Divorce Action in Williams Co, OH - Slough

Mary E. Miller Slough v Eli Slough

Civil War Soldier Plights His Troth Three Times in Hillsdale County, Michigan, Divorce in Williams County, Ohio, 1884

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 2010)

Eli Slough, b. 30 Mar 1842, New Washington, Trumbull Co, OH, son of Leonard and Christiana Hellina Beever/Bieber Slough, was a Civil War veteran, serving in the 150^th OVI and in Co C 195^th OVI.  According to a biographical sketch of his brother, Daniel Slough, in Presidents, Soldiers, and Statesmen, 1892, p630, the Slough family came to Wms Co c1865.  Their father Leonard was a native of Perry Co, PA while the mother was born in Wittenburg, Germany.  Brother Daniel was also a Civil War soldier, enlisting in Tiffin, OH in Co C 180^th OVI.  Their grandfather had been a veteran of the War of 1812.  The Slough family lived in Lykens, Crawford Co, OH according to the 1850 federal census p67B as Leonard Schleigh 31 PA, Ellen 31 Germ, Eri 8 OH,  Daniel 6 OH, and Mary A 2 OH.

Eli first married Michigan native Julia Annetta Stocking in 1865, Hillsdale Co, MI (Marriages Lib C p470); Annetta, born c1846 in MI, was the daughter of Timothy (FW in the census) and Sarah Stocking who lived in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw Co, MI c1850 and Bridgewater Twp, Williams Co, OH c1860.  The Slough couple had three known children, William L who died on 2 April 1867 and was buried in Cogswell Cemetery, Bridgewater Twp, Wms Co, OH; Florence (b1868); and Sarah H (b. 23 May 1873, Pioneer, Madison Twp [Births V1 p65]).  By 1870 Eli was a resident of Buchanan, Missouri; he was an agent for patent rights. Mother Julia died on 4 Nov 1874 @28Y 4M 23D and was buried beside her young son, William.

Eli next married Mary E. Miller, born 1 Oct 1847 in OH, the daughter of Jacob and Anna Stoner Miller, on 8 Apr 1875 in Amboy Twp, Hillsdale Co, MI (Marriages Lib E p178); Eli was 33 years old and Mary E was 27 years old.  Their witnesses were Josiah Slough and Maggie Miller. By the 1880 Madison Twp federal census, p476A, the couple was enumerated as EL Slough 38 OH, baker, Mary E. 33 OH, Florence 12 OH, Sarah E 7 OH.  The History of Williams County, Ohio, Goodspeed, 1882, p417, stated that EL Slough owned a restaurant in Pioneer, Ohio.

According to records of the Williams County, Ohio Civil and Criminal Court (Journal 12 p138, 279 - 2 June 1884; Roll 39 Box 130 case number 1176 - 24 July 1883) Mary E. Slough presented a list of dates for the court, asserting that her husband Eli had been unfaithful numerous times.  Eli had committed adultery with Anna Stauff on 25 Sept 1879, from 18 Sept 1880-15 Mar 1881 at their home in Pioneer with Sarah Cox, and on 15 Apr 1882 with Amy Cunningham.  Mary wanted a divorce and stated that she had separated from Eli on 23 Apr 1881.  After her initial appearance both parties mutually dismissed the case, but Mary returned to court in 1884 to restate her case. She charged that Eli had been willfully absent for more than three years. She informed the court that Eli had a property lot in Pioneer valued at $250 and an insurance policy with Continental Insurance Company on a stone building insured for $800 with the contents insured for an additional $200.  Eli claimed that he did not have much money to pay Mary any alimony.  Mary received her divorce, was restored to her maiden name of Miller, and awarded alimony of $50.

Mary's suspicions of Eli's adultery with Amy Cunningham must have been valid as Eli married Amy in Ransom Twp, Hillsdale Co, MI on 6 July 1884 (Marriages Lib F p60) after his wife divorced him.   Amy was the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Mary Munson Cunningham; she was born on 3 May 1861 in Fulton Co, Ohio.  By 1890 the Slough family lived in Defiance as evidenced by the Civil War Veteran’s Schedule. Eli died in Defiance, Defiance Co, OH on 13 Aug 1916; he was a veterinary surgeon.

Mary E. Miller married Jacob Schaeffer; she died on 11 Aug 1935 in Madison Twp, Williams Co, OH and was buried in the Floral Grove Cem, Pioneer, OH; her death certificate stated she was a widow.