02 November 2010

Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Radabaugh (Thomas)


Mary A.  Radabaugh v Thomas C. Radabaugh (Journal 6 - May 1866)

By Pamela Pattison Lash (updated 2010)

Thomas C. Radabaugh, b 22 July 1821 in Jackson Co, Ohio, was the son of Samuel and Rhoda Jones Radabaugh; he first married Mary Elizabeth Dillman in Wms Co, OH on 3 May 1849 (Marriages V2 p109).  They were enumerated in the 1850 Madison Twp, Wms Co, OH Federal Census p33, as Thomas 29 OH, Mary 26 CAN, and Melvin 4M OH.  Mary died in 1855.  An Internet posting stated that Thomas and Mary E Radabaugh had four children, Melvin, Aetna, Clara, and Evaline. The next census that sheds light on this widower was the 1860 College Twp, Linn Co, IA where Thomas 39 OH carpenter was listed with his two children Melvin 10 VA and Aetna A 9 OH.  He married a second time to Mary A, surname unknown (possibly Mary Williams), on 20 Aug 1861 in Weston, Lucas Co, OH (now Wood Co).  It is this marriage that landed in the divorce records.  Thomas enlisted in Co D Second Michigan Infantry in 1863, which is about the time that Mary was “abandoned”, although Thomas’ obituary stated that he was a resident of Hillsdale Co, MI since 1861.

According to the Williams Co, OH Civil and Criminal Court Records (Journal 6 – May 1866), Mary wanted a divorce.  She claimed that Thomas had left her and their son Carlton, aged 3 years. Thomas had real estate in Wms Co, OH and she received this land in lieu of alimony.  Shortly after the divorce Mary A. Radabaugh married Andrew Craig Bigelow, SR, on 2 June 1866, Wms Co, OH (Marriage V3 p564). In the 1870 Center Twp, Wms Co, OH Federal Census, the Bigelows were listed as Andrew 62 PA, Mary 50 PA, Carlton Radabaugh 8 OH, and Stephen Bigelow 68 PA, a brother to Andrew. 

An interesting point should be made here.  Andrew Bigelow had property in Farmer Twp where he farmed and raised a family, but yet he lived on the newly acquired farm of his second wife, property that she gained through this divorce. Andrew Bigelow, born 1806 NY, was married to Eliza Margaret Hyde on 5 Sept 1827 in Ticonderoga, Essex Co, NY; they had eight known children; Eliza Bigelow passed away on 23 Mar 1866; Andrew died on 22 Mar 1875 and was buried in Farmer Cemetery next to his first wife, Eliza. According to the 1880 Center Twp, Wms Co, OH Federal Census p611C, Mary Bigelow was enumerated as 60 PA, a widow, along with son Carlton Radabaugh, 17 OH.

Thomas C. Radabaugh became a bridegroom a third time when he married Mrs. Nancy Johnson Martin, widow of Robert Martin, on 26 Sept 1866 in Hillsdale Co, MI.  Nancy, the daughter of John W and Abigail Hill Johnson, was born on 19 July 1829 in Seneca Co, NY. She and former husband, Robert M. Martin, lived in Hillsdale before the Civil War; Robert was killed in the war on 26 Feb 1862 @36Y 5M 19D and was buried in the Divine Cemetery, Woodbridge Twp, Hillsdale Co, MI.

The Radabaughs were found in the 1870 Camden Twp, Hillsdale Co, MI Federal census p269, as Thomas 49 OH, Nancy M 39 NY, Rosa E 2 MI, and Oliver Martin 12 MI.  By the 1880 Camden Twp, Hillsdale Co, MI Federal Census p61A, Thomas, a book agent, was listed as 59 OH along with wife Nancy 52 MI, Rosa 12 MI, and Gay F (Herbert) 10 MI.  Nancy died in 1895 and Thomas passed away in 1904, both in Hillsdale Co, MI and were buried in Divine Cem, Woodbridge Twp, Hillsdale Co, MI.

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