Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Taylor (Charles)

Frances E. Sparks Taylor v Charles Thomas Taylor (Journal 12 p100 - 9 June 1883; Roll 39 Box 128 case number 1128 - 28 Mar 1883)

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 2010)

The couple was married on 1 Oct 1878 in Camden Twp, Hillsdale Co, MI (Marriage Lib E p255). Charles, born in Feb 1858 in Northwest Twp, Williams Co, OH, was the son of Thomas R and Almira Taylor.  In the 1860 NW Twp federal census, p1A, the Taylors appeared as Thomas 33 IR carpenter, Almira 31 OH, Mary 8 OH, George 6 OH, Gilbert 5 OH, and Charles 2 OH.  In the 1870 Nettle Lake, NW Twp federal census, p30, they appeared as Thomas 43 IR, Almira 41 OH, Mary 18 OH, George 17 OH, Gilbert 14 OH, Charles 12 OH, Adalaide 9 OH, Grant 6 OH, and Bertha 2 OH.  Frances, born on Feb 1859 in Huron Co, OH, was the daughter of Lyman A. and Lovisa Baker Sparks.

In the 1880 Columbia, NW Twp federal census, p444A, Charles was listed as 22 OH along with wife Frances 22 OH and daughter Shirley 1 OH; they lived next door to Frances’ parents. Frances said that Charles lived in Horton, Jackson Co, MI and was guilty of gross neglect and being willfully absent for three years.  He was not a fit and proper person to have custody of their daughter, Shirley Theodora.  Frances received a reasonable alimony and custody of her daughter.

Charles married Julia Ann Edmonds on 16 July 1883 in Liberty, Jackson Co, MI; Julia, the daughter of Frank and Elizabeth Edmonds, was born c1864 in Cohoeton, Steuben Co, NY.   The two were buried in Columbia Cemetery as Julia (1864-1945) and Charles (1858-1942).  

Did Frances marry again? By the 1900 Jackson, Jackson Co, MI federal census p20A Frances Edmonds, a divorced lady listed as 41 OH, lived with her daughter Shirley Taylor 21 OH and another daughter (Eva) Winnifred Edmonds 10 MI-NY-OH.  There is a Charles H. Edmonds 69 NY divorced living in Coldwater, Branch Co, MI in 1900; he is a roomer and pensioner living with the Ray Warner family. Charles died in 1907 in Coldwater; he was the son of Stephen and Betsey Nichols Edmonds.  Frances Edmonds died on 11 Oct 1900 in Jackson, MI.