlers in Tiffin Twp, Defiance Co (formerly Wms Co), OH. Nancy was born in Washington Co, PA in 1838.  She first married John W. Coy, the son of Jacob B and Mary Ann Shank Coy, also early settlers for this area.  John W. Coy was born on 14 Feb 1831 in Beavercreek Twp, Greene Co, OH.  The couple was married in Tiffin Twp on 31 May 1855.  John died on 10 Oct 1861 in Evansport, leaving Nancy a widow.  She appeared in the Williams County, Ohio Civil and Criminal Court (Roll 19 case number 124 - Nov 1868) requesting a divorce from her second husband.

Nancy Nohl stated that the couple was married here on 15 Mar 1864, but note the discrepancy of her date and that of the official marriage records.  Nancy claimed that Jacob left her in Aug 1866.  She further stated that he committed adultery with Christianna Schmitt in his home in Toledo, Lucas Co, OH, and that on 17 Feb 1868 Jacob married Christianna in Toledo where he had resided for the past two years. The court was informed that Jacob joined the Toledo police force and had been pursuing that vocation for the past three months; his pay was $60 per month. Nancy wanted substantial alimony; in the record she did not seem overly concerned about her husband's bigamy. The court granted Nancy a divorce.  A public announcement of the divorce is found in The Bryan Democrat, 28 Nov 1868 p2 stating Nancy Nohl v Jacob Nohl, divorce granted and $600 alimony allowed.  Jacob died on 23 August 1879 in Toledo, Lucas Co, OH.  He and Christina were the parents of five children – Louis, Alexander W, Rudolph W, Willie C, and Emma E.  His widow later applied for a Widow’s Pension based on Jacob’s service to his country.

About a month later on 24 Dec 1868 in Wms Co, Nancy Noles married Charles Edward Sonnanstine (Marriages V4 p34); he was the son of Otis Edward and Lena Marie Wiland Sonnanstine. Nancy died in 1887 in Evansport; her third husband Charles passed away on 3 Mar 1910.  He later married Cassiah Chappuis on 18 Sept 1888.