16 December 2017

Man and Woman Marry Each Other (Multiple Times) - John C Crisman and Pauline Bodenburg Crisman

There Are Two Surprises to This Tale
By Pamela Pattison Lash

Buffalo Evening News (Buffalo, NY), Thursday, 28 December 1899, p8 c4
Weds the Same Woman Thrice
And Now John Crisman Seeks a Third Divorce From Her For Desertion

John Crisman, a horse dealer of this city, has married the same woman three times.  Crisman was first married to Pauline Bodenbaugh [Bodenburg] at Bryan, OH, 30 years ago.  Five years later he obtained a divorce on the grounds of abandonment.  He came to Oklahoma from Chicago in 1889.  His former wife followed him and they were married again.  A year later a second divorce was obtained by Crisman on the grounds of abandonment, and Crisman came to this city.  His wife followed him again, and old troubles were buried for a third time and Crisman and wife were married.  One year ago Mrs. Crisman left her husband’s home and today her husband filed a third divorce suit.  Crisman is a Grand Army man and has a son fighting in the United States Army in the Philippines – Perry, O> T> special to Chicago Inter Ocean.

The Cincinnati Enquirer (Cincinnati, OH), Wednesday, 20 December 1899, p2 c4
Third Divorce
From the Same Woman Is Sought By an Ohio Citizen
Special Dispatch to the Enquirer

Perry, OK, T., December 12 – John Crisman, formerly of Bryan, Williams County, Ohio, filed his third suit for divorce from his wife, Pauline Crisman.  They have been married three times and now Crisman seeks a third divorce.  The first marriage was in Bryan, OH, where the first divorce was obtained.  The second marriage and divorce were at Guthrie, OK. T and the third marriage took place here, and now Crisman is seeking his third divorce.  He alleges abandonment.  Crisman is a prominent GAR man, and runs a livery stable here.

The timeline from the first article is
1869 they married in Bryan – she would only be 11 years old – not likely
1874 they divorced in Bryan on grounds of abandonment
1889 he came from Chicago to Oklahoma
1889-1890 she follows him, they marry, then divorce
1890ish – he moves to Perry OK, she follows him, they marry
1898 she leaves him
1899 he files for a third divorce

The timeline from the second article is
First marriage and divorce in Bryan
2nd marriage and divorce in Guthrie, Logan Co, OK
3rd marriage and divorce in Perry, Noble Co, OK
Both state that John Crisman is a horse dealer and runs a livery stable.

Here is what records tell one about the couple:
John Conklin Crisman (10 December 1845, Hartford, Licking Co, OH – 10 September 1936, Bryan, Williams Co, OH); buried in Fountain Grove Cem, Bryan, Wms Co, OH; s/o Ambrose C Crisman and Elizabeth N Page; Bryan Democrat, 14 September 1936 p1 c3 – he died at home in Stryker, OH, CW vet, 4 children
Pauline Hatty Bodenburg (16 June 1858, Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH – 4 February 1928, Wms Co, OH); buried in Leggett Cem, Edon, Florence Twp, Wms Co, OH; d/o William Bodenburg and Elizabeth Marie Prophet; her parents married in Germany and came to USA c1852; Bryan Democrat, 10 February 1928, p8 c5 – known as Mrs Crisman, died at home of daughter, Mrs Dora Faulhaber

The couple had four children
1.       Dora Armina (b 3 Sept 1877, Nebraska – 17 Oct 1948, Angola, IN); mar1 Zigler, m2 Daniel Faulhaber, m3 Johnson; Leader Enterprise, 28 October 1948, p4 c4 – she was born in Nebraska then moved with her parents to Defiance Co, OH
2.       Ambrose Birtus (17 Feb 1880, Phelps Co, NE – 11 July 1963, Henry Co, MO); mar1 Elizabeth, m2 Josephine Packhelser
3.       Ola – mar Kinser
4.       John Henry (14 June 1894, Perry, Noble Co, OK – 26 Feb 1988, Burlington, Coffey Co, KS); mar Hazel

M1 – 20 May 1876, Bryan, Wms Co, OH (Marriages V4 p462)
Surprise #1
Pauline Bodenburg  Crisman v John C Crisman
Pauline claimed that on 13 April 1892 John was guilty of extreme cruelty at the residence of his father where they lived.  He carried on a terrible assault, choking and beating her causing blood to flow from her nostrils and putting her in fear for her life.  On the day following she returned to the residence and she was driven away whereby John refused to live with her.  He had 20 acres of land valued at $1,000.  Pauline wanted a divorce, reasonable alimony, and restoration of her maiden name.  They have three children, but there was no mention in the divorce papers about Pauline wanting sole custody or any remarks referring to these children.  The court found John guilty of extreme cruelty and ordered him to pay Pauline $300 in alimony, setting a payment schedule and placing a lien on his property if he did not pay her. 
Divorced June 1892, Wms Co, OH

M2 – Guthrie, Logan Co, OK – no info
Divorced – no info
M3 – Perry, Noble Co, OK – 23 March 1894
Divorced – c1899 – only newspaper info
Surprise #2
M4 – Watonga, Blaine Co, OK – 18 August 1905; their daughter Dora and their son John Henry were witnesses

Living apart between 1916-1920 in Wms Co, OH
She died in 1928; he died in 1936; both were buried in different cemeteries in Wms Co, OH

Additional Sources
1850 Hartford, Licking Co, OH – John 4 OH w/parents
1860 Pulaski Twp, Wms Co, OH – john C 11 OH w/parents
1860 Pulaski Twp, Wms Co, OH – Rosalie 3 OH w/parents
1870 Pulaski Twp, Wms Co, OH – Polina 13 OH w/parents
1870 Pulaski Twp, Wms Co, OH – John 22 OH with sister Josephine Bowlby
1880 Williamsburg, Phelps Co, NE- John 33 OH/Pauline 23 OH/Dora 4 NE/ Ambrose born Feb 1880, all living next door to his brother James
23 April 1892-June 1892 – Civil and Criminal Court (Common Pleas) of Wms Co, OH – Box 173 Case #3034
1900 Purcell, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory – John 54 married but no wife listed/Ola/ John
1910 Center, Mayes Co, OK – John 64 OH/Pauline 51 OH/ grandson John Jr 15
1916 Farm Journal Directory – John and Pauline residence is Edon, OH, farm
1920 Concord, Elkhart Co, IN – John 74 OH, widower, retired farmer
1920 Florence Twp, Wms Co, OH – Pauline 60 OH married, living on her own
1928 Bryan City Directory – John living on Walnut St, Bryan, soldier
1930 Bryan, Wms Co, OH – Walnut St – John 84 OH boarder of Emerson Strayer, no occup