Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Bowlby

William I. Bowlby v Ellen Warner Bowlby (Journal 5 p224 - Nov 1852; Roll 8 Box 25 case number 7 - Nov 1852)

 

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 16 July 2021)

 

The couple was married in Williams Co, OH on 11 Nov 1849.  William charged that Ellen committed adultery on 9 Sept 1850.  The couple had children with the eldest aged eight years and the youngest aged two years. For the eldest of the children to have been issue of the couple seems unlikely given that the couple was married about three years. According to the Issue Docket, Clerk of Courts, 1848-1852, in the April 1852 Term, the divorce petition of William I Bowlby v Ellen Bowlby was filed on 17 Jan 1852 with a continuance. According to the Appearance Docket, Clerk of Courts, 1846-1852, the divorce of William I Bowlby v Ellen Bowlby was granted to the plaintiff in Sept 1852 or Nov 1852.

 

The first land transaction found dealing with William I Bowlby of Clermont Co, OH was 160A plot sold by the US Government at the Lima, OH Land Office in Section 21 T6N R3E in Williams Co, OH on 11 Aug 1844. Later Bowlby was a grantee purchasing 80A from grantor John Goodwin on 12 March 1849. A further deed was found as grantor William Bowlby sold 160A plot to Sarah Ann Bowlby on 28 Aug 1850, which was the same land he bought in 1844 - SW ¼ of Sec 21 T6N R3E. in Pulaski Twp.  David and Adam R. Bowlby purchased similar parcels in the same time frame.  

 

Using the land data and the other Bowlby purchases, one can assign William Innis Bowlby, the groom, as the son of Thomas and Hannah (Coleman) Bowlby and brother to David and Adam.  William was born on 8 June 1813 in Monmouth Co, NJ.  He probably left NJ and settled first in Clermont County, then by 1844 in Williams County.  He was enumerated in 1850 federal census as Annis 39 NJ farmer with Alice 18 NY. Is Alice his wife known as Ellen?  If so, where are the children?  By 1870 he is living as a lodger with William and Caroline Swigert as William 55 NJ farmer of Maria, Macon County, IL. Ten years later he is a boarder as William I 66 NJ farmer and widower at Austin, Macon County, IL. Nothing else is currently known of this couple.

 

Sources:

1850 US Federal Census Record, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH, neighbor of brother Adam Bowlby - Annis 39 NJ/Alice 18 NY

1870 US Federal Census Record,  Maria, Macon Co, IL - William 55 NJ

1880 US Federal Census Record, Austin, Macon Co, IL - William I 66 NJ

Williams County, Ohio Marriages, V2 p108

Williams County, Ohio Deeds, V9 p401; V10 p118