Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Oxenrider (David)

Athalinda Bollinger Oxenrider v Davis Oxenrider (Journal 7 p424 - Mar 1870; Roll 21 case number 139 - Mar 1870) – see Finegan

By Pamela Pattison Lash (Updated 7 May 2015)- there has been some confusion as to other David Oxenriders, but now that there are many more research sources available, I believe this participant in the divorce is really "Davis" rather than "David" although "David" is the name used within the Civil and Criminal Court record.

The couple was married on 11 Feb 1865 in Wms Co and had a son, Elwood Arlington Bollinger, b 3 Apr 1865. Davis, b 9 Nov 1836, Wayne Co, OH, was the son of William and Mary Oxenrider, and Davis appears to have been a Civil War veteran.  

Athlinda, b 16 Nov 1845 in Seneca Co, OH, was the daughter of Jacob and Mary Stoner Bollinger.  According to the 1860 Center Twp, Wms Co, OH federal census p77 the Bollinger family was enumerated as Jacob 45 PA, Mary A 40 OH, Solomon 20 OH teacher, Amanda 18 OH, Mary M 16 OH, Athalinda 14 OH, Sarah E 12, Sophia J 5 OH.

Athalinda charged Davis with being willfully absent for three years or more.  Their son Elwood was five years old.  She brought the following witnesses: Mr. Bollinger, and James and William Oxenrider.  Elwood Arlington Bollinger’s death certificate listed via informant that Elwood was the adopted son of "David" Oxenrider and Athalinda Bollinger was his mother.  This is most likely either what the informant believed to be true or wished to be true.

By the 1870 Madison Twp federal census, p19, Athlinda 24 OH and son Elwood 5 OH lived with her parents Jacob Bollinger 55 PA and Mary A 50 OH. Athelinda next married widower and next door neighbor, Burr St. John, shortly after Mar 1876-1877.  His first wife, Esther "Hetty" Fesler, whom he married on 12 Jan 1860, died on 12 Mar 1876.  Burr and Athlinda St. John had five children with two surviving in 1900. Athelinda died on 1 June 1923 and was buried in the Billingstown Cemetery.


Davis Oxenrider died on 23 February 1917 in Williams Co, OH and was buried in Brown Cem.