Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Lewallen

Abner F. Lewallen, Jr., v Nancy (Garrison/Gunsler or Harrison?) Lewallen (Roll 9 Box 22 case number 9 - Apr 1848)

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 10 Oct 2011)

The couple was married in Lexington Twp, Stark Co, OH c1836, but an Internet posting stated that the couple was married on 30 July 1834 in Portage Co, OH.  Abner was the son of Abner and Mary Bollenger Lewallen, Sr.; he was born in 1817 at Marlton, Burlington Co, NJ.  Nancy, parentage unknown but some sources claim her maiden name was Gunniser, was born c1818 in Ohio. They came to Wms Co and were listed in the 1850 Bridgewater Twp federal census, p45, as Abner 33 NJ, Nancy 32 OH, Elizabeth 13, Abigail 10, Mary 8, Elisa 8.  Later they had a son Eli born 1854.  Abner Sr died on 24 May 1867 @75Y and was buried in the Cogswell Cemetery.

Abner brought a divorce complaint stating that in Lexington Twp, Stark Co, OH Nancy had committed adultery with Levi Gaskill.  The couple had been married about 10 years.  According to the Appearance Docket, Clerk of Court, 1846-1852, the case of Abner Lewallen v Nancy Lewallen was settled and dismissed.  By the 1860 Crystal, Montcalm Co, MI federal census the couple was enumerated as Abner 45, Nancy 43, Elizabeth 18, Eli 6.  Again they were listed there in the 1870 federal census for that location as Abner 58 and Nancy 56.  Nancy died on 18 Jan 1877.  Abner married Sarah A. Perine on 28 Mar 1877 in Montcalm Co, MI.  Sarah was born c1860 in DeKalb Co, IN; note the age difference – Abner 64 and Sarah 17, and by the 1880 federal census the family unit was Abner 67, Sarah A 20, Abner Jr. 2.  Sarah, the mother of David and Abner Elton and Catherine May, may have divorced Abner as there is a marriage for Sarah Perine Lewallen, daughter of Tobias and Catherine Reese Perine, to Luther Pett on 10 Sept 1903, Grand Rapids, Kent Co, MI; Abner next married twice previously married Mary Lawrason on 29 July 1896 in Crystal, MI; the bride was 70 years old. Abner later died on 13 Feb 1899 @ 86Y 5M and he was buried in the Crystal Cemetery.